Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine ‘Atbara’ 1898 Sudan D.C.M. group of three awarded to Private T. Cross, Cameron Highlanders, who whilst serving as Orderly to General Gatacre, saved his officer’s life by bayoneting an onrushing Dervish

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Pte. T. Cross. Cam’n Highrs (8th April 1898)); Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (3378. Pte. T. Cross 1/Cam: Hdrs); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, The Atbara (3378 Pte. Cross 1 Cam. Highrs.) minor edge bruising, otherwise good very fine (3) £4000-5000

Provenance: J. B. Hayward, October 1972; Christie’s, November 1987.

D.C.M. awarded for the battle of Atbara, 8 April 1898. Recommendation submitted to the Queen, 9 November 1898; London Gazette 15 November 1898; Army Order 153 of September 1899.

Thomas Cross attested for the Cameron Highlanders in June 1892, and served with ‘F’ Company, 1st Battalion in the Sudan campaign of 1898. The Cameron’s, as part of General Gatacre’s Brigade, played a key role in the battle of Atbara, 8 April 1898, ‘General Gatacre... delivered a stirring address. There was, he told the troops, to be no question about this. They were to go right through the zareba [sic], and drive the Dervishes into the river... At half-past seven our artillery ceased fire, and the bugles sounded the advance. The pipers of the Cameron Highlanders at once struck up the “March of the Cameron Men.” The business of the regiment was to clear the front with a hot rifle fire, while alternate companies tore openings in the zareba or surmounted it by scaling ladders. Next followed the Lincolnshire regiment, the Seaforths and the Warwickshires, the Highlanders playing a wild march and the English regiments a bugle march. There was a momentary pause till the Camerons reached the crest of the ridge overlooking the zareba, and then the Dervishes opened sustained rifle fire, but their aim was too high, and the execution among our men was not so great as from the intensity of the fire was expected.

Meanwhile General Macdonald’s Brigade advanced, the 9th Soudanese clearing the way. Only about a minute elapsed from the time the combined forces crowned the rise till the Camerons and Soudanese had torn down the zareba, and made way for the following regiments, which were advancing in column. General Gatacre, accompanied by Private Cross, of the Camerons, was actually the first to lay hands on the zareba. Cross bayoneted a big Dervish who was aiming point blank at the General... It was a thrilling quarter of an hour. Nothing could be finer, more striking, or more picturesque than the way these formidable barriers were surmounted in the face of a fire from the Dervish trenches hotter and more continuous than anything I can remember. The onslaught was irresistible.’ (Reuter’s Correspondent for the battle refers, as printed in The 79th News)

The Egyptian Soudan, Its Loss and Recovery by Alfred and Sword adds the following, ‘General Gatacre had a narrow escape; whilst pulling away from the zariba, a Dervish sprang at him with a hug spear, the General called to his orderly (Private Cross, of the Camerons), “Give it him, my lad”, and Cross rushed forward and bayoneted the Dervish just in time.’

The Camerons suffered 2 officers and 13 non-commissioned officers and men killed, and 1 officer and 44 non-commissioned officers and men wounded during the battle. As well as the award of his D.C.M., Cross was also mentioned in General Kitchener’s despatch published in the London Gazette on 24 May 1898. The well-known correspondent of the period, G. W. Steevens, records in his book With Kitchener To Khartoum that Cross was originally considered for recommendation for the Victoria Cross.

Sadly for Cross he died of disease at Darmali shortly after his gallant exploits on 23 April 1898.