Khedive's Sudan Medal 1896-1908, no clasp to Northumberland Fusiliers

Named to: 3909. Pte J. Smith. 5th Fusers

Mounted court-style for display, about extremely fine.

John Henry Smith a native of Durham, enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers at the age of 18 in 1893. Clearly a young man of some ability (he received his 1st Class certificate of education in 1895), he served with his regiment in the Sudan Expedition (Queen's Medal; Khedive's Medal), in the Occupation of Crete (1898) and in South Africa from 1899-1900 (Queen's Medal, clasp Belmont); he is noted as being invalided home due to a wound received at the Battle of Belmont and was subsequently discharged '...having been found medically unfit for further service'. With a glowing testimonial ('Very Good - steady & trustworthy) and further positive comments on his record ('A good clerk, played often piano & clarinet until badly wounded') he left the army at Newcastle-on-Tyne in November 1900; with copied service records and Medal Roll extracts.