Queen's Sudan Medal.
Khedive's Sudan Medal 1896 - 1908 with clasps "The Atbara" & "Khartoum".
2763 Pte. G. Brown, Lincolnshire Regiment.
George Brown was born in Spitalfields around 1873. On 2nd June 1891, at the age of 18, he decided to enlist in the Lincolnshire Regiment, agreeing to serve for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. His Attestation Papers give his religion as Roman Catholic, his occupation as a printers labourer and describe him as just over 5' 5" in height, weighing 128lbs and with a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He also had scars on the top of his head and the back of his neck.
After initial training in England, George was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolns, with whom he served over two years in the Straits Settlements. During this time, he was tried and imprisoned for ten days with hard labour - but his surviving Service Papers give no indication of what his offence might have been. In February 1895, the 1st Lincolns had arrived in Malta. Two months later, the "Jumna", carrying the 2nd Lincolns home from the Far East, arrived in Valetta harbour and the two Battalions thus came into contact after a long separation. About 375 men of the 2nd Battalion, including George Brown, were transferred into the 1st Battalion. George was to stay in Malta for the next two years, during which time he was granted his 1st Good Conduct Pay.
In February 1897, the 1st Lincolns took ship for Egypt. The following year, despite being under orders to proceed to India, the Battalion was ordered to proceed up the Nile as part of General Sir Herbert Kitchener's expedition to reconquer the Sudan and avenge the death of General Gordon at Khartoum. On 7th January, the Battalion left Cairo, travelling south via Assouan, Wady Halfa and Abu Hamed to Gurheish, where they stayed till February 13th. They next proceeded to Abu Dis and then Berber. From here the journey was trying; marches had to be done over rocky ground, and usually at night to avoid the heat of the day. Nevertheless the troops managed to cover 140 miles in six days. In the first week of April, a reconnaissance party located the Dervish camp, fortified with trenches and ringed by a thorn-bush zareba, on the right bank of the Atbara, a tributary of the Nile. On the morning of April 8th, the Battle of the Atbara was fought as Kitchener's troops advanced and captured the Dervish position, the Lincolns losing 1 man killed and 16 wounded.
In August, after four months in summer quarters awaiting reinforcements, Kitchener was ready to continue the advance to Khartoum. The final battle of the campaign was fought at Omdurman on 2nd September 1898 and again the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment were present and had 18 men wounded. For his participation in the campaign, George Brown received the Queen's Sudan and Khedive's Sudan Medals.
George returned to England in October 1898 and was transferred to the Army Reserve. Just over a year later, on 28th December 1899, he was recalled to the Colours and sent out to join the 2nd Lincolns in South Africa, where he served for over two and a half years. He was awarded his 2nd Good Conduct Pay in June 1900. For service in the Boer War, he received the Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps, the present whereabouts of which are unknown. George returned to England in August 1902 and was discharged from the army on 1st June 1903. In July 1903, he enlisted in Section D of the Army Reserve for four years. Reservists were paid 3 shillings and 6 pence a week and had to attend twelve training days per year. He was finally discharged from all military obligations on 27th July 1907. His Discharge Papers describe his military character as "good" and give his home address as 3 Gales Gardens, Bethnal Green. The picture below shows this street in 1923. It is not known whether George Brown served in the First World War.
After initial training in England, George was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolns, with whom he served over two years in the Straits Settlements. During this time, he was tried and imprisoned for ten days with hard labour - but his surviving Service Papers give no indication of what his offence might have been. In February 1895, the 1st Lincolns had arrived in Malta. Two months later, the "Jumna", carrying the 2nd Lincolns home from the Far East, arrived in Valetta harbour and the two Battalions thus came into contact after a long separation. About 375 men of the 2nd Battalion, including George Brown, were transferred into the 1st Battalion. George was to stay in Malta for the next two years, during which time he was granted his 1st Good Conduct Pay.
In February 1897, the 1st Lincolns took ship for Egypt. The following year, despite being under orders to proceed to India, the Battalion was ordered to proceed up the Nile as part of General Sir Herbert Kitchener's expedition to reconquer the Sudan and avenge the death of General Gordon at Khartoum. On 7th January, the Battalion left Cairo, travelling south via Assouan, Wady Halfa and Abu Hamed to Gurheish, where they stayed till February 13th. They next proceeded to Abu Dis and then Berber. From here the journey was trying; marches had to be done over rocky ground, and usually at night to avoid the heat of the day. Nevertheless the troops managed to cover 140 miles in six days. In the first week of April, a reconnaissance party located the Dervish camp, fortified with trenches and ringed by a thorn-bush zareba, on the right bank of the Atbara, a tributary of the Nile. On the morning of April 8th, the Battle of the Atbara was fought as Kitchener's troops advanced and captured the Dervish position, the Lincolns losing 1 man killed and 16 wounded.
In August, after four months in summer quarters awaiting reinforcements, Kitchener was ready to continue the advance to Khartoum. The final battle of the campaign was fought at Omdurman on 2nd September 1898 and again the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment were present and had 18 men wounded. For his participation in the campaign, George Brown received the Queen's Sudan and Khedive's Sudan Medals.
George returned to England in October 1898 and was transferred to the Army Reserve. Just over a year later, on 28th December 1899, he was recalled to the Colours and sent out to join the 2nd Lincolns in South Africa, where he served for over two and a half years. He was awarded his 2nd Good Conduct Pay in June 1900. For service in the Boer War, he received the Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps, the present whereabouts of which are unknown. George returned to England in August 1902 and was discharged from the army on 1st June 1903. In July 1903, he enlisted in Section D of the Army Reserve for four years. Reservists were paid 3 shillings and 6 pence a week and had to attend twelve training days per year. He was finally discharged from all military obligations on 27th July 1907. His Discharge Papers describe his military character as "good" and give his home address as 3 Gales Gardens, Bethnal Green. The picture below shows this street in 1923. It is not known whether George Brown served in the First World War.
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