D.C.M. Submitted to the Queen 15.10.1884. Recommendation states 'When the left of our Regiment and the right of the Royal Highlanders were temporarily checked in front of the brick house and the boiler, I called for volunteers to enter and capture the brick house with me. Sergeant Franklyn was the first to step forward and some four or five men then followed. We made a rush for the door of the house on the far side of us, an act which was attended with great danger, not only from the fire of the enemy inside, but also from the cross-fire of the Royal Highlanders who had wheeled their left up and were firing at the house. I succeeded in reaching the door and rushed in, but was instantly seized by the collar and dragged back by Sergeant Franklyn, whose hand was pierced by a spear in so doing, for a Soudani having concealed himself behind the door, with his spear raised, had struck at my throat as I entered. Had Sergant Franklyn not seen him and dragged me back, receiving the spear in his hand, it would certainly have pierced my throat, and he therefore undoubtedly saved my life. He shot the man who wounded him, and we then together entered the building, followed by other men, and after some hard fighting succeeded in placing hors de combat as many of the enemy as remained alive (I should say about 20), of whom Sergeant Franklyn states he killed 11; the exact number I cannot vouch for but I saw him laying about them in splendid style and most pluckily. The whole Company when asked at Tokar whom they would recommend unanimously declared Sergeant Franklyn's conduct to be most deserving of recognition of any man's in the Company, and in this I should myself concur' (Despatch of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Dalgety, 1st Battalion, York & Lancaster Regiment, refers).

Colour-Sergeant Albert Franklyn, D.C.M., was born in Chippenham, Wiltshire and enlisted in the 65th Regiment in London on Christmas Eve 1868, aged 18 years. Suffering from scabies 'for want of cleanliness', he was indeed down on his luck. Posted to India, he was actively employed in the Second Afghan War, being one of few men from the Regiment to be employed on the Lines of Communication on signals duties.

In February 1884, while en route back to England, the Regiment received orders to immediately proceed to the Sudan and land with 'great coats and blankets' only. By now a Lance-Sergeant, Franklyn went on to distinguish himself in the Battle of El-Teb, as outlined above, in addition to participating in the engagement at Tamaai, an action that witnessed the breaking of the British square and much hand to hand fighting. The York and Lancasters sustained casualties of 38 killed and 24 wounded.

Attending an investiture at Windsor Castle in late November 1884, Franklyn's deeds attracted the special attention of Queen Victoria. Indeed her comments that he was better deserving of a V.C. prompted her Private Secretary, Lord Ponsonby, to write to the War Office, a missive that received the curt reply that the gallant Sergeant was never recommended for that distinction and 'that is an essential part of the play'.

Discharged from the Army in January 1892, following two years on the Permanent Staff of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, York & Lancaster Regiment, Franklyn retired to Sheffield. Here, at the Pheasant Inn, he attended with other veterans, the 10th Anniversary Dinner of the Battle of Tamaai. Franklyn, who died in March 1900, was also the recipient of a L.S. and G.C. Medal (Reference: O.M.R.S. Journal, Summer 1998, which contains a full biographical note).