Following a two-year campaign that employed the latest Victorian technology, General Kitchener's Anglo-Egyptian army crushed the Mahdist Sudanese at the battle of Omdurman on 2 September 1898. Thus, Britain ended the Islamic government of the Khalifa Abdallahi, gained control of the Nile Valley, and avenged the death of General Gordon in 1885.

After leaving Midland Bank plc to pursue an academic career, Keith Surridge gained his BA in history at Queen Mary College, London in 1989, and his Ph.D at King's College, London in 1994. Since 1993, he has taught aspects of British history at various American university programs in London. His books include Managing the South African War, 1899-1902. Politicians vrs Generals (1998) and with Denis Judd, The Boer War (2002). He has also published many articles on aspects of the South African war 1899-1902 and on the British army and imperialism during the late-nineteenth century.