Miniature Medals

Pair: Corporal D. McLeod, Cameron Highlanders

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (3499 Cpl., 1/Cam. Hrs.); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, The Atbara, unnamed as issued, good very fine (2) £400-500

Corporal Daniel McLeod died of wounds received at the battle of Atbara on 8 April 1898.

He was born in Huntley, Aberdeenshire, and enlisted into the Seaforth Highlanders in May 1893, transferring to the Cameron Highlanders two months later to serve with his brother. In October 1897 the regiment moved from Gibraltar to Egypt to make up part of the force which was to undertake the reconquest of the Sudan. On 8th April 1898, the battle of Atbara was fought. Corporal McLeod was severely wounded and died from his wounds ten days later.

“The following is a brief account of it, (the battle):- Our Company was one of those told off to make a breach in the zareba. On reaching it we encountered a tremendous fire from the Dervish stockade which was about ten yards further on. Had we remained there we would have sustained very severe losses. Seeing this Captain Findlay immediately rushed to the front and shouted to us to come on, and led the Company over the zareba and was the first of us to reach the stockade, in crossing which, and in the act of running his sword through a Dervish, he was shot through the heart and died on the spot.

Our other losses in the battle were Private W. Bartlett, who was killed at the same time as Captain Findlay close to the stockade, and Corporal McLeod, who was wounded in the arm so severely that it had to be amputated, and he, unfortunately, died of the shock resulting from the operation. The latter was a very promising N.C.O. and was universally liked in the Company, and his early death is greatly to be regretted. We offer our sincere sympathy to Sergeant McLeod, who is in the Company, for the loss of his brother.” (“C” Company Notes, July 1898).