The Canadian Honours System. Christopher McCreery

command of a force largely composed of the Egyptian Army. By March 1884, Gordon was besieged in Khartoum with no means of escape, and debate raged in Britain about what should be done. After nearly six months of discussion, General Wolseley was ordered to rescue Gordon.

      The British government requested that Canada send troops to assist in the Egyptian campaign, an appeal already made to the colonial government in New South Wales (Australia). Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, however, declined to have the Canadian militia involved but did support Wolseley’s request for Canadian boatmen to navigate the rapids of the Nile River on specially constructed boats.