Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Sergeant G. S. Osborne, Royal Artillery, attached Uganda Rifles

East and Central Africa 1897-99, 1 clasp, Uganda 1897-98 (Srgt., Uganda Rif.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Lango 1901 (Serjt., Uganda Rifles) single initial ‘G.’ on the second, contact marks and edge bruising, otherwise generally about very fine and rare (2) £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Richard Magor Collection of Medals Relating to India and Africa, and other Fine Awards.

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Sergeant G. S. Osborne is verified as being entitled to the above Medals and clasps. The Lango roll notes that his award was to be sent to the Officer Commanding, R.H.A., Woolwich.

Magor says of the Lango operations: ‘It was discovered that the hard core of resistance in his [Captain C. Delme-Radcliffe, Connaught Rangers] district was some 100 mutineers known as the ‘Black Turks’ who had entered into a blood brotherhood with some of the Lango who believed that King Kaberga would return to oust the British.

The Lango Field Force totalled 6 Europeans and 405 native officers, N.C.Os and askaris from the Uganda Rifles (4 K.A.R.) and a levy of 100 Buganda. The country was thick forest and tall elephant grass up to nine feet high, and the campaign took place in the rainy season. The mutineers had established a European model stronghold and were still well stocked with arms and ammunition, but their camp was captured at the commencement of the expedition. Thereafter, the operations consisted of constant patrols in terrible conditions, having to rely on the country for supplies. During the campaign, all but seven of the mutineers were killed or captured.

The Lango tribesmen broke away from their blood brotherhood with the mutineers, for which purpose the Medical Officer of the column had a special de-oathing ceremony that involved injecting an emetic into the scar caused at the blood brotherhood ceremony. The resultant vomiting convinced the recipients that the evil spirit was departing. The Field Force suffered 21 killed and 16 wounded and themselves captured 1485 prisoners, 10,000 cattle, goats and sheep, 3000 spears and 88 firearms.’