Huntley Scotland to Souakin, Egypt [sic] July 4, 1885.

A much traveled mourning cover from Huntly, Scotland to Captain Gordon of the Royal Marines at Suakin passed through the Indian Army Field Post Office (indicated by the backstamps FIELD P 22 JUN 85 and FIELD PO 23 JUN 85). By this time, the Royal Marines and most of the Expeditionary Force had left the eastern Sudan.

The cover was forwarded to Gosprt on the outskirts of Portsmouth. The manuscript notation “via Brindisi” was scratched out, replaced instead with the endorsement “To await arrival of HMS Victor Emmanuel China”. It was incorrectly charged 2 1/2d postage due in Egypt. It bears further backstamps of PORTSMOUTH JY 6 85 and GOSPORT A JY 7 85. It was likely borne on the HMS Audacious, Flagship of the China Station for Special Services from April 29, 1885.

There is some peripheral wear as to be expected.

Ex-Firebrace. Illustrated on page #145 of the Nineteenth Century Wars in Egypt and the Sudan.

Price: $600

The Second British Expedition to the eastern Sudan (1885-6), commanded by Major-General Sir Gerald Graham, V.C. Was intended to assist Lord Wolseley’s Nile Force against Osman Digna, while also constructing a railway from Suakin to Berber. Osman, likely the Mahdi’s ablest general, is credited with being principally responsible for Gordon of Khartoum and the loss of Sudan to Egypt.