THE SUDAN CAMPAIGN 1896-1908
Henry Macleod Leslie Rundle, the second son of Captain Joseph Sparkehall Rundle RN., was born at Newton Abbot, Devon, on 6 January 1856. His mother was the daughter of Commander Walter Wemyss Leslie RN. In spite of these naval traditions Rundle chose the Army, and was gazetted from the Royal Military Academy to the Royal Artillery on 14 August 1876. Active, and of smart appearance, he had all the makings of a successful regimental officer, and won a name for keenness and efficiency. Three years later he was specially selected to join a battery on active service in the Zulu War of 1879, with Sir Evelyn Wood's flying column, where he was present at the battle of Ulundi on 4 July and mentioned in despatches. He remained in South Africa with another battery, and was engaged in the Boer war of 1881, being slightly wounded on the right side of the head on 4 March during the defence of Potchefstroom. Sir Evelyn Wood recommended Rundle for the Victoria Cross but it was turned down by the Duke of Cambridge.
When, in 1882, an Expeditionary Force was sent to Egypt he was serving at home, and was selected to join I Battery, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, commanded by Sir Edward Hamley, and was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir. Shortly after, when the reorganisation of the Egyptian Army was taken in hand by Sir Evelyn Wood, he volunteered for this service, which he entered in January 1893, and remained in it for 15 years.
At the beginning of 1884 Rundle was serving under Major (later Lord) Kitchener in guarding the Nubian Desert with a force of Abadeh Arabs. In the 1884-5 campaign he was employed on lines of communication and received a brevet majority a month after reaching the rank of Captain in March 1885. More important still, he had formed a lasting friendship with Kitchener. From 1885 to 1887 he was with the Sudan Frontier Force engaged in occasional skirmishes. He was present at the action at Sarras in command of some mounted troops, and while with that unit he was awarded the D.S.O. (1887) and the Osmanieh (third class).
In 1886 he was placed at the head of the Egyptian Artillery, then consisting of a few batteries of light guns. In 1889 fresh fighting took place, with a decisive engagement at Toski, where Rundle commanded the artillery. He was mentioned in despatches, and awarded the 2nd class Medijidieh, and on 17 August he received a brevet Lieutenant-Colonelcy. Next, in 1891, he was again engaged in the active operations that culminated in the recapture of Tokar in that same autumn - he was then acting as A.A.G. and in 1892 he became Adjutant-General of the Egyptian Army and spent nearly five years in Cairo, during which time the plans were elaborated for the reconquest of the Sudan. He received his brevet colonelcy in January 1894.
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