THE RARE EGYPT 1882 OFFICER CASUALTY GROUP AWARDED TO THE SURGEON OF THE DUKE OF CORNWALL’S LIGHT INFANTRY WHO WAS ONE OF ONLY TWO BRITISH OFFICER KILLED IN ACTION AT KASSASSIN, 28 AUGUST 1882 - WHEN, ‘RENDERING ASSISTANCE TO A WOUNDED MAN, VOLUNTARILY EXPOSED HIMSELF TO A SCATHING FIRE FROM THE ENEMY. HE WAS STRUCK IN THE TEMPLE BY A RIFLE BULLET’

AFGHANISTAN 1878-80, NO CLASP ‘SURGEON. G. SHAW. A.M. DEPT.’; EGYPT AND SUDAN 1882-89, DATED REVERSE, NO CLASP ‘SURGN. MAJ: G. SHAW. A.M.D.’; KHEDIVE’S STAR, DATED 1882, UNNAMED AS ISSUED

Surgeon Major George Shaw, Army Medical Department, the 35 year old son of a Dublin doctor, joined the army as a Surgeon in 1867 and served as the Regimental surgeon of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry during the Egyptian campaign of 1882. Taking part in the Battle of Kassassin, 28 August 1882, where his Regiment were heavily engaged, he was killed in action whilst attending a wounded soldier. Of his death, a soldier of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry would write:

“..Medical Officers and staff were busy doing their best to ease the pain and dress the wounds of those brave fellows whose blood was ebbing away in the countries cause. I saw out own regimental doctor bending over a wounded man, when with a cry, he thew up his hands, clutched frantically at the air and fell on his back, dead. He was shot through the head…”

On 28 August 1882, General Grahams brigade at Kassassin Lock was attacked by an Egyptian force numbering 7000 and led by Amed Urabi Pasha. Graham remained on the defensive throughout the day but sustaining heavy casualties and with the outcome of the battle in the balance, the cavalry force at Mahsamah was called up towards evening, these charging the enemy, who broke and fled. Surgeon Major, Shaw, the senior medical officer present, was the only British officer of General Graham’s force killed in action at the battle. Graham’s force loosing 1 officer and 7 men killed, 10 officers and 51 men wounded, total 69. A further Officer with the Mahsamah force; Lieutenant Gribble, was killed later in the day (medal sold DNW June 2008). This force lost 1 officer and 8 men killed, 1 officer and 17 men wounded, total 27.

Shaw would be one of 11 Officers killed during the Egyptian Campaign of 1882…….

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Often quoted at as the only British Officer killed at Kassassin, it seems the fate of Lieutenant Gribble of the Mahsamah force was not established for several days and was no doubt left out of the initial cavalry despatch. Indeed, the often quoted casualty figures for the battle are just those of Graham’s force.

Condition GVF. Sold with copied research, and image of recipient and a digital copy of British Battles on land and Sea, Volume 4 by Grant, which gives much detail of the battle of Kassassin.