Literature. "Cassell's History of the War in the Soudan" by James Grant, six volumes; and "The War in Egypt and the Soudan" by Thomas Archer, four volumes, both published c.1885, hardbound, both sets with many illustrations and maps, the first with fine illustrated covers, excellent condition. (10).

1884 (Aug 23) Cover to England bearing Egypt 20pa pair tied by partial "SOUAKIN" c.d.s, a second clearer strike on the front, backstamped at Suez, Alexandria and London.

1884 Covers written by Lt. F.G Ansley, 2nd Batt. Essex Regt., to his father Col. Ansley R.A at Woolwich, both franked Egypt 1p, the first cover marked "5" cancelled at Kener (Oct 18), backstamped at Assiout, Alexandria and Woolwich; the second marked "6" and cancelled at Assouan (Star & Crescent c.d.s, Oct 23) with Woolwich arrival backstamp. Both covers sent by Ansley whilst travelling up the Nile with Lt. Col. F.C Denison, Commanding Officer of the Canadian Voyageur Contingent, cover number 6 accompanied by a photocopy and transcription of the original letter (no longer present) headed "Steam Boat Bakalga, The Nile, Oct. 15th", with much comment on the Canadians, including "We are towing 2 barges containing 300 of the Canadian boatmen, while on board we have 70 boatmen ..... the Canadian Officers are Colonial .... they were all on the Red River Expedition & think this affair must be a success as far as the boating part of it goes. The men are also very confident & profess to look on the cataracts with the greatest scorn. They are a scratch pack, some Indians, some French Canadians, some Irish & Scotch. The Indians are dressed in the garb of civilisation, they only put on the war paint on great and solemn occasions". (2).

1884 (Dec 6) Stampless cover endorsed "Active Service no stamp available" sent by Lt. F.G Ansley to his father in Woolwich with "WADI-HALFA" c.d.s (Dec 13) and boxed "T" handstamp, backstamped at Alexandria and Woolwich, charged the single 21/2d letter rate. With enclosed letter headed "about 1 mile from Dal", which includes "At Tagur we found one of the infernal boats would have to be hauled up and mended. Benson decided to go on with six boats leaving me with 2 others & the broken one. I did not get on until next morning & then I found the boat was as bad as ever & in fact unmendable. As they don't allow boats to be abandoned I decided to bring her on myself as she was. I got her on for one day & got 160 buckets full of water out of her but the second day she struck on a rock going over a small rapid at Akashah & commenced to sink. I managed to save the stores etc., but had to hand them over to the Commandant there as I could not bring the boat on. She was in a frightful state, her keel torn away & in a state of matchwood generally. I caught up Benson at Dal, he got his boats through the cataract but by the time mine had come up the place was impassable & we had our boats & loads carried 2 miles overland". A good cover and letter. Photo on Page 296. (Image1)

1884 (Oct 31) Cover with enclosed letter from the Duke of Cambridge, Commander in Chief of the British Army, the cover bearing G.B. 21/2d lilac tied by partial London V.R scroll datestamp (with a further strike below), addressed to "Lt. General Sir Frederick Stephenson KCB, Commanding British Troops, Cairo, Egypt" and signed "Cambridge", arrival backstamp. The Duke asks Stephenson to continue sending regular letters as Wolseley does not write very frequently from the front, and continues "I feel the murder of Col. Stewart seems now to be all but established. It is a very painful & sad business and I am under great anxiety that unless some desperate effort can be made Gordon will hardly be able to hold out till Wolseley reaches him. The advance of the latter up the Nile seems very slow but this does not surprise me as the difficulties he has to contend with are exceptionally great. I hope that nothing will be done to further weaken our hold on Suakin. Should we reach Khartoum by late in the season I doubt our troops getting back from there down the Nile easily & I think the Berber Suakin road would then have to be made use of. This could be a difficult matter if we did not maintain ourselves firmly at Suakin". Central seal stain to cover, otherwise fine and a historic letter and cover. Photo on Page 296. (Image1)

