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Sudan has had a turbulent history: in 1821 an Egyptian army some 4,000 strong captured many strategic towns and effectively the region was annexed into Egypt; in 1835 Khartoum was chosen as the seat of the governor-general. In 1857 the Sudan administratively was decentralised, but in 1862 this was reversed. The modernisation of the army according to European models and the European officers in command were resented by many Sudanese. During this time Egypt was declared a British Protectorate. In 1881 Muhammad Ahmad declared himself to be the Mahdi, the expected one, a mouthpiece of the prophet, and assembled a community of followers. In 1883 the Egyptian administration sent an army commanded by a British officer but it was annihilated. General Charles Gordon was appointed Governor General by the Khedive; the Mahdist forces gathered at Omdurman, opposite Khartoum, and laid siege to the latter, which held out until 26 January 1885; Gordon was killed in the attack. A British relief force arrived by steamer two days later. In 1898/1899 Britain sent armed forces into the Sudan and ended the Mahdist regime. Formally Britain accepted the Egyptian claim over the Sudan, where an Anglo-Egyptian Protectorate was declared; all governors general during the duration of the condominium (until independence was granted in 1956) were British, the first being Lord Kitchener. These actions forestalled any attempts by the French, Belgians or Italians to establish their influence over parts of Sudanese territory. In November 1914 the Ottoman Empire entered the war on the side of the Central Powers; Britain responded by deposing the Egyptian Khedive (formally an Ottoman official). The aforementioned represents a brief outline of the history of Sudan up until WW1 - and now to the displays . Peter Burrows started the afternoon's displays which included photographs of the Camel Corps in the Sudan Defence Force; items from Belgian troops from the Belgian Congo en-route to Abyssinia and also Indian troops in Sudan in WW2 postmarked IFPO 12 & 25. Eddie Weeks showed a small number of covers featuring civil censorship (including the green Sudan Censor sealing strips) and TPO postmarks (such as the Shellal - Halfa No 2 TPO dated 22 DE 24 censored during a period of civil unrest). Ed Hall included a number of postage stamps in his display, including the Mahdi stamp - only two copies known; items concerning the re-conquest of Sudan and overprinted Egyptian stamps. Bill Collingwood showed a single item to illustrate the presence of the US Army in Sudan during WW2 - an engineering aviation battalion sent to Africa to build airstrips for the Central African Ferry Unit; postmarked US APO 608 at Khartoum on 27 JUN 44. Nick Colley displayed WW2 RAF and Naval items, the former showing a variety of RAF censors; naval mail included the battleship Queen Elizabeth. Alistair Kennedy started with mail from the 1884-85 Khartoum Relief Expedition and items from the Army Post Office Corps which was sent to Suakin in 1885. He also showed WW1 Army Signals datestamps cancelling Sudanese stamps; a selection of correspondence from 47 Squadron RAF from before the outbreak of WW2; mail with Camp PO L71 - issued as a temporary measure to an Indian FPO which had arrived in the Sudan without any datestamps; air mail from Egypt to HQ L of C Sub-Area North and passed by "Red Bag" to ensure delivery to the correct location. Peter O'Keeffe had a postal stationery wrapper of 1916; 1940 Honour envelope with Sudanese stamps and a cover postmarked FPO 174 of March 1941. Gerald Sattin displayed a copy of the Royal Warrant for the Army Post Office Corps (he has the original in his possession); items from First Suakin Expedition 1885; Gordon Relief Expedition 1884-85 - this included a cover from the Light Camel Regiment and other fascinating covers connected with this event, including a "killed in action" endorsed item; an item postmarked with Base Office B at Suakin from a Naval Surgeon. He also had items from the Second Suakin Expedition, the re-conquest by the Nile Expeditionary Force 1897-98, including a cover from the build-up force at Asswan. John Daynes showed items with Sudan Post Office marks used by the civil Post Office on Forces mail; both Indian and British FPOs used in Sudan; including the post-war era 1951/52 and an Army Signals datestamp (-S / DO) used in 1953. Michael Dobbs also displayed a similar Army Signals item addressed to GHQ MEF from HQ British Troops Sudan. Because he would not be able to attend the November meeting Colin Tabeart decided to bring along a few items connected with Trafalgar - including entires from Rear Admiral Faulkner at Titchfield in 1788 and from a seaman in 1795, both to the Navy Pay Office - such mail could be sent free of postage; he also displayed a number of Orders written by various senior officers in c.1809 to a Robert Mitford, commanding HM Sloop Espoir which provided a fascinating insight into naval activities at the time. |