Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The unique ‘Gedid operations 1899’ D.C.M. group to three awarded to Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor (later Captain) S. W. McConnell, Army Gymnastic Staff, attached XIII Sudanese Battalion, Egyptian Army, late Durham Light Infantry

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (St-Sjt: S. W. M’Connell. A. Gym: Staff.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (Q.M. Sjt: Instr. S. W. McConnell. A. Gym: St.); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 3 clasps, Gedaref, Gedid, Sudan 1899, unnamed as issued, contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine or better (3) £5,000-£7,000

Dix Noonan Webb, December 2018.

D.C.M.: London Gazette 13 March 1900:
‘Final pursuit and defeat of the Khalifa, Soudan, November 1899.’ A unique pre-Great War award to the Army Gymnastic Staff.

The original recommendation by Major Doran, Royal Irish Regiment, attached 9th Sudanese Battalion, states:
‘For his excellent instruction in fire discipline which has improved the Bn [9th Sudanese] so very much - and for his steadying effect on the men in the face of the enemy.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 30 January 1900 (Colonel F. R. Wingate, Battle of Gedid).

Samuel W. McConnell was born in Sunderland, County Durham, and attested for the Durham Light Infantry at Redcar in June 1893 aged 18. Trade given as labourer. Declared service in the Militia. He was promoted to Corporal in June 1896, and transferred as a Sergeant to the Army Gymnastic Staff in December 1897. McConnell was appointed Drill Instructor to the Egyptian Army in August 1898, and served with them in the Sudan from that month until March 1900.

McConnell is listed as attached to the 13th Sudanese Battalion, Egyptian Army, but he served with the 9th Sudanese Battalion, Egyptian Army, during the Gedaref operations and at the battle of Gedid, 22 November 1899. At Gedid, the Khalifa and Ahmed Fedil were both killed, and the reconquest of the Sudan was complete. The part played in the battle by the 9th Sudanese under Major Doran, is recorded in the despatch of Colonel Sir Reginald Wingate:
‘Major Maxse (Coldstream Guards), Brevet Major Doran (Royal Irish Regiment) and Brevet Major Gorringe (Royal Engineers) commanded the 13th, 9th, and Irregular Sudanese Battalion’s respectively, and I cannot speak too highly of the excellent behaviour on the line of march, and the gallant conduct in action of every officer, non-commissioned officer, and man composing this infantry brigade. Such results can only be obtained by constant drill and attention to discipline, and the gallant and able commanders of the 9th and 13th deserve special commendation for the high state of efficiency of their battalions. It was in front of the 9th that the Khalifa met his death... Immediately in front of the line of advance of the 9th Sudanese, and only a few hundred yards from our original position on the rising ground, a large number of the enemy were seen lying dead, huddled together in a comparatively small space; on examination these proved to be the bodies of the Khalifa Abdulla et Taaishi, the Khalifa Ali Wad Helu, Ahmed-el-Fedil, the Khalifa’s two brothers, Sennousi Ahmed and Hamed Mohammed, the Mahdi’s son, Es-Sadek, and a number of other well-known leaders.

At a short distance behind them lay their dead horses, and, from the few men still alive - amongst whom was the Emir Yunis Eddekein - we learnt that the Khalifa, having failed in his attempt to reach the rising ground where we had forestalled him, had then endeavoured to make a turning movement, which had been crushed by our fire. Seeing his followers retiring, he made an ineffectual attempt to rally them, but recognising that the day was lost, he called on his Emirs to dismount from their horses, and seating himself on his ‘furwa’ or sheepskin - as is the custom of Arab chiefs, who disdain surrender - he had placed Khalifa Ali Wad Helu on his right and Ahmed Fedil on his left, whilst the remaining Emirs seated themselves round him, with their body-guard in line some 20 paces to the front, and in this position they had unflinchingly met their death... The Khalifa’s death was the signal for the wholesale surrender, and by the afternoon we had collected upwards of 3,000 men and 6,000 women and children, besides quantities of rifles, swords, spears, cattle, etc.’

McConnell advanced to 1st Class Sergeant Instructor in November 1902, and was promoted to Quarter Master Sergeant Instructor in October 1912. He was discharged as Quarter Master Sergeant Instructor on 12 June 1914, having served for 21 years. McConnell was commissioned Temporary Second Lieutenant, Educational and Training Gymnasia, in August 1915. He advanced to Temporary Captain, without pay and allowances whilst employed on Gymnastic Staff in September the following year.

In October 1917, ‘a party of officers and 19 A.G.S. instructors proceeded to the U.S. [El Paso, Texas] to assist in training their newly raised armies. The officers included Capt. McConnell. The part deserves much credit. Their work and spirit appealed to the American temperament and wherever they went they won excellent opinions. Many of the American divisions refused to part with their British instructors when ordered to France and took them with them.’ (Extract from the History of the A.P.T.C. refers).

McConnell was not one of those who went to France, and indeed given his unpaid capacity it would appear that he was not entitled to any Great War Medals. Long Service Medal awarded in AO 99 of 1914.

Sold with copied research including Wingate’s despatch saved to C.D.