Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The group of five miniature dress medals named to Lieutenant E. M. Burton, Royal Engineers

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 3 clasps, Suakin 1884, El-Teb-Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85, edge inscribed ‘Lieut. E. M. Burton. R.E.’; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Cape Colony, unnamed; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, unnamed; Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidieh, silver, gold applique, and enamel, reverse inscribed ‘E.M.B. 1882’; Khedive’s Star 1884-6, unnamed, mounted and housed in a Spink, London leather case, nearly extremely fine (5) £240-280

Edmund Merceron Burton was commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 30 July 1879 and served in the Egyptian War of 1882, where he accompanied Sir Charles Warren in the expedition into Arabia Petraea despatched for the purpose of bringing to justice the murderers of Professor Palmer and his party (Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the 5th Class of the Order of the Medjidieh). He served in the expedition to the Sudan in 1884 with the 26th Field Company of the Royal Engineers, and was present in the engagements of El Teb and Tamaai, and then served in the Nile Expedition of 1884-85 with the 26th Field Company of the Royal Engineers, and afterwards with the Camel Corps, and took part in the operations of the Desert Column including the advance to Gakdul, Gubat, and Metammeh. Promoted Captain on 7 May 1889, and Major on 4 April 1898, he served in the South African War as Commanding Royal Engineers, Cape Town District and Base (Mentioned in Despatches). Promoted Lieutenant-Colonel on 28 May 1905, and Brevet Colonel three years later, he retired on 16 November 1910.