Auction Catalogue

25 & 26 June 2014

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

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Lot

№ 1189

.

26 June 2014

Estimate: £10,000–£12,000

An outstanding ‘Abu Klea and Gubat’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Private Bernard Fagan, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, who was wounded at both actions but refused medical attention in favour of others who were more in need

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (1123. Pte. B. Fagan, 2/K.R. Rif. C. 17th & 19th Jany. 1885); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 2 clasps, The Nile 1884-85, Abu Klea (1123. Pte. B. Fagan. 2/K.R. Rif. C.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Defence of Ladysmith (1123 Pte. B. Fagan, K.R.R.C.); Khedive’s Star 1884-6, unnamed; sold with a damaged Victorian K.R.R.C. cap badge with battle honours to Tel-el-Kebir, some solder to lower reverse point of star, edge bruising and contact wear to the earlier medals, better than good fine, the Q.S.A. with edge bruise, otherwise good very fine (5)
£10000-12000

D.C.M. recommendation submitted to the Queen, 25 August 1885; G.O. 109/85; D.C.M. presented by the Queen at Windsor Castle, 25 November 1885, as reported in The Times on the following day:

Mounted Infantry. Private B. Fagan, King’s Royal Rifle Corps. - Though wounded, he rejoined his company on the Arabs charging, and remained with it throughout the day. Although wounded a second time on the 19th of January, he refused medical assistance, remarking that “there were many who required the doctor’s help more than he did.”

3 officers and 29 other ranks of the 2nd Battalion K.R.R.C. served with the Camel Corps at Abu Klea. Private Fagan won the only D.C.M. to the regiment for Abu Klea, whilst Privates Griffin and Moore received the decoration for the later action at Abu Klea Wells on 17 February 1885.

Bernard Fagan enlisted into the King’s Royal Rifle Corps at Winchester on 16 June 1883, stating his age to be 23 years 6 months - see note below. He joined the 2nd Battalion and saw service with the Rifle Company, Mounted Infantry Camel Regiment, Camel Corps, during the Sudan campaign of 1884-85, including the actions at Abu Klea on 17 January and Gubat (also referred to as ‘Abu Kru’ or ‘near Metemmeh’) on 19 January 1885. He was wounded in both actions and awarded the medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field, his service papers stating ‘At Abu Klea, though wounded, rejoined the ranks and remarked that there were others that required medical a[ssistance]’. His papers also confirm that he was wounded at ‘Abu Klea and again at Metemmeh’.

Returning to the U.K. in August 1885, Fagan attended the ceremony at Windsor Castle on 25 November 1885, where he was presented with his D.C.M. by Queen Victoria. He remained in the U.K. until December 1891 after which he took part in a succession of overseas postings in Gibraltar, Malta, South Africa and India. After service in India he again saw active service with the 2nd Battalion in the South African war of 1899-1902. Landing there on 18 September 1899, he took part in the siege and defence of Ladysmith which culminated on 28 February 1900. After the relief of Ladysmith the battalion went north to the Transvaal-Natal border, and in July 1900 was ordered to sail for Ceylon as escort to a large body of Boer prisoners. After a few months service in India, Fagan returned to England and was discharged on 16 May 1901.

Note: Bernard Fagan was actually born Patrick Power and had previously enlisted into the 70th Brigade (101st & 104th Foot [later 1st & 2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers] and the Kerry Militia) at Dublin on 10 April 1877. Power’s period service with the Royal Munster Fusiliers was marked by a number of offences, both military and civil, attended by various periods of imprisonment, such that he chose to desert from the regiment on 15 April 1883. He re-enlisted shortly afterwards into the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, on 16 June 1883, using the assumed name of Bernard Fagan. His subsequent service in the K.R.R.C. was without blemish, and even distinguished by his gallantry in the Sudan, but as he neared retirement from the army he was forced to come clean about his former service in order to augment his pension and, whilst initially successful, this was eventually denied to him and he retired with a pension for 18 years service. Partick Power, alias Bernard Fagan, died at Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow, on 26 March 1944.

Sold with both sets of copied discharge papers and comprehensive research.