Auction Catalogue

4 December 2002

Starting at 12:00 PM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 395 x

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4 December 2002

Hammer Price:
£2,200

The Egypt and Sudan campaign medal to Major W. H. Atherton, 5th Dragoon Guards, who was killed in action at Abu Klea

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89
, 3 clasps, Tel-El-Kebir, The Nile 1884-85, Abu Klea (Capt. W. H. Atherton, 5th Dn. Gds.) last two clasps with unofficial rivets, good very fine and rare £2000-2500

Walter Hyde Atherton was commissioned Lieutenant in the 4th Dragoon Guards on 2 December 1874, and became Captain on 27 August 1879. He served with the regiment in Egypt 1882 and was present at the battle of Tel-El-Kebir on 13 September 1882. Promoted to Major on 16 April 1884, Atherton commanded the 5th Dragoon Guards detachment of 31 men at the battle of Abu Klea on 17 January 1885, during which action he was killed. Of the nine British officers killed in action at Abu Klea, seven of them belonged to cavalry regiments of the Heavy Camel Regiment, the other two serving with the Naval Brigade.

Another medal, also correctly named, is known to this recipient