Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas

A rare Sudan campaign group of four awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Humphrey Oldfield, Royal Marine Artillery, mentioned in despatches for services in the Sudan where he became the first R.M. officer to command a warship

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (Capt: H. Oldfield. R.M.A.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Lt. Col. H. Oldfield RMA,) naming re-impressed; Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidie, 4th Class breast badge, silver gold and enamels; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 3 clasps, Hafir, Sudan 1897, Khartoum, unnamed as issued, mounted for display, nearly extremely fine (4) £3,200-£4,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas.

View
Collection

Alan Hall Collection, June 2000.

Order of the Medjidie, 4th Class, London Gazette 12 May 1899.

Only 27 Queen's Sudan Medals issued officers and men of the Royal Marines; Khedive's Sudan medal unique to a Royal Marines officer with these clasps.

Humphrey Oldfield was born on 2 July 1867, the son of Colonel R. Oldfield, Royal Artillery, and entered the Royal Marine Artillery as a Lieutenant in 1884. Following extensive service afloat and on shore in the Mediterranean, he was promoted to Captain in 1895.

In 1896 he was seconded for service with the Egyptian Army, in charge of a party of ten Royal Marine Artillery N.C.O.'s sent to act as Gunnery Instructors aboard the Nile Gunboats. During this posting he became the first Marine officer to command a warship, when he was given command of the gunboats Matemmeh and later Hafir, serving with the Nile Flotilla commanded by Commander the Honourable Stanley Colville, R.N. He was present at the bombardment of the dervish batteries at Hafir, when he was exposed to a heavy fire and subsequently took part in the bombardment of Dongola. Having previously done excellent service in connection with the passage of the cataracts, and the building of the new gunboat, he was favourably mentioned in Despatches.

In 1898 he was appointed Staff Officer to the Governor of Dongola province; and also held the position of Military Commandant at Nagh Humadi, the terminus of the railway from Cairo. In the Sudan campaign of 1898 he served on the Nile as water transport officer, and successfully navigated the gunboat El-Hafir during the passage up the 4th Cataract. He later Commanded the Kailor, a post boat; and was employed on Water Transport during the advance on, and battle of Omdurman. In 1899 he was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General at headquarters and was present during subsequent operations against the Kalifa. His services were recognised by the award of the British Sudan Medal, the Medjidie 4th Class and the Khedive's Sudan Medal with clasps ‘Hafir', 'Sudan 1897' and 'Khartoum', this combination of medals and clasps being unique to a Royal Marine officer.

On his return from the Sudan in 1899 he became an Instructor of Musketry, and was later awarded a Special Certificate on passing the Arsenal Course at Woolwich. He next served afloat aboard Irresistible, Mediterranean Fleet 1904, Majestic Home Fleet 1907, and Albermarle, Atlantic Fleet 1908.

Promoted Major in 1908, Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in 1912, and Lieutenant Colonel in 1917, he served throughout World War I as a Barrack Master. At his own request he was placed on the Retired List in 1920. Lieutenant-Colonel Oldfield died at Gosport on 12 April 1953, aged 85.

Sold with copied record of service and other research.