Pair: Private H. Storey, Royal Horse Guards, servant to Colonel Fred Burnaby at El-Teb

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 2 clasps, Suakin 1884 (copy clasp, not entitled), El-Teb (918 Pte. H. Storey, R.H. Guards); Khedive’s Star 1884, the reverse centre impressed ‘918 R.H.G.’, heavy pitting, therefore fine and rare (2) £250-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Egypt and Sudan Medals 1882-1891 from the Collection of Jack Webb.

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Only Burnaby and Storey of the Royal Horse Guards received the medal with clasp for El-Teb. Burnaby’s soldier-servant was a man called Storey.

“He was on a horse without a saddle or a bridle and had only a collar chain with which to guide the animal. He was surrounded by Arabs an camels. Fortunately his horse was a kicker, and becoming alarmed, kicked the camels on one side and burst through the Arabs, my unfortunate domestic hanging onto his neck. A few hundred yards from the square the horse jumped a bush, when my man was precipated from its back.”

‘Storey clung on to the collar chain and was dragged away through the carnage by his heels. Burnaby caught up with him three miles away at the far end of a trail of naked and bleeding bodies over which the vultures were already beginning to circle.’ (Ref Imperial Vanities - The Adventures of the Baker Brothers and Gordon of Khartoum).

Henry Storey was born in the Parish of Benhallgreen, near Saxmundham, Suffolk, and, being a policeman, enlisted into the Royal Horse Guards at Marylebone Police Station on 9 May 1877, aged 21. He was discharged on 9 May 1898, when he was in possession of ‘War Medal with clasp for El Teb & Bronze Star for Egypt 1884; Silver Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct’. Sold with copy discharge papers.