Auction Catalogue

12 November 2020

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Live Online Auction

Download Images

Lot

№ 521

.

12 November 2020

Hammer Price:
£2,200

The medically important Egypt medal awarded to Sergeant Charles Williams, Army Hospital Corps, who was awarded the D.C.M. for gallantry in the actions at Abu Klea and Abu Kru in January 1885, having originally been recommended for the V.C., and whose private journal describes many incidents in the battles including the treatment of the seriously wounded men to whom ‘a merciful drug was administered that permitted them to die in peace’

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 2 clasps, The Nile 1884-85, Abu Klea (3520 Sgt. C. Williams. A.[H.C.]) edge bruising and pitting, otherwise nearly very fine £1,600-£2,000

‘Early in November 1892, whilst stations at Aldershot my then Commanding Officer sent for me, and enquired what decorations I received for my services at Abu Klea.
“Usual Meals and Bars, Sir”, I replied.
“Are you not aware you were recommended for he V.C.”, the C.O. enquired.
“Yes”, I replied, “Surgeon Captain Briggs informed me so, but I have not heard anything further about it, and did not consider it my place to say anything.”
“Wel;”, the C.O. said, “I know you were - for conspicuous bravery under intense fire, and devotion to your work without any consideration for your own safety. I am visiting the War Officer tomorrow, will make enquiries, and have a search at H.Q. for the record. I traces, I will personally see the Commander in Chief, the Duke of Cambridge.”

A few days later I was on “The Carpet” again, to use an old expression, wondering what I had done again!
“Well”, said the Commanding Officer, “Your recommendation has been found pigeon-holed at H.Q., unquestionably being a recommendation for the V.C., but officers who had witnessed your conduct and signed to that effect are all dead- killed in action or died from wounds.”
When shown to the Duke of Cambridge, the C.O. told me he swore and carried on alarmingly. He spoke very disrespectfully and strongly of the neglect of Corps H.Q. exclaiming “How can I ask Her Majesty to grant it after so many years have elapsed, but he shall have the next best- the D.C.M., and as a consolation will beg the Queen to personally decorate him”.’

D.C.M. Submitted to the Queen, 3 October 1892. Awarded for service in the Nile Expedition, 1884-85, in particular for Abu Klea, 17 January 1885 and Abu Kru, 19 January 1885 (Ref. G.O. 6 of 1893).

D.C.M. presented by the Queen at Windsor Castle on 25 November 1892, details being reported in
The Times, 26 November 1892:

‘Her Majesty today decorated First-Class Staff-Sergeant Charles Williams, Medical Staff Corps, with the Distinguished Conduct Medal for services in Egypt. Sergeant Williams’s conduct during the Nile expedition, 1884-5, deserved the highest commendation; his gallant conduct at Abu Klea and Abu Kru and his zeal and cheerfulness throughout the campaign rendered him worthy of this reward.’

Further details were recorded by the
Wanganui Herald: ‘On November 25 1892, at Windsor Castle, the Queen decorated First-class Staff-Sergeant Charles Williams with the medal for distinguished conduct. The ceremony took place in the east corridor and in the presence of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Sorge, Princess Beatrice and General Lynedoch Gardiner, Equerry in waiting. Her Majesty pinned the decoration to the uniform of the gallant soldier, who was already wearing the Soudan and Bronze Egyptian Cross. The distinction was won by Sergeant Williams at the engagement at Abu Klea on January 17th - the action in which Colonel Burnaby was killed. As the square, which was hotly pressed by the enemy, kept moving onward, Sergeant Williams and other members of his little corps, about 15 in number, heroically rushed from time to time from the ranks, and rescued some 80 or 90 wounded soldiers lying upon the field. These were occasionally left some distance in the rear of their fighting comrades, and, while they were conveying them to the shelter of the square Sergeant Williams and the Medical Staff Corps were exposed to the galling fire of the Soudanese, who were only 400 or 500 yards away.’

Charles Robert Williams enlisted for the General Infantry at Liverpool on 27 August 1877. On 3 September 1877, he transferred to the Army Hospital Corps as No 3520 Private Charles Robert Williams. He listed his place of birth as Shandon, County Cork, his age as 17 years and 2 months and his occupation as clerk. From 7 August 1882 until 8 October 1882 he served in Egypt. His attestation papers show him leaving Egypt for England on 9 October 1882 and returning back to Egypt on 28 November 1882. It must be assumed that this voyage back to England was to accompany and attend to the wounded from the battle of Tel.-El-Kebir and other actions. He remained in Egypt until 23 June 1887. He was promoted Corporal 1 April 1878 and Sergeant 1 January 1882.

Beyond the reach of Empire by Colonel Mike Snook tells the story of the Gordon Relief Campaign. The Battles of Abu Klea and Abu Kru are examined in unprecedented detail. Using both known and previously unknown sources it shines an atmospheric light on these two short but violent battles. One of the previously unknown sources comes from Sergeant Charles Williams of the Army Hospital Corps, whose manuscript forms part of the Toy family archive. Sergeant Williams relates several aspects of the battles and the part that he played in them. Some passages of his manuscript relate to the more unpleasant and controversial deeds of the medical staff with respect to the fate of those seriously wounded and dying.

On 8 January 1885, to a chorus of ‘good wishes’, the Desert Column, under the command of Brigadier-General Sir Herbert Stewart, K.C.B., set off to relieve General Gordon at Khartoum. Sergeant Charles Williams was part of the Army Medical Department made up of No. 1 Moveable Field Hospital and two sections of the Medical Bearer Company. After a stop at Jakdul Wells the full Desert Column, now consisting of 115 officers, 1687 other ranks, 343 native workers, 162 ponies and 2,888 camels, headed for Abu Klea Wells which they reached on 16 January 1885. Forming a zariba, the column spent an uncomfortable night taking an incoming desultory but annoying accurate fire from the Ansar (Followers of the Mahdi).

In the morning of 17 January a square was formed. With uneven topography the square set off and progress was reasonably rapid. A continuous fire was directed at the square from the Ansar hidden in the long grass along their route of travel. The remorseless advance soon left the wounded falling outside the square and Sergeant Williams comments as follows:
‘... prior to the actual climax of the battle, we of the medical corps, assisted by regimental stretcher bearers had to run some distance from the halted square to bring in men who had been wounded; the dead were left where they fell. Not a pleasant job, bullets whistling around our ears like so many flies, but luckily our casualties were very few. On one occasion in particular I carried a wounded Major on my shoulders, some 100 yards from where he lay badly wounded into the square.’

Colonel Snook states that only two officers fell between the point that the square moved off until the battle's denouement. One, Lieutenant Rowland Beech was recovered to the zariba and can be ruled out making it absolutely certain that the officer that Williams brought back into the square was Lord St Vincent. The wounded could only receive fleeting and rudimentary attention and Lord St Vincent was placed into a litter or cacolet placed either side of the medical camel's back. Due to the height of the camel the cacolets were exposed to a greater degree to the incoming ansar rifle fire and it was therefore no surprise that Lord St Vincent was wounded a second time with a gun shot wound to his wrist. He did not survive the battle.

At the end of the battle Sergeant Williams and the medics were faced with the difficult task of making a thorough check amongst the Ansar dead for any remaining British wounded. They were unarmed except for a small short sword. During the course of the battle the medics picked up the weapons of dead or wounded British soldiers to protect themselves from feigning Ansar spear men. Williams records that:
‘So soon as we could pull ourselves together the work of searching the field of battle for our wounded men was undertaken. Whilst so engaged, many of the enemy lying about apparently dead made efforts to spear our men when stepping over them, even if it was their last effort in life. Consequently any Arab that showed a spark of life was shot at once. Myself had to do so dozens of times. It was a ghastly business, turning over heaps of Arabs to find one or perhaps two of our men underneath- very, very few were living.’

Sergeant Williams’ manuscript also refers to one of the more unpleasant realities which is not recorded in any other source. Lethal doses of opiates were administered by the surgeons to the most severely wounded, especially those that fell to numerous spear wounds. It is not known how many of the wounded had their passing eased in this way but Sergeant Williams records the following:
‘Whole night was so occupied burying the dead, dressing wounds, feeding and unfortunately placing by themselves officers and men who were considered past medical relief. To these a merciful drug was administered that permitted them to die in peace.’

A few days later at Abu Kru Sergeant Williams implicates Surgeon Briggs in one mercy killing which is as follows:
‘Another casualty that is worth relating occurred to an AS Corps WO well known to myself. He was in charge of ammunition well under cover, simply had to hand out boxes to troops on demand. Little or no danger had he not, in the goodness of his heart, gone out of his way to help two weary Tommies to lift a box of ammunition and received a bullet in the abdomen. Our chief medical officer (Captain Briggs) - in trouble some time later in India in connection with the Viceroy's staff – said put him away, his case is hopeless. He, poor chap, asked me what chance he had? Saying I am not afraid to die – have made my peace with God – but if it is hopeless I should like to die in peace. Here he again received a “merciful drug”, covered with a blanket and found quite dead an hour or so later with a beautiful smile on his face.’

Again Colonel Snook examines the column's returns and it leaves no doubt that Sergeant Williams is referring to Conductor of Supplies A. C. Jewell of the Commissariat and Transport Corps. However, any idea of army surgeons making any decisions with respect to “mercy killing” makes for uncomfortable reading.

At Abu Klea Sergeant Williams had a close friendship with 2445 Colour Sergeant George Kekewich, of the 1st Coldstream Guards. Kekewich had a premonition of his death but after Abu Klea he and Williams met where Williams hailed him with “there you are, alive and kicking in spite of presentiment.” The still troubled Kekewich just shook his head and made no reply. However at Abu Kru Sergeant Williams states that Kekewich was shot in the head and was among the first to be killed and caused the square to be halted.

Williams remained in Egypt until 23 June 1887, when he returned to England, and where he remained until 27 September 1895. He returned to Cairo, briefly in 1895 for 127 days before returning to England on 1 February 1896. He was promoted Staff-Sergeant 2nd class, 26 June 1887, to Staff-Sergeant 1st class, 16 March 1892, and to Sergeant-Major, 5 September 1894.

Williams’ Statement of Services records show that on 8 January 1896, he was awaiting trial on the charges of negligently carrying out instructions thereby losing money entrusted to him and the misappropriation of money. This can only mean that the offence took place in Cairo as by the date of his arrest he had not yet returned to England. He was convicted of the charges on 11 February 1896, and sentenced to be reduced to to the rank of Staff-Sergeant 1st class. More confusion exists from his medical record which shows a Court of Inquiry took place on 26 February 1896, whilst he was in hospital suffering from an ‘accidental scrape from his wife's finger’. However, his Military and History sheet clearly shows that his medals and DCM were forfeited for the period of his arrest and trial but restored on 11 February 1896.

Williams married Eliza Harriet Bedford at Homerton on 12 February 1882 and had issue four children. He was discharged on the termination of his second period of limited engagement on 27 August 1898, and died on 23 August 1946, aged 82.

Sold with a large and comprehensive file of research.