Soldiers of the Queen; War in the Soudan

New South Wales Military Historical Society and the Royal New South Wales Regiment, Sydney, 1985. First Edition. Softcover. Good/No Dust Jacket. Illustrator: Photographic and Illustrations. By Author On the Title Page. XXVIII, 324 pages, last three pages blank, intentionally, foreword by Major-General G.L. Maitland, foreword by Brigadier E.J.H. Howard, acknowledgements, Battle Honours the Royal New South Wales Regiment, Appreciation, preface by author, short chronology of events, four appendices, a selected bibliography and index. At the rear of the book are 2 foldout maps -- 1 is showing country adjacent to Sudan and the other showing a map of Africa from Egypt to Uganda. On the half title page is a $.33 stamp is a first day issue of this particular set of stamps being "Colonial Uniforms" -- and has been cancelled at Paddington and New South Wales on the 25th of February 1985. The text is illustrated with numerous black-and-white photographs and illustrations, colour illustrations and photographs, maps and fortifications throughout the text. Colour illustrated front cover, showing a soldier from the New South Wales contingent to the Sudan, with music and words in the background against a white background with red titles to the front panel and white titles to the backstrip. Creasing to the book corners and a few marks to the book panels. " A century has now passed since Major General Charles Gordon and his garrison were massacred in Khartoum on 26 January 1885. After receiving the news of Gordon's death the acting Premier of New South Wales, William Bede Dalley, offered to dispatch a force of infantry and artillery to assist the Imperial Army in the Soudan. The offer is of help was accepted and on March 3, 1885 a contingent of over 760 men, under Colonel J. F. Richardson, sailed for Suakin in eastern Soudan. The force included and infantry Battalion, a field artillery battery, an ambulance Corps and a band. The contingent saw little service and departed from Suakin for Sydney on 18 May, 1885. However, as New South Wales was the first colony of the Empire to dispatch a military expeditionary Force overseas in support of the mother country the precedent established a principle which would be followed again by dominions and colonies in subsequent wars. It also established the principle of forward defence to Australia. This book gives a short account of the events leading to the attempt to rescue Gordon, of subsequent operations and of the involvement of the New South Wales contingents with this force." -- from the verso of the front panel. Has been signed by the author on the title page. The book states that it is part of a limited edition of a thousand copies -- but does not give any details of the numbering of this particular book. Size: Large Format Paperback. Please refer to accompanying picture (s). Illustrator: Photographic and Illustrations. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: Under 1 kilo. Category: Military & Warfare; Africa; Local History -- New South Wales; 19th Century; Hobbies -- Stamps. By Author On the Title Page. ISBN: 0958932301. ISBN/EAN: 9780958932301. Inventory No: 0109780. . 9780958932301