Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Omdurman D.C.M. group of five awarded to Private W. Bushell, 21st Lancers, later Sergeant, 16th Lancers

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Pte. W. Bushell. 21st. Lancers. (2nd. Septr. 1898)); Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (3710. Pte. W. Bushell. 21/Lancers.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (5184 Cpl. W. Bushell. 16th Lancers); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (3710 Serjt: W. Bushell. 16th. Lancers.) suspension claw re-pinned; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (3710. Lce. Cpl. W. Bushell 21st. Lcrs.) minor edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine, the DCM good very fine (5) £7000-9000

Provenance: J. B. Hayward, June 1967; BDW, September 1994.

D.C.M. London Gazette 15 November 1898.

William Bushell was born at Ramsgate, Kent, in 1868 and attested for General Service in the Cavalry on 19 October 1886 at Canterbury. Posted to the 7th Dragoon Guards, he transferred to both the 8th and 18th Hussars, before joining the 21st Hussars in 1893, then serving in India. He went with the Regiment to Egypt in October 1896, and, having been re-designated the 21st Lancers the following year, served during the Sudan War. He took part in the celebrated charge at Omdurman on the 2 September 1898, as part of Major J. Fowle’s ‘B’ Squadron, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal- one of 7 D.C.M.s (together with 3 Victoria Crosses) that were awarded to the Regiment for Omdurman. ‘B’ Squadron was clearly in the thick of the action, suffering 9 killed and 26 wounded, and indeed received the lions share of the awards, with 3 of the 7 D.C.M.s and all 3 V.C.s.

Bushell subsequently served with the 21st Lancers in South Africa during the Boer War from 25 November 1899, and was promoted Corporal on 28 February 1900. Transferring again to the 16th Lancers, 21 June 1902, he was promoted Sergeant on 1 April 1903, before finally taking his discharge on 18 October 1907, after 21 years’ service.

Note: A D.C.M. and Sudan pair named to this man was offered for sale at Glendining’s in February 1980, but the complete original group offered here has been in just two collections since offered for sale by J. B. Hayward, now a consultant of this house, almost 50 years ago.

3710 Private W. Bushell is not recorded as being wounded in the charge at Omdurman; another Bushell, 3231 Private E. Bushell is recorded as being wounded in the right shoulder