The Allan and Janet Woodliffe Collection of Medals Relating to the Reconquest and Pacification of the Sudan

Three: Chaplain to the Forces the Reverend Reginald Moseley, Army Chaplains Department, who took a prominent role in the memorial service for Gordon in Khartoum and later became Chaplain of the Royal Hospital

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (4/Cl. Rev: R. Moseley, M.A. C.D.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (Rev: R. Moseley, M.A., C. to F:); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum, unnamed as issued, edge bruising and contact wear, otherwise very fine or better (3) £1000-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Allan and Janet Woodliffe Collection of Medals relating to the Reconquest and Pacification of The Sudan 1896-1956.

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Reginald Moseley was born on 11 December 1855; B.A. Worcester College (Oxford) 1887; M.A. 1890. Chaplain of St Barnabas Church, Kensington, 1887-89. He was appointed 4th class Chaplain to the Forces on 27 June 1889 (ranking as captain), serving at The Curragh, 1890-94, and in London 1894-98.

He served with the Sudan expedition in 1898 and was present at the battle of Omdurman. The Rev. Mosely was one of the four chaplains who conducted the Gordon memorial service following the re-occupation of Khartoum.

The service was conducted by four chaplains attached to the British infantry: Presbyterian, Church of England, Wesleyan and Roman Catholic. Kitchener stood with his staff while behind him stood the Headquarters staff and generals of divisions; on either side of him were representative detachments of the Egyptian army, detachments of General Gatacre’s division and a small corps of officers from the Royal Engineers, Gordon’s own corps.

Then, amidst a silence broken only by the guns, ‘four chaplains,’ says Mr G. W. Steevens, ‘Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist, came slowly forward and ranged themselves, with their backs to the palace, just before the Sirdar. The Presbyterian read the Fifteenth Psalm. The Anglican led the rustling whisper of the Lord's Prayer. Snow-haired Father Brindle, best beloved of priests, laid his helmet at his feet, and read a memorial prayer bareheaded in the sun. Then came forward the pipers and wailed a dirge, while Sudanese played “Abide with me.”

Perhaps lips did twitch just a little to see the ebony heathens fervently blowing out Gordon's favourite hymn; but the most irresistible incongruity would hardly have made us laugh at this moment. And there were those who said the cold Sirdar himself could hardly speak or see, as General Hunter and the rest stepped out according to their rank and shook his hand. What wonder? He has trodden this road to Khartoum for fourteen years, and he stood at the goal at last.’

After a spell at Malta later in 1898 and Woolwich in 1899, the Rev. Moseley went to the war in South Africa in February 1900 as 2nd class Chaplain to the Forces. He was in Dublin, 1904-06, and was promoted to 1st class Chaplain to the Forces in March 1906 when he took over as Chaplain of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. Here he remained until December 1917, when he resigned his appointment.

Moseley was afterwards Hospitaller at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and vicar of S. Bartholomew’s-the-Less until 1923. He died on 18 April 1937, at his home in Chelsea, in his 82nd year. With original photograph and some copied research.