Auction Catalogue

22 September 2006

Starting at 11:30 AM

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Orders, Decorations and Medals

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

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Lot

№ 851

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22 September 2006

Hammer Price:
£5,200

An outstanding Omdurman group of three awarded to Squadron Sergeant Major J. H. Brennan, 21st Lancers, who gallantly saved Surgeon Major Pinches, after killing several Dervishes in hand to hand combat, and carried him out of action

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (2094 S.S.Maj. J. Brennan, 21/Lancers); Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., small letter reverse (2094 Sq. Serjt. Major J. H. Brennan, 21st Lancers) impressed naming; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (No. 2094 S.S. Major Brennan, 21st Lancers) minor edge nicks and contact marks, otherwise good very fine (3) £3000-3500

Sergeant Major Brennan’s participation and gallant conduct in the charge at Omdurman is recounted in The Egyptian Soudan - Its Loss and Recovery, by H. S. Alford & W. Sword:

‘The Dervishes adopted their old tactics of first ham-stringing the horses, and then cutting their riders to pieces. Every man who was unhorsed - with the single exception of Major Pinches (Royal Army Medical Corps) - was instantly killed. Pinches was saved by the great daring of Sergeant-Major Brennan, who galloped to the rescue, and, after a tough fight, in the course of which Brennan killed several Dervishes, he got the officer on to his own horse and carried him out of danger’.

For Lieutenant-Colonel Pinches medals see Lot 246.