1885 (Feb 23) Stampless cover to London endorsed "Nile Expedition No Stamps Procurable" with scarce "KORTI" Star & Crescent c.d.s and boxed "T", "21/2d" single letter rate charge mark, arrival datestamps. Small lower left corner fault, otherwise a fine and scarce cover from Korti. Photo on Page 296. (Image1)

1885 (Mar 3) Cover franked G.B 21/2d blue plate 23, from Abergele to "H.M Sandbach, 9/B Battery R. House Artillery, Suakim Field Force, Egypt" with "SOUAKIN" arrival backstamp (Mar 15). Sandbach served in Afghanistan in 1879-80 and in Sudan 1884-85 (present at the battles of Hasheen and Taamai); he died in Aden in 1895 from injuries inflicted by a lion whilst shooting in Somaliland. A fine cover and one of the very few covers to Sandbach to receive a Souakin backstamp.

1885 (Mar 26) Stampless cover to England endorsed "On active service no stamps available, B. Cotton Lt 1 Shrop. L.I" and "Via Suez & Brindisi per S.S Australia" with light c.d.s (Souakin?) and boxed "T", "I.B / 21/2d" single rate charge mark of the London Inland Branch, backstamped at Suez (Aug 1), Alexandria and Colchester, with pencil note "Posted in the Desert 15 miles from Suakin". Benjamin Cotton served in the Shropshire Light Infantry in the Sudan in 1885 and 1888-91; he was wounded at the Battle of Toski in 1889 and was present at the capture of Tokar in 1891. Photo on Page 296. (Image1)

1885 (Apr 10) Cover from Coondor, India, franked 4a, addressed to "H.M Sandbach, 9.B Royal Horse Artillery, Suakin, General Grahams Expeditionary Force, Soudan" backstamped at Bombay and with scarce India "FIELD P.O" arrival c.d.s. The enclosed letter is from Colonel J.C.A Alexander (father of the WW2 General) and includes mention of the situation in Afghanistan, and the Sir John McNeil affair. A scarce arrival c.d.s and an unusual origin to Sudan. Photo on Page 296. (Image1)

1885 (Aug 29) Cover to England with Egypt 1pi tied by scarce small "DONGOLA" Star & Crescent c.d.s with a further strike alongside, arrival backstamp, a few small opening tears to upper edge, otherwise fine. Photo on Page 296. (Image1)

1885 (Aug 29) Long stampless O.H.M.S cover to Captain Cockburn of the Rifle Brigade in Aldershot, endorsed "On active service no stamps" and "C.R Orde, Capt., Boat Staff, TANI, SOUDAN", with small "DONGOLA" Star & Crescent c.d.s, Aldershot Camp backstamp, charged 5d, the single rate for a double weight cover. Some edge faults and tears but scarce from Tani.

1885 (May 13) Stampless cover to London headed "From 6095 Pte A.L Martin Medical Staff Corps, no stamps obtainable" and countersigned by "C. Read, Surgeon Major, Coldstream Guards Comg Guard Field Hospital, Tambouk" with "BRITISH ARMY POST OFFICE / EGYPT" c.d.s applied at Suakin, oval framed "T" and a "1d" charge mark, London backstamps. A couple of very minor edge nicks, otherwise fine and a scarce soldiers rate cover. Photo on Page 296. (Image1)

1886 (Apr 23) India 9p Soldiers and Seamens envelope to India from a "Head Commissariat" at Suakin and countersigned by a Captain as "Assistant Commissariat General", cancelled by superb "FIELD è  Pè O" c.d.s, Sea Post Office and Karachi backstamps. An unusually fine example of this scarce India Field P.O c.d.s from Suakin. Photo on Page 298. (Image1)

1886 G.P.O London coloured Christmas card, which includes a picture of a postal & telegraph service tent in Soudan. An attractive card, 148x224mm.