Gibraltar & Malta
Armourer Staff Sergeant
Thomas Henry Ford, D.C.M.
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Malta
c. 1905
Gunner
Royal Artillery
Gibraltar
c. 1900
Petty Officer
Royal Navy
Malta
c. 1900s
Captain
Shropshire Light Infantry
Gibraltar
c. 1880s
Sergeant Instructor & Bride
1st Battalion
The King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment
Malta
c. 1894-97
Private/Bandsman
George Steeds
2/Dorsetshire Regiment
Malta
c. 1898
Private
Cameron Highlanders
Mediterranean Region
c. 1900s
Egypt, the Nile Valley & Sudan
In Khedival Service
Alfred Berry Brewster was born in London, England on 7 November 1856.
Brewster Bey entered Egyptian Service in 1877 in the Customs Administration and Coastguard Service. In 1879 he was appointed to the position of Director of Customs at Suakin by General Gordon. He served in the Commissariat staff during the Egyptian Campaign and was awarded the Egypt Medal w/Clasp as well as the Khedive's Star. He returned to Suakin and in 1883 did duty in Valentine Baker Pasha's Intelligence Department (1884).
In 1885 he served under General Graham at Suakin as Chief Interpreter and Secretary to the Intelligence Department.
He took part in several engagements and received a Mention in Despatches from General Graham (30 May 1885). Most notably Brewster entered the Dervish camp alone before a planned attack on Saukin and convinced a large number of the enemy to come over to the British side. These same men later served in the capture of Tamai.
Brewster remained Director of Customs for Saukin until 1890 when he transferred to the Coastguard Service as Secretary and Controller. He was chosen as Private Secretary by both Khedive Mohammed Tewfik and Abbas II.
Alfred Berry Brewster
Director of Customs for Suakin
Cabinet Photo
Alexandria, Egypt
August 1891
John Alexander Cameron
Correspondent for
The Standard
Killed at Metammeh
1885
General
Charles "Chinese" Gordon
Governor General
of the Sudan
c. 1870s
Lord Kitchener
of
Khartoum
c. 1900
Major-General
William Earle
Killed at Kirbekan
January 1885
Private Capper Drowned at Alexandria
George Capper was born in Gloucester on 8 August 1860 and appears to have been the son of John and Emily Capper. His father was an agricultural carter. Before enlistment George Capper was also employed as a carter.
Capper enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry on 8 July 1879 and was described as standing 5ft 6-3/4 inches tall with a sallow complexion, dark brown hair, and hazel eyes.
He served at the Recruit Depot at Walmer from 8 July 1879 until 24 March 1880 when he was transferred to the Portsmouth Division. In August, 1880 he joined the ships company of the HMS Inconstant. During this time his
character was described as being exemplary.
Private George Capper
Royal Marine Light Infantry
HMS Inconstant
Carte de Visite
c. 1880
Lance Corporal
Francis de Sausmarez Short
The Black Watch
Cairo, Egypt
16 August 1885
A Once and Future Officer
Francis de Sausmarez Shortt was born into a well-placed military family on 16 September 1863 at the family home on Guernsey. His uncle was Major-General John Macourtie Shortt and his father, Francis Henry Shortt, was a vice-admiral in the Royal Navy. He inherited his middle name from his mother, Emily de Sausmarez.
19-year-old Francis received his commission of lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Scots Fusiliers on 23 September 1882. He remained with Royal Scots Fusiliers until abruptly resigning his commission on 29 March 1884 (London Gazette). Since soon reappears as a private in the Black Watch, we can speculate as to his course of action.
Although the historical records thus far are silent regarding Shortt’s motivations, it seems likely that with war brewing along the Nile River Valley in Egypt and Sudan, he may have sought a posting or staff position with Wolseley’s expedition. All such positions may well have already gone to officers of regular battalions and services. Eager to see active service in the field, one course of action would have been to resign his commission and enlist in one of the regiments deploying to the theater of operations.
The Greek Isles & Eastern Mediterranean
Sergeant
2nd Battalion
The Rifle Brigade
Crete
1898
Bombardier
Royal Artillery
Aden
c. 1890s