PRIVATE J. TURNBULL, 1ST BATTALION NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS. Khedive’s Sudan Medal, 1 clas

PRIVATE J. TURNBULL, 1ST BATTALION NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS. Khedive’s Sudan Medal, 1 clasp, Khartoum (officially engraved: 3846. Pte. J. TURNBULL. 5th. FUSrs.). Almost Extremely Fine.

Medal accompanied by photocopied extract from medal roll confirming medal and clasp, and various other photocopied rolls confirming additional entitlement to Queen’s Sudan Medal, Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps Belmont, Modder River, Orange Free State and Transvall and King’s South Africa Medal with 2 clasps. Private Turnbull was killed in action at Klerksdorp in the Transvaal on 25th February 1902. On that day three companies of the Northumberland Fusiliers formed part of a column under the command of General Anderson of the Yeomanry charged with guarding a convoy of 130 waggons en route from Wolmaranstad to Klerksdorp. The convoy set out on 23rd February, and all went well until the night of 24th February when, under cover of darkness and heavy rainfall, the Boers, under the command of General De La Rey, surrounded the the column and launched a surprise attack at 3am on the morning of the 25th. The men of the Northumberland Fusiliers, under the command of Major Enderby, immediately launched a counter-attack, driving back the Boers, and allowing the column to resume the march. Almost immediately, a large party of Boers resumed the attack, firing from the saddle and driving off wagons and mules. Once again the excort stood firm and repulsed the attack, allowing the convoy to re-form and resume the march. However, the Boers, this time led in person by De La Rey, once more resumed the assault, now in overwhelming numbers. General Anderson gave orders to draw up the waggons in the road five abreast, but the scattered convoy, stretching for more than a mile, and hindered by its impedimenta, with mules stampeding, was overwhelmed. The Northumberlands, many of them cut off in the rear, fought their way through the enemy and had almost made good their retreat when their ammunition ran out. They fixed bayonets and charged, but were overwhelmed . Of the entire column, only about 50 men succeeded in reaching Klerkdorf, the remainder of the column being killed, wounded or taken prisoner, including 58 officers and men killed and 129 wounded.