A small crowd gathered for a memorial service at Orange War Memorial Hall on Friday.

Orange Historical Society honorary historian Elizabeth Griffin said the Sudan war was a forgotten conflict.

“I feel it’s an area that’s not being explored heavily,” Miss Griffin said.

“It was the first NSW contingent to serve overseas.”

The contingent was also the first Australian troops to fight in an imperial war.

The granddaughter and grandson of one of the men that served, George Rauchle, were in attendance at the service.

Miss Griffin said it was important for people to show respect to the families of the men that served.

“It’s about honouring the families of the men that went,” she said.

“They’re left behind when they go. It’s also about showing appreciation to the descendants of the men.

“It must’ve