Description
A superb RARE Khedive’s Sudan “Nyima 1917-18” M.S.M. group – Yorkshire regiment / Egyptian Army (Note only 2 men of the Green Howards received the Khedives Sudan medal. Also originally recommended for the D.C.M. for the Nyima campaign.
Awarded to Sergeant Walter Smith, MSM, Yorkshire Regiment and Egyptian Army
Medals :
Queen’s South Africa : 6551 L. Cpl. , Yorks. Regt. (1st Battalion) clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1902.
British War Medal (M.I.D. Oakleaf): 6551 W.O. 2. Yorks Regt. [with MID leaf] Disallowed 1915 Star and Victory Medal, so presumably already in the Sudan at beginning of war since service in Egypt would have qualified for those medals.
Army Long Service, Geo V second type: 6551 Q.M.Sjt. W. Smith, York. R.
Meritorious Service Medal: 6551 Q.M.Sjt. W. Smith, York. R. London Gazette 1.1.1917.Yorks. Regt., attached to Egyptian Army. “For devotion”. Unique to regiment.
Khedive’s Sudan Medal, 1910, clasp Nyima 1917-18; unnamed as issued.
Recommended for DCM for the Nyima campaign 1917-18 MSM awarded instead. Interestingly, his MIC has “DCM” on it and medal roll has “DCM” crossed out.
Mentioned in Dispatches for the 1916 Darfur campaign – London Gazette 25th Oct. 1916. As Q.M. Sergt., Yorks. Regt. “Staff and Admin Service” section of Gazette, so perhaps to do with organisation, as he did not receive the clasp for the campaign.
Mentioned in Dispatches for the Nyima campaign – London Gazette 5th Dec. 1918. Staff (only 6 names). As Colour Serjt., York Regt.
Only two men of the Green Howards received the 1910 Sudan Medal, the other being Major C. C. Godwin, OBE, who (interestingly) received the medal with both Darfur and Nyima. Served with Camel Corps.
The Medal Index Card stated that Smith was “still serving” – presumably with the Egyptian Army.
Address on MIC given as Mr. Ould, Headingley – presumably because Smith was still in Sudan.
He is shown as still being at Khartoum in 1921 with HQ Staff, “attached from the British Army”.
Note – MSM listed in some sources as for “Egypt” but Smith did not actively serve in Egypt – otherwise he would have been entitled to the 1914-15 Star and Victory Medal (as a Theatre of War); for both of these he was declared “ineligible”, presumably because he only served in the Sudan (BWM only as not a designated Theatre of War).
It would be interesting to know if he was later awarded the Order of the Nile – many long-serving NCOs in Egypt were
Provenance – Ex George Moss collection, New York
Condition – NEF
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