The Richard Magor Collection of Medals Relating to India and Africa, and other Fine Awards The unique and highly important Ashanti C.M.G., Dawkita 1897 D.S.O. group of six awarded to Commander F. B. Henderson, Royal Navy: the extraordinary defence of Dawkita, over four days and nights, with 40-odd men pitched against an army of Sofas 7000 strong, stands out as one of the great epics of Empire, so too Henderson’s extraordinary bravery in giving himself up to the enemy to parley for the freedom of his men - he refused to kneel before the Samory and his elders, even having been shown the head of his most trusted Officer The Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, the reverse of the upper suspension bar with brooch fitting; East and West Africa 1887-1900, 2 clasps, Dawkita 1897, 1897-98 [this last loose on riband] (Lieut., R.N.); Ashanti Star 1896; British War Medal 1914-20 (Commr., R.N.); Coronation 1911 enamel work slightly chipped in places, generally very fine and better (6) £20,000-25,000 Footnote C.M.G. London Gazette 26 June 1902. D.S.O. London Gazette 8 March 1898: ‘In recognition of services in conducting operations against the Sofas in 1897.’ Francis Barkley Henderson was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire in 1859, fourth son of the Rev. J. H. Henderson and Anne, daughter of Rear-Admiral H. G. Morris, R.N. Educated at Britannia, he was appointed a Midshipman in October 1874 and, four years later, on promotion to Sub. Lieutenant, he joined H.M.S. Bacchante, sailing in her during her world cruise with the Dukes of York and Clarence as Midshipmen. And on passing for Lieutenant in June 1882, he was awarded the Goodenough Medal for the best examination in gunnery. But in July 1884, his promising career seemingly came to a halt, when he was invalided from the active list. In the following year, however, he took up appointment as Private Secretary and A.D.C. to Sir W. E. Maxwell, K.C.M.G., Governor of the Gold Coast Colony, and accompanied him to Kumassi during the Ashanti Expedition of 1896, experience that no doubt assisted him in gaining appointment as a Travelling Commissioner in the Colony for the next six years. And it was during the course of this appointment that he commanded the small force allocated to the Defence of Dawkita in 1897. Not enough, perhaps, has been written of this gallant little affair, but in Magor a full and entertaining account of proceedings may be found. As the author successfully illustrates, Henderson’s feat is wholly worthy of comparison to other 19th century epics, Rorke’s Drift among them. For reasons discussed at length by Magor, including aggressive behaviour towards Europeans and friendly tribesmen, Henderson raised the Union Flag at Dawkita in the full knowledge that his actions might be met with severe local opposition. Apart from anything else, the Sofas were said to be starving and his occupation of Dawkita effectively blocked their way to forage for food. He also took the trouble to warn the appropriate Chiefs that if they continued to molest his people, their actions would be considered as hostile ones. This, of course, was like red rag to a bull, and within a short period of time, the Sofas were on the warpath to Henderson’s little three-compound settlement. Henderson takes up the story in his subsequent despatch: ‘The Sofa army appeared over the hill in front of the town, massed in a huge square, numbering, as far as we could estimate, about 7000 men. Their mounted men, of whom they had about 400, tried to pass to the rear of the town on our left, but were driven back by some Lobis, and then, passing along the river bank, occupied the water-hole distant about 350 yards from our front. The Bonas, who were to have held this, made no resistance. I felt very much the want of this water-hole, want of water being one of the chief causes of my having, eventually, to retire. At 4.30 p.m. their rif
The Richard Magor Collection of Medals Relating to India and Africa, and other Fine Awards The unique and highly important Ashanti C.M.G., Dawkita 1897 D.S.O. group of six awarded to Commander F. B. Henderson, Royal Navy: the extraordinary defence of Dawkita, over four days and nights, with 40-odd men pitched against an army of Sofas 7000 strong, stands out as one of the great epics of Empire, so too Henderson’s extraordinary bravery in giving himself up to the enemy to parley for the freedom of his men - he refused to kneel before the Samory and his elders, even having been shown the head of his most trusted Officer The Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, the reverse of the upper suspension bar with brooch fitting; East and West Africa 1887-1900, 2 clasps, Dawkita 1897, 1897-98 [this last loose on riband] (Lieut., R.N.); Ashanti Star 1896; British War Medal 1914-20 (Commr., R.N.); Coronation 1911 enamel work slightly chipped in places, generally very fine and better (6) £20,000-25,000 Footnote C.M.G. London Gazette 26 June 1902. D.S.O. London Gazette 8 March 1898: ‘In recognition of services in conducting operations against the Sofas in 1897.’ Francis Barkley Henderson was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire in 1859, fourth son of the Rev. J. H. Henderson and Anne, daughter of Rear-Admiral H. G. Morris, R.N. Educated at Britannia, he was appointed a Midshipman in October 1874 and, four years later, on promotion to Sub. Lieutenant, he joined H.M.S. Bacchante, sailing in her during her world cruise with the Dukes of York and Clarence as Midshipmen. And on passing for Lieutenant in June 1882, he was awarded the Goodenough Medal for the best examination in gunnery. But in July 1884, his promising career seemingly came to a halt, when he was invalided from the active list. In the following year, however, he took up appointment as Private Secretary and A.D.C. to Sir W. E. Maxwell, K.C.M.G., Governor of the Gold Coast Colony, and accompanied him to Kumassi during the Ashanti Expedition of 1896, experience that no doubt assisted him in gaining appointment as a Travelling Commissioner in the Colony for the next six years. And it was during the course of this appointment that he commanded the small force allocated to the Defence of Dawkita in 1897. Not enough, perhaps, has been written of this gallant little affair, but in Magor a full and entertaining account of proceedings may be found. As the author successfully illustrates, Henderson’s feat is wholly worthy of comparison to other 19th century epics, Rorke’s Drift among them. For reasons discussed at length by Magor, including aggressive behaviour towards Europeans and friendly tribesmen, Henderson raised the Union Flag at Dawkita in the full knowledge that his actions might be met with severe local opposition. Apart from anything else, the Sofas were said to be starving and his occupation of Dawkita effectively blocked their way to forage for food. He also took the trouble to warn the appropriate Chiefs that if they continued to molest his people, their actions would be considered as hostile ones. This, of course, was like red rag to a bull, and within a short period of time, the Sofas were on the warpath to Henderson’s little three-compound settlement. Henderson takes up the story in his subsequent despatch: ‘The Sofa army appeared over the hill in front of the town, massed in a huge square, numbering, as far as we could estimate, about 7000 men. Their mounted men, of whom they had about 400, tried to pass to the rear of the town on our left, but were driven back by some Lobis, and then, passing along the river bank, occupied the water-hole distant about 350 yards from our front. The Bonas, who were to have held this, made no resistance. I felt very much the want of this water-hole, want of water being one of the chief causes of my having, eventually, to retire. At 4.30 p.m. their rif
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