Interesting Egypt group to long-serving QM in Gordon Highlanders.

Description Please do not use Paypal for this item. Interesting medal group to a long-serving Quartermaster of the Gordon Highlanders, specially promoted for service in Egypt in 1882 and ending service in rank of Major. Egypt, dated 1882, with clasps Tel-el-Kebir, Suakin 1884 and El Teb – Tamaii. (Lt. & QM, 1/Gordons) Army LSGC (S/M 75th Regt.) Khedive’s Star dated 1882. Unnamed as issued. Major (Quartermaster) John Cotton 1835 – 1904 – 75th Stirlingshire Rgt. / 1st Gordon Highlanders, 1853 – 1884. Thirty years’ service. The son of a veterinary surgeon, Cotton was born on 20th May 1835 “as on his attestation papers”. He served in the ranks of the 75th (Stirlingshire) Rgt. (=  1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders in 1881) for 21 years and 37 days. Private 21st May 1853; Corporal 9th Nov. 1857; Sergeant 1st Feb. 1862; Colour Sergt. 1st Oct. 1862; Sergt. Major 14th Aug. 1867. He was awarded his LSGC in 1872 – ten years before his campaign medals! Promoted to Quartermaster (Lieut.) 27th June 1874: “By Appointment” – after 20 years’ service. Commissioned as Quartermaster in rank of Lieutenant on 27th Jan. 1874 in succession to QM Joseph Bowen and was succeeded on retirement on 16th July 1884 by QM H. Carlaw. Full pay as Officer for 10 years and 20 days. Overseas’ Service: Gibraltar 20.4.1867 – 6.10.1868 China 7.10.1868 – 22.9.1869 and 9.12.1870 – 21.8.1871. Cape Colony 22.8.1871 – 30.3.1875 Ireland 31.3.75 – ? Malta 11.3.1881 – 1.8.1882 Egypt & Sudan 2.8.1882 – 16.7.1884  Awarded the Egypt Medal, dated 1882, with clasp Tel-el-Kebir for the battle on 13th Sept. 1882 and Khedive’s Star dated 1882. Clasps Suakin 1884 and the dual clasp El Teb – Tamaai for service in Eastern Sudan under Sir Gerald Graham in 1884. Egypt 1882 – during the British invasion of Egypt after August 1882, culminating in the crushing victory at Tel-el-Kebir after a night march and dawn attack on 13th September 1882, the 1st Battn. Gordon Highlanders was part of the Highland Brigade under Sir Archibald Alison, in the 2nd Division under General Hamley. The Highland Brigade took the brunt of the fighting during the attack. Battalion Casualties – 1 officer and 5 men killed, 1 officer and 29 wounded. 775 officers and men of the battalion were awarded the clasp.  Cotton was promoted to Captain (Quartermaster) 10th July 1883: “special promotion for services in recent operations in Egypt”, [London Gazette 10th July 1883]. The British campaign in the Eastern Sudan, under Sir Gerald Graham in 1884, was based on the Red Sea port of Suakin, and intended to counter the threat posed by tribesmen under “Osman Digna”; the 1st Gordons played a major role in both the actions from Suakin, at El Teb on 29th Feb. 1884 and Tamaai on 13th March 1884. 729 officers and men of 1/Gordons were awarded the combined battle clasp. He was given the honorary (retirement) rank of Major. Cotton was invalided out of the army as no longer medically fit for service, probably a result of the effects of climate/illness experienced in the Sudan during the campaign in 1884 – a very common occurrence. Cotton married Sarah Sefton (1833 Liverpool – d. by 1891) on 27th Oct. 1857 in St Nicholas, Liverpool. Their children were John (Liverpool 1858-1933 – served in the A.S.C.), Mary (Liverpool 1860), Sarah Ellen (Gosport 1865-1956) and William (Dublin 1866-1880), James (Pietermaritzburg, Natal 1873). In the 1891 Census, Cotton, a widower and “retired major; army officer” was a lodger at the house of George Elles at Alexandra Rd., Portsea. In 1901, he was a widower living with his daughter Sarah (Craddock) and four grandchildren at 258, Somers Rd., Portsmouth. He died in Portsmouth on 6th Feb. 1904.  Sold with a very good file of research and info. Medals VF, with some contacting.