Nevill Maskelyne Smyth - Sudan

Sudan

1896 saw him stationed in Cairo with his regiment, and he was promoted lieutenant on 26 April. For his services in the initial stages of the Mahdist War he was Mentioned in Despatches on 3 November 1896, and awarded the Order of the Medjidieh, Fourth Class in 1897.

On 8 December 1897 Smyth was promoted captain. On 2 September the campaign culminated in the Battle of Omdurman. Near to the end of the battle, a dervish tried to spear two war correspondents; Smyth galloped forward and, though severely speared through the arm, shot the man dead. This action saw him awarded the Victoria Cross. The citation was gazetted on 15 November 1898, and read:

War Office, November 15, 1898.

THE Queen has been graciously pleased to signify Her intention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross on the undermentioned Officers and Private Soldier, whose claims have been submitted for Her Majesty's approval, for their conspicuous bravery during the recent operations in the Soudan, as recorded against their names:—

2nd Dragoon Guards, Captain Nevill Maskelyne Smyth

At the Battle of Khartum on 2 September 1898, Captain Smyth galloped forward and attacked an arab who had run amok among some camp followers. Captain Smyth received the Arab's charge, and killed him, being wounded with a spear in the arm whilst in so doing. He thus saved the life of at least one of the Camp Followers.

Smyth was also Mentioned in Despatches. He was awarded the Order of Osmanieh, Fourth Class in 1900.

Smyth rejoined the Queens Bays for active service in South Africa in the Second Boer War. He was awarded a brevet majority on 31 October 1902 for his South African service.

Smyth was promoted to substantive major on 27 October 1903 when he transferred to the Carabiniers (6th Dragoon Guards), who were then in India and returned to South Africa in 1908. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel on 1 May 1909, and became commanding officer of the Carabiniers. The regiment returned to England in 1912. According to the London Gazette, he completed the standard four-year period as a regimental commander on 1 May 1909, and was placed on half-pay. However the same issue, carried notice of his promotion to colonel backdated to 4 December 1912. He was seconded to the Egyptian Army, and in 1913-14 he was commandant of the Khartoum district where he was active in combating the slave-trade.