The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals (Part 2)

Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (S. W. Howell, Civiln. Engr. H.H. Gunboat Melik) contemporary engraved naming, very fine

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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The Nile Gunboats were commanded by Officers of the Royal Navy, Royal Marine Artillery or Royal Enginers with two Royal Marine Artillery Non-Commissioned Officers in Charge of the guns. Surprisingly the engineroom was in the charge of civilian engineers, each boat carrying two such personnel. The MELIK, a twin screw gunboat, was Commanded by Major W. S. (Monkey) Gordon of the Royal Engineers, nephew of the late General Gordon, and featured prominently in the battle of Omdurman on 2 September 1898. Shells from her guns were responsible for much of the damage to the Mahdi's Tomb. In this action lyddite shells were used for the first time with devastating results.