In March 1914, Gee accompanied the camel patrol under Captain B. H. S. Romilly, D.S.O., Scots Guards, in the small expedition to the Nuba Mountains, including the operations at Mandal Sabai (Medal with clasp). He was promoted to Major in December 1915. He took part in the operations in Darfur Sultanate 1915-16 (MID London Gazette 25th October 1916), and at Fasher (Battle of Beringia), September to November 1916 (Two further clasps to Sudan Medal). For his services with the Egyptian Army in Darfur he was also awarded the Order of the Nile, 4th Class (London Gazette 31 August 1917).

Major Gee left the Egyptian Army in August 1917, with the rank of Kaimakam (Lt.Col.), to take command of the newly raised 263 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. He commanded this battery in France and Belgium until he was killed in action on 25 April 1918.

Witness statement reads: “Major Gee was killed on the morning of April 25th behind Scherpenberg Hill. He was off duty and in the cellars of a farm 100 yards in front of the guns. A tremendous bombardment opened at 2.00 am. I saw Major Gee leave the farm and go to the guns. There he went into a shelter cut out for the purpose next to the road. He was there with Lt. McDonald, and the guard on duty. They were blown up, and we could not get near them to get them out. One of the guard escaped - Russell I think by name - and gave information about those in the shelter. I was acting as medical orderly. (Gnr. A MacWilliam 127993)

A Boer War casualty pair to 4788 Private T. Welsh, Devon Regiment. QSA, 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal; KSA, 1901-1902, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902.

BWM & Victory medals (Capt. G.W. Stopford) Special Constabulary LS (GVR coinage head) George W. Stopford) (Entitled to SWB) Mounted as worn. With copy of papers, a good group photo of 4th Bn. Bedfordshire Regt. officers, and comprehensive research. George Waller Stopford. Born 26th May 1870 at Red Hill, Reigate. Educated at Lancing Public School. Passed his Oxford & Cambridge Higher Certificate in Latin, Greek, French, History & Scripture (Greek Text)  in July 1889. On 7th Dec. 1911 he married Alice, the daughter of Admiral Sir William Kennedy GCB., late Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.  He became a member of the Stock Exchange, living at 7 Avonmore Mansions, Kensington.

Reynolds was employed with the Egyptian Army in July 1914. In the Sudan he served in operations against the Jebel Miri in Kaduga District, Nuba Mountain Province, March-July 1915 and was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 25 October 1916). On 1 September 1915 he was advanced to Major. He then served in India, March-October 1916; France, October 1916-February 1918, and with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, March 1918-February 1919. He was appointed a Squadron Commander in the 37th Lancers in September 1918 and was posted as Acting Lieutenant-Colonel and Senior Service Officer with the Jodhpur Imperial Service Lancers in Palestine in December 1918. For his service in Palestine he was again mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 5 June 1919).  

The Laconia Incident. At 22.07 hours on 12th September 1942 the U-156 under the command of Korvettenkapitan Werner Hartenstein torpedoed a large target in the middle of the South Atlantic, north of Ascension Island. The vessel was the British liner 'Laconia', some 20,000 tons, which had been converted for use as a troopship and  merchant cruiser. The Laconia sank just over an hour later. She was carrying a crew of 136, plus 80 civilians including women and children, 270 military personnel, and 1800 Italian prisoners of war with 160 Polish guards. Shortly after the sinking, the crew of the U-Boat were surprised to hear Italian voices in the water and Hartenstein immediately began rescue operations and radioed for assistance, both from nearby U-Boats and other vessels in the area, promising to cease hostilities. Over the following two days U-156 picked up some 400 survivors, other U-boats and an Italian Submarine also arrived and assisted in the rescue. When the survivors filled the Submarines others were placed in lifeboats and towed behind the submarines.

U boat Captain Hartenstein had taken the unprecedented step of broadcasting on an open radio frequency "If any ship will assist the wrecked Laconia crew, I will not attack her, provided that I am not attacked by ship or aircraft. I have picked up 193 men"  he then gave his position co-ordinates, and signed off "German submarine". 

On 16th September 1942 an American B-24 Liberator bomber operating from Ascension Island  arrived on the scene and reported to base  that he could see the U boats rescuing survivors and  Red Cross flags being displayed. The pilot then received orders from the duty officer to immediately attack the submarines towing the lifeboats. The Submarines were forced to cut the tow lines and submerge, leaving hundreds of people again struggling in the water. The American action, prompted the order issued by Admiral Donitz, (who had tacitly supported rescue operations) sometimes known as the "Laconia Order", making  it absolutely clear that in future no U boats were to take part in any rescue operations and any survivors were to be left in the sea. As a result 1621 people died. One can but wonder how many lives that fatal American attack, which many considered to be a “war crime” cost. See  http://www.uboataces.com/battle-laconia.shtml for the full story.

BBC2 television broadcast "The Sinking of the Laconia - Survivors' Stories" on 6th & 7th of January 2011. A large newspaper article relating to the programme and the sinking is included.