 During the early years of the 1880s , an Egyptian regime in the Sudan , backed by the British , came under threat from rebellion under the leadership of native Muhammad Ahmad ( or Ahmed ) , known as Mahdi to his followers . In 1883 , as part of the <unk> War , the Egyptians sent an army to deal with the revolt , but they were defeated and faced a difficult campaign of <unk> their forces . The British instructed the Egyptians to abandon the Sudan , and sent General Charles Gordon to co @-@ <unk> the evacuation , but he was killed in January 1885 . When news of his death arrived in New South Wales in February 1885 , the government offered to send forces and meet the contingent 's expenses . The New South Wales <unk> consisted of an infantry battalion of 522 men and 24 officers , and an artillery battery of 212 men and sailed from Sydney on 3 March 1885 . 
