The rare South Africa Boer War “Services in connection with the War” October 1902 Companion of the Civil Division of the Order of the Bath, 1915 Esquire of the Order of Saint John, and Egyptian War 1882 Kassassin Moonlight Charger’s group awarded to Colonel U.G.C. de Burgh, C.B., 7th (The Princess Royal’s) Dragoon Guards, sometime commanding officer of the 3rd (Prince of Wales’s) Dragoon Guards, Adjutant of the Nottinghamshire (South Nottinghamshire) Yeomanry Cavalry, and originally City of Dublin Artillery Militia. De Burgh from Oldtown, County Dublin, Ireland, was educated Eton College followed by Trinity College Dublin. He saw continuous service in the British Army between September 1876 and 1908, and was present during the Egyptian War in 1882 when brigaded under Brigadier General Baker-Russell alongside the 4th Dragoon Guards and three squadrons of Household Cavalry. As such he was present in action at El Magfar and then Mahsameh on 22nd August, the two actions at Kassassin on 28th August, and the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir on 13th September 1882. At Kassassin, his regiment participated in what became known as the “Moonlight Charge”. He was later present at the capture of Cairo. After time spent as the commanding officer of the 3rd Dragoon Guards from 1897 to 1900, he then found himself employed on ‘special service’ at the time of the Boer War, and despite not seeing service in South Africa, he was appointed a Companion of the Civil Division of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath in October 1902, this being for distinguished services in relation to the war whilst not in country. De Burgh was then the Assistant Director at the War Office,. Recalled for the Great War, he did not see active service, but was appointed an Esquire of The Most Venerable Order of Saint John of Jerusalem by His Majesty King George V in September 1915.
Group of 5: The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion, C.B., Civil Division breast badge, silver-gilt, bearing hallmarks for London with date latter ‘f’ for 1901, and Steven Garrard ’SG’ jewellers mark, complete with three pronged ribbon buckle; The Most Venerable Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Esquire Grade breast badge, silver and enamel; Jubilee Medal 1897 in Silver; Egypt and Sudan Medal 1882-1889, reverse dated 1882, with Clasp: Tel-El-Kebir; (CAPTN. U.G.C. DE BURGH. 7/DN. GDS:); Khedive’s Star, dated 1882. First and last three mounted swing style as worn.
Condition: Egypt Medal with usual pitting to one side from contact with the Star, overall Very Fine.
Click George Campbell de Burgh was born on 19th July 1855 in Oldtown, County Dublin, Ireland, the second son of Thomas de Burgh and his wife, Jane Campbell-Graham, and was educated at Eton followed by university at Trinity College Dublin, where he gained a Bachelor degree. Commissioned into the British Army Militia as a Lieutenant with the City of Dublin Artillery Militia, he then switched to a regular commission on 21st September 1876 as a Lieutenant with the 7th (The Princess Royal’s) Dragoon Guards.
Promoted to Captain on 1st July 1881, he then served as Adjutant of his regiment for a period. Having seen home service, he was then posted to Egypt with the outbreak of the Egyptian War in 1882.
For the Anglo-Egyptian War, the 4th and 7th Dragoon Guards were brigaded with three squadrons of Household Cavalry, all under the command of Brigadier-General Baker-Russell, and arrived in Alexandria as part of the British expeditionary force to suppress a rebellion by Arabi Pasha. Sir Garnet Wolseley, the commander of the force planned to attack Tel-el-Kebir, the enemy's main base and then advance on Cairo. The brigade was transported by ship to Ismailia, consisting of four squadrons of the 7th DG, two of the 4th DG and the three Household cavalry squadrons. They threatened the rebels at Mahsameh station who broke and ran under the fire of artillery and Mounted Infantry. The cavalry pursued them and cut them down in this action fought on 22nd August 1882. Huge quantities of guns and ammunition were captured. Five men of the 7th were wounded and Major Alfred Bibby was shot through the lungs. Captain de Burgh was in this action, having also fought at El Magfar.
De Burgh was next present in action at Kassassin on 28th August 1882. Just three miles south of Mahsameh was Kassassin Lock on the Freshwater Canal that ran from Suez to Cairo. The British infantry held the Lock but sustained an attack by Arabi's force of 4,000. The cavalry were left waiting at Mahsameh and were not called upon until nightfall. The four squadrons of the 7th DG, the Royal Horse Artillery and the Household Cavalry trotted to Kassassin and moved round in a wide sweep to attack the enemy position. The 7th were in the lead as they approached but were ordered to move aside to allow the four RHA guns to take up position and fire. The Household cavalry then charged after four rounds were fired, and the 7th supported them. The Egyptians broke in disorder when the cavalry were within 20 yards. This was called the Moonlight Charge. Three men of the 7th were wounded and one officer attached from the 3rd DG was killed because his unruly horse ran in amongst the enemy. De Burgh is shown as having been present in both actions at Kassassin, and hence may have also operated in support of the infantry when it took Kassassin Lock early in the action, before later taking part in the Moonlight Charge as it became known.
De Burgh was ultimately present in the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir on 13th September 1882. The attack on Tel-el-Kebir was a well planned surprise attack that involved a 13-mile long silent march by night to launch a dawn attack on the enemy defences. The cavalry were to position themselves on the north-east of the enemy to cut off their retreat. When the infantry launched their attack, the cavalry were alerted and advanced towards the camp. The expected retreat was a complete rout. The cavalry were ordered not to kill any Egyptians who laid down their arms. The 7th trotted amongst them, coming to little harm as the enemy were all happy to give themselves up. The total Egyptian dead amounted to 2,000, most being killed in the short infantry battle. The British lost 57 killed, while the cavalry suffered no casualties. The next day Cairo was occupied by a small force of British mounted troops but this did not include the 7th DG. They rode to Cairo on the 15th September and stayed in the barracks at Kasr-el-Nil until February 1883 when they embarked for Portsmouth. The whole campaign had cost the regiment two (attached) officers killed and one wounded, one man killed and nine wounded.
De Burgh who had been present at all of the above, including the capture of Cairo, returned home with his regiment in February 1883. He then resumed regimental service.
His regiment was posted to India in 1884, however De Burgh may not have accompanied them, as he is noted as being detached from his regiment on being appointed as Adjutant of the Nottinghamshire (South Nottinghamshire) Yeomanry Cavalry from 13th June 1887. As a regimental commander he was awarded the Jubilee Medal 1897 in Silver.
De Burgh was promoted to Major in the 7th Dragoon Guards on 31st October 1890, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and given command of the 3rd (Prince of Wales’s) Dragoon Guards, and on completion of his tenure in command, he was promoted to Colonel in 1900, and placed on special service duties in relation to the ongoing Boer War in South Africa.
De Burgh however did not serve actively in South Africa, but nevertheless for his distinguished services in relation to the Boer War ‘elsewhere than in that country’ he was appointed a Companion of the Civil Division of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath in the London Gazette for 31st October 1902,
In 1902 he had been appointed Assistant Director at the War Office, and he was on the Staff for the Gibraltar Garrison from 1906, before retiring from the army in 1908. De Burgh was then recalled to military service on the outbreak of the Great War, and was appointed an Esquire of The Most Venerable Order of Saint John of Jerusalem by His Majesty King George V, as published in the London Gazette for 1st October 1915. De Burgh, who had married Anna Blanche Constance Paget, with whom he had two children, latterly resided in Winchester, Hampshire, and died on 17th November 1922. Confirmed as his full entitlement.
