Description
Queen’s Sudan Medal 1898, 3184 Pte W.T. Mallenby, 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers, wounded in action at Lichtenburg on 3rd March 1901.
William Todd Mallenby was born during 1870 in St Nicholas, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.
He enlisted for service with the Northumberland Fusiliers on 10th October 1891.
He served overseas in India from 17th December 1892 – 4th March 1895
In Singapore from 5th March 1895 – 1st January 1897.
At Gibraltar from 1st January 1897 – 16th January 1898.
In Egypt 17th January 1898 – 2nd October 1898.
In Crete 3rd October 1898 – 18th April 1899.
In South Africa from 4th November 1899 – 29th August 1902.
On 2nd December 1894, he was Tried and Convicted of disobeying lawful commands given by his superior officer & for striking his superior officer being in the execution of his office.
He was sentenced to be imprisoned for 84 days with hard labour.
During the Boer War on 27th July 1900 he was again tried by Court Martial for stealing goods the property of an officer and sentenced to 84 days imprisonment with hard labour, returning to duty on 26th October 1900.
On 3rd March 1901 he was engaged at Lichtenburg when he was slightly wounded.
On this day the town of Lichtenburg was attacked in a three pronged assault by an estimated 300 Boers. From the west by Commandant Vermaas who assailed the fortified British redoubt in the market square, whilst the second and third attacks from the East and West were directed against the British pickets on the edge of the town. After facing determined resistance for 24 hours, the Boers were forced to withdraw, General de la Rey came to the assistance of Commandant Vermaas.
An Imperial Yeomanryman recounts the action as the Boers rushed the British trenches: 'How those pickets did fight! The picket trenches never contained more than 7 men, and in one trench only two were left, the others being killed or wounded. When relief arrived a sergeant was just saying to one comrade "Fix bayonets, we'll keep the … back"
By the end the defenders had lost 21 men killed and died of wounds, with 24 wounded including Pte Mallenby. On the Boer side they lost 14 men killed and 40 wounded.
After returning home he joined the Army Reserves Sec D on 16th October 1903 for 4 years before being discharged on 15th October 1907 having completed his engagement.
He had forfeited his war medals on conviction of theft, but they were restored by the War Office on 6th August 1903.
He died on 15th March 1947 in Royal Victor’s Infirmary, Newcastle on Tyne.
