A Glenmuick / Ballater / Aboyne / Canada & Sudan interest well documented Sudan 1885 Campaign pair of medals: Sapper John Ewan, Royal Engineers, late 24th Company Royal Engineers

- Egypt & Sudan 1882-89. Undated with clasp 'Suakin 1885' (18187. Sapr. J. Ewan. 24th. Co. R.E.)
- Egypt (Khedivate): Khedive’s Star. With '1884-6' obverse date

Sold together with below archive of original ephemera in unusually good legible condition, and scarce thus found:

- The recipient’s Parchment Certificate of Discharge
- Army Account Book and Savings Bank Account Book
- Fourth Class Certificate of Education
- Royal Engineers Record Office letter regarding the award of the Khedive’s Star, dated 17 August 1906
- War Office enclosure for the award of the Khedive’s Star, dated 20 August 1906
- Recipient’s Letter of Indenture with John Burgess & Sons, Masons, Aboyne, dated 7 May 1877
- A copied Birth Certificate

Medals & Clasp Verification: Both medals & clasp confirmed as entitled per the below following referenced medal roll:

- Egypt and Sudan 1882-89. Undated reverse with clasp 'Suakin 1885': WO 100/64
- Egypt (Khedivate): Khedive’s Star. '1884-6' obverse date: WO 100/64,with note 'Star issued 20/08/1906'

The recipients original Army Account Book and Savings Bank Account Book, states that Sapper Ewan served at both of below actions:
 
Battle of Hasheen (Hashin): Fought on 20 March 1885. After Lieutenant-General Sir Gerald Graham had assembled his 13,000 troops at Suakin during the 1st Sudan War (1884-1885), he moved to engage the main concentrations of Mahdists. On 20 March 1885 at the Battle of Hashin he defeated a large 'Ansar' or Mahdist force of Osman Digna's army, inflicting upon them a loss of about 1,000 killed. The British lost 48 killed and wounded

Action at Tamaai: On 3 April 1885, the Suakin Field Force - including the 24th Field Company Royal Engineers, commanded by Colonel E.P. Leach, VC - participated in a march and engagement at Tamai during the Suakin Expedition. The Sappers supported a 10,000-man force that cleared the area and burned the village, pushing into the interior from the Red Sea port of Suakin   

John Ewan son of Archibald Ewan (who in 1881 is described as a Mason's Labourer) & Annie Ewan (nee Reid) was a native of Glenmuick, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where he was born on, 20 September 1858. Prior to joining the British Army, John had - like his father before him - been employed as a 'Mason' in the local Aberdeenshire 'Granite Industry'. John Ewan attested for the royal Engineers at Aberdeen, Scotland on 12 October 1883. He was posted to the 24th Field Company, and served with them in Egypt and the Sudan from 18 February 1885, and saw active service during the operations in Suakin in 1885, and in particular at the Battle of Hasheen and the subsequent action at Tamaai. He purchased his discharged on 25 May 1886, after 2 years and 226 days’ service, of which 1 year and 99 days were spent soldiering in the Sudan.

After taking his discharge from the British Army, John Ewan, led an industrious life. Taking up residence in Aberdeen, Scotland, he wed Jessie Ann Walker (a widow with 2 x daughters) at the parish of St, Machar in 1899. A son was born to the couple later that year in 1899, who was given the rather splendid name 'Archibald Kitchener Ewan' - the child being named in honour of the memory of John's late father, and as a proud Sudan veteran, was a bow to the great 'Sirdar Kitchener' - a Sapper Officer from John's old corps - who, just prior to Archibald's birth in Aberdeen, had successfully re-conquered the Sudan! 'Archie' Archibald Kitchener Ewan, the patriotic son of a Sudan veteran, later served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France & Flanders during the Great War. John Ewan migrated to Canada 1911 - his wife and many children joining him there 1912 - where John was employed as a 'Stone Cutter'. The family settled at Beebe Junction, Quebec Canada. John Ewan is recorded to have died at, Beebe Junction, Quebec, Canada, on 21 March 1925. His son(s) 'Archie' Kitchener Ewan subsequently migrated to the United States, where he settled in Waterbury, Vermont, USA

The medals in uncommonly-found choice condition, for 'Egypt & Sudan' medals, and the desirability of the pair is further enhanced by the inclusion of the archive of original ephemera 

Condition: Medals EF

Code: 26109