Orders, Decorations and Medals

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, no clasp (Capt. C. Coningham, 2/Rl. Dub. Fus.) pitting from star, otherwise very fine and rare £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Egypt and Sudan Medals 1882-1891 from the Collection of Jack Webb.

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2 officers and 3 other ranks of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers served in the Upper Nile Expedition 1885-86.

Charles Coningham was born at Bangalore in 1851, the youngest son of Lieutenant-General Henry Coningham, of the Madras Light Cavalry. His brothers were all in the army. He joined the 103rd Foot in 1872, being promoted Captain in 1882, Major in 1891, into the Worcestershire Regiment, and became Lieutenant-Colonel in December 1899. He took part in the operations of the Soudan Frontier Field Force on the Upper Nile in 1885-86, receiving the medal and the Khedive’s star.

Lieutenant-Colonel Coningham went to South Africa in command of the 2nd Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment, in December 1899, and on arrival was sent to the north of Cape Colony. He was killed in action at Rensburg on 12 February 1900. At that place there was some heavy firing, and he rose to look for the enemy and also to see that his men kept under cover. Some of his officers implored him to lie down, but he was struck shortly afterwards. As he fell he said: “Don’t trouble about me, men.” The Boer who killed him was shot by one of the men of E Company. Lieutenant-Colonel Coningham and Brevet-Major Stubbs, with fourteen non-commissioned officers and men, lie buried on the Worcester kopjes, where they fell.