The regimentally unique ‘Omdurman’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Colour Sergeant H. Sheppard, Royal West Kent Regiment, attached Egyptian Army, twice mentioned in despatches for the Sudan campaign, and once for the Second Boer War

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Cr. Sgt. H. Sheppard: R. W. Kent R. (2nd Sept: 1898)); Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (1823 Cl./Sgt. H. Sheppard. E. A.) suspension claw loose; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen (1823 Sgt H. Sheppard, 2nd Rl. W. Kent Regt); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 4 clasps, Sudan 1897, Abu Hamed, The Atbara, Khartoum (Cr. Sgt H. Sheppard, R. W. Kent. R.) last with corrections, light contact marks, generally very fine or better (4) £3,000-£4,000

Provenance: Spink, June 1984 (when the Q.S.A. erroneously sold as a separate lot); and Glendining, September 1986 (as a group of four).

D.C.M. London Gazette 15 November 1898, awarded for the battle of Omdurman, 2 September 1898.

Henry Sheppard was born in Charlton, Kent, and attested for the Royal West Kent Regiment at Maidstone, in March 1887. He advanced to Sergeant in December 1890, and transferred to the Egyptian Army in October 1892. Sheppard served in Egypt December 1892 - February 1899 and September 1899 - March 1900 (M.I.D. London Gazette 24 May 1898 and 30 September 1898). He was promoted Colour Sergeant in April 1895, and returned to the 2nd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment in February 1899. He served with the Battalion in South Africa, March 1900 - November 1902 (10 September 1901).

Sheppard was discharged 1 August 1903, and re-engaged for service during the Great War aged 52, in November 1914. He was posted as Colour Sergeant to the 9th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment in November 1914. He transferred to the 29th (Infantry Works) Battalion Middlesex Regiment in September 1916, and to the Labour Corps in June 1917. Sheppard was discharged due to ‘Old Age’, 20 October 1918.