Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine C.B. and battle of Ginnis gold D.S.O. group of six awarded to Colonel Edward Everett, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels; Distinguished Service Order, V.R., gold and enamels, small flake to reverse lower arm and some chipping to green enamel wreaths; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Lucknow (Lieut. Edwd. Everett, 79th Highlanders); Egypt & Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, The Nile 1884-85 (Major E. Everett, 1/Cam’n. Highrs.); Khedive’s Star 1884-6; Order of the Medjidie, 3rd class neck badge, silver, gold and enamels, this with chip to crescent suspension, the first five mounted on contemporary wearing bar and all contained in an old fitted case with provision for miniatures, contact marks but generally very fine or better (6)
£8000-10000

D.S.O. London Gazette 26 November 1886: ‘For action at Ginnis. Edward Everett, Lieutenant-Colonel, Cameron Highlanders.’

Edward Everett was born on 4 June 1835, and educated at Marlborough. He joined the 79th Highlanders as Ensign on 1 March 1855, and served in the Crimea after the fall of Sebastopol. He served in the Indian Mutiny Campaign in 1858-59, including the siege and capture of Lucknow; attack on the Fort of Rooyah, actions at Allygunge, Bareilly and Shahjehanpore; capture of Forts Bammiar and Mahomdie; passage of the Gogra at Fyzabad; capture of Rampore Kussia and subsequent operations in Oudh, across the Gogra and Raptee Rivers (Despatches London Gazette 25 May 1858, Medal with clasp).

Everett became a Captain in May 1865, a Major in July 1881, and served throughout the Nile Expedition of 1884-85 (Despatches London Gazette 25 August 1885, brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel, medal with clasp and Khedive’s Star). He served throughout the operations of the Soudan Frontier Field Force in 1885-86, being present at Kosheh during the investment; commanded the reconnaissance of the 15th December, and the night attack, carried out by the Cameron Highlanders and the 9th Sudanese, on the village of Kosheh at the engagement of Ginnis. The force advancing on the village of Ginnis consisted of two very strong companies of the Egyptian Black Battalion, who were on the right of six companies of the Cameron Highlanders under that gallant soldier Lieutenant-Colonel Everett, then the second in command of this fine regiment. Colonel Everett was specially selected to command the regiment in action that day. F and H Companies, under Everett, were sent out at 6 a.m. to make a demonstration against the enemy occupying the village of Absari. As the companies approached the Dervishes opened a very heavy fire from the loop-holed houses, which was vigorously replied to. Having advanced close to the village, the companies retired again under cover of the guns in the fort. Everett’s action is described by Sir Reginald Wingate in his History of the Sudan:

‘Close to a rock a palm grove also gave good cover to the enemy’s sharp-shooters; casualties daily occurred within the fort, and on the 15th Dec. the fire from the black rock and the palm grove became so unusually harassing that a sortie was made by party of Cameron Highlanders, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Everett, who succeeded in surprising and bayonetting fourteen of the enemy, but with the severe loss of Lieut. Cameron mortally wounded, Capt. Hunter severely, and Major Chalmers slightly wounded, one man killed, and three men wounded.’

On 29 December 1885, Lieutenant-General Stephenson arrived at Mograkeh with 4,000 Egyptian and British troops, and the investment of Kosheh, which had lasted 31 days, terminated. The following morning the Anglo-Egyptian force attacked and dispersed the Dervishes at Ginnis. The Cameron Highlanders and the 9th Sudanese Battallion, under Lieutenant-Colonel Everett, took the village of Absari at the point of the bayonet, and afterwards occupied and burnt the village of Ginnis. All the enemy’s standards, five guns and his ammunition and nuggars fell into our hands. In this engagement the Cameron Highlanders had eight men wounded. Everett was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 9 February 1886) and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. Before the departure of the regiment His Highness the Khedive conferred the 3rd Class of the Order of the Medjidie upon Lieutenant-Colonel Everett, in recognition of his services at Ginnis.

Everett succeeded to the command of the 1st Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders in July 1887, which he held until he retired on 15 June 1889. In 1907 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath. Colonel Everett died at Bournemouth on 2 April 1920. The group is accompanied by his original but slightly trimmed warrant for the Order of the Bath, dated 28th June 1907, a coloured portrait of him as a young officer in highland uniform, a small portrait photograph, also in highland uniform, and copied obituary from The 79th News.

See Lot 961 for Colonel Everett’s miniature awards.