Page 84 - KRH Year of 2021 CREST

82 The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars
First arrival of British troops in Soudan, Feb 19. The Tenth Hussars encamped at Suakim – from a sketch by a military officer
tribe of the Beja people, and loyal to the Mahdi. Despite Baker’s force being numerically superior they were demoralised and poorly trained. Panic-stricken they fired just one volley before fleeing, only to be cut down although Baker managed to lead some survivors to safety. The defeat prompted the British Government to intervene. On arrival at Souakim [Suakin], a port in north- eastern Sudan, Colonel Baker came aboard the Jumna to greet the 10th. The whole of the regiment turned out on deck to cheer him, and the band played ‘Auld Lang Syne’. Whilst in the Sudan, the Jumna was regarded as the Regiment’s home. It became a hospital for the wounded and sick, and the regiment’s families remained on board throughout.
The 10th had handed over their horses in India, so Baker pro- vided 300 horses from his Egyptian Gendarmerie, but they were ‘...quite untrained, and it seemed that those that were, under- stood only one movement, that of retreating in face of the enemy. While at Suakin Major Giles joined the 10th as an interpreter.
On 29 February 1884 the British met the Mahdists at El Teb. The cavalry advanced to draw fire before retiring, letting the infan- try square advance. The tribesmen then tried to rush the British square and a fierce fight ensued. When Digna’s force began to withdraw the cavalry advanced and charged the massed tribes- men. The ground was poor for cavalry, thorny mimosa bushes were scattered around the field, deterring the horses and provid- ing cover for the Sudanese. The Mahdists fought tenaciously with spear, sword and shield along with guns and artillery they had cap- tured from the Egyptian Army. Several weapons and shields were brought back after the battle, and some are now on display in the Museum. Corporal William Green was speared in the left thigh pinning him to his saddle. Severely wounded he was returned to England and admitted to Netley Hospital for 4 months. He was discharged from the Army but kept the spearhead, later present- ing it to the Regiment. It is still on display at the Museum beside the painting, a stark reminder of the ferocious fighting.
Among the 10th Hussars the actions of Private Frank Hayes, a bandsman of A Troop, stand out. As his horse was unwilling to charge the enemy, he dismounted and fought on foot. Cassell’s History of the Sudan War states he ‘showed great courage in the
The spearhead that pinned Corporal Green to his saddle
Lieutenant Probyn and Major Slade – Both killed in action at El Teb
second charge [at El Teb], in dismounting, attacking, and killing a chief who was endeavoring to escape. Finding that his horse would not face the spear, he undauntedly attacked the Arab on foot, and killed him in single combat.’ Other accounts suggest that as a regimental boxer, he instead fought with his fists!
Once the enemy were dispersed the hussars dismounted and used their carbines. The infantry square pursued the retreating Mahdists to complete the victory. The British losses were 30 killed while the Mahdists lost around 2,000. Two-thirds of the British losses were cavalrymen, the 10th had six killed includ- ing Lieutenant Francis Probyn and Major Montagu Slade, whose body was found pierced with seven spear wounds; his horse ham- strung to the bone. Sergeant John Cox, Shoeing-Smith Stride and Privates Brinsley and Douglas were also killed. Cox was described as ‘fine a soldier as ever served in the regiment’ and had often won the regimental prize for swordsmanship. Sensing an opportunity to charge a group of tribesmen he left the flank of his squadron but was overpowered and brought down.
Despite being wounded in the cheek by shrapnel, Baker rode to the 10th to congratulate them and enquire about the losses. Following the battle, the British pursued Digna to his camp at Tamai where on 13th March, the Battle of Tamai took place. Although present, the cavalry played little part in this action and the 10th Hussars had only two men wounded. In the pursuit and as the cavalry sought out pockets of resistance the 10th fought with captured Sudanese spears as they found their swords too short if their opponent lay down trying to hamstring the horses. In one of his books Winston Churchill recounts “the speech of the famous Cavalry Colonel at the action of Tamai, when the Squares were seemed to be broken, and an excited and demoralised corre- spondent galloped wildly up to the Squadrons, declaring that all was lost. “How do you mean ‘all’s lost’? Don’t you see the Tenth Hussars are here?”
The British victory was complete, but the Mahdi and Digna were both still at large. The government at home did not wish to be involved in a long campaign, so withdrew all but a small force from the country, leaving General Charles Gordon in Khartoum to organise the security of Sudan.
On 29th March the 10th Hussars re-embarked on the Jumna, arriving at Portsmouth on 21 April 1884.
On 27th June the Prince of Wales inspected the Regiment and The Princess of Wales presented their medals for the campaign.
For his bravery Frank Hayes was presented with the Distinguished Conduct Medal by Queen Victoria in March 1885. His fame became widespread when the following poem by Mr Clement