Sudan--H.J. Robinson | Diary, including his first-hand account of the Battle of Omdurman, 1898

Sudan--H J Robinson, 21st Lancers

Diary of his service in the Sudan related to the Battle of Omdurman

addressed to his brother Tom, describing the journey down to Khartoum from Cairo, detailing interactions with Kitchener and Colonel Rhodes, including a graphic description of the celebrated charge by the 21st Lancers at the height of the Battle of Omdurman, c. 70 pages, 8vo, written in pencil, 31 July to 9 September 1898, stained and faint in places

[with:]

Army issued leather-wrapped account book or pocket ledger, containing details of his previous and subsequent service, financial information, his physical appearance and his next of kin, tied with buckle, 1894-1899 (where dated), first two pages torn, browned

[and:] 

modern transcript of the diary

“IT IS THE TALK EVERYWHERE, THAT CHARGE, SOMEONE SAID LIKE BALACLAVA. IT WAS NO MISTAKE A DREADFUL THING & ALL WHO ESCAPED OUGHT TO THANK GOD FOR THEIR LIVES. 300 AGAINST ABOUT 2,000.”

This diary, hastily written in pencil, provides a first hand account of the Battle of Omdurman, led by Herbert Kitchener, which saw a combined Anglo-Egyptian force decimate the Sudanese Madhists at Khartoum. Herbert J. Robinson was serving in the 21st Hussars (later the 21st Lancers), the same force that Churchill rode with, later immortalised in his River War. 

“We started off & after firing at them a terrible thing happened. We got the order to charge and then we charged them in a trench. They were about 10 to 1. I had two or three make a cut at me but beyond a large cut on my puttie round the leg I was all right. I hope I shall never be in such a thing again. It was awful to see the poor fellows lying mangled on the ground some with the tops of their heads cut off & others with great wounds. An awful sight, fellows laughing & talking this morning & now laying on the desert stiff. We do not know yet how many killed but a lot I believe. After that we fired on them, & drove them back & then went & looked for our killed, it was a horrible sight. The dead dervishes & our poor fellows lying all over the ground.” (2 September 1898)

PROVENANCE:

Sotheby's, London, 18 December 1985, lot 226