Auction Catalogue

2 July 2003

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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

Lot

№ 1002

.

2 July 2003

Hammer Price:
£1,300

A rare Sudan operations group of seven awarded to Major E. D. F. Gee, Royal Garrison Artillery, late Egyptian Army, killed in action in April 1918

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 (Lieut., 17th Coy. W.D. R.G.A.) severe edge bruise to rim; 1914-15 Star (Capt., R.G.A.) this probably a later issue; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Major) these renamed, possibly officially; Delhi Durbar 1911 (Capt., R.F.A.); Egypt, Order of the Nile, 4th class breast badge by Lattes, silver, gilt and enamels; Khedive’s Sudan 1910-21, 1st issue, 3 clasps, Mandal, Darfur 1916, Fasher, unnamed as issued, nearly very fine or better, the last extremely rare (7) £600-800

Ernest Desmond Farrell Gee was born on 2 February 1875, son of Captain F. H. Gee, of Youghal, County Cork. He was first commissioned into the Royal Artillery, from the Waterford Militia Artillery, as Second Lieutenant on 5 May 1900, becoming Lieutenant on 3 May 1901. He served during the Boer War in South Africa 1900-01 (Medal with 4 clasps). After postings in Bermuda and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Gee went to India where he remained until January 1913. He was next attached to the Egyptian Army.

In March 1914, Gee accompanied the camel patrol under Captain B. H. S. Romilly, D.S.O., Scots Guards, in the small expedition to the Nuba Mountains, including the operations at Mandal Sabai (Medal with clasp). Promoted to Major in December 1915, he also took part in the operations in Darfur 1915-16 (despatches
London Gazette 25 October 1916), and those at Fasher, September to November 1916 (Two clasps to Sudan Medal). For his services with the Egyptian Army he was awarded the Order of the Nile, 4th Class (London Gazette 31 August 1917).

Major Gee left the Egyptian Army in August 1917, with the rank of Kaimakam, to take command of the newly raised 263 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison. He commanded this battery in France and Belgium until he was killed in action on 25 April 1918. Major Gee is buried in La Clytte Military Cemetery, Reninghelst, Belgium.