A good reconquest of the Sudan Atbara and Khartoum and Boer War Johannesburg, Diamond Hill and Wittebergen group awarded to Private E. Monahan, 1st Battalion, Cameron Highlanders who having seen service during the reconquest of Sudan during the fighting at the Atbara and at Khartoum would later see service during the Boer War during the actions at Johannesburg, Diamond Hill and Wittebergen as well as in the operations during Cape Colony.
Group of 4: Queen’s Sudan Medal 1896-1898; (3216 PTE. E. MONAHAN. 1/CAM:HRS.) Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 4 Clasps: Cape Colony, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen; (3216 PTE. E. MONOHAN. 1ST CAM’N HIGHRS.) King’s South Africa Medal 1901-1902, 2 Clasps: South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; (3216 PTE. E. MONOHAN. CAMERON HIGHRS.) Khedive’s Sudan Medal 1896-1908, 2 Clasps: The Atbara, Khartoum; (3216 PTE. MONAHAN. 1 CAM. HGHRS.)
Condition: loose-mounted, Good Very Fine
Edward James Monahan was born in August 1874 at Clerkenwell, London. He was by trade a pawnbroker’s assistant, but by 1892 he was serving in the 5th Royal Fusiliers.
On 3rd March of that year he was examined at St. George’s Barracks, London and passed as fit for service in the Cameron Highlanders. He would attest for the Cameron Highlanders at Inverness on 4th April 1892. He spent the first five/six months on Home Service, this would be followed by two and a half years in Malta and a further two and three quarter years in Gibraltar before arriving in Egypt on 4th October 1897.
He would then serve with 1st Battalion, Cameron Highlanders during the reconquest of the Sudan including at the Atbara and Khartoum as part of General Garacre’s division in the operations against the Dervishes (8/4/1898 until 2/9/1898)
The Cameron Highlanders left Egypt in March 1900 bound for South Africa arriving there that same month, whilst there, Monahan would be involved in the Boer War taking part in the Battle of Johannesburg on 31st May 1900, the Battle of Diamond Hill on 11th June 1900 and the Battle of Wittebergen between 1st and 29th July 21900. He also served on operation in Cape Colony.
The Cameron Highlanders left South Africa in August 1902 and Monahan served at Home for a further one and three quarter years, being discharged on 29th March 1904, having served for a total of twelve years, thus fulfilling exactly his short serve attestation commitment of seven years with the colours and five years in the reserve.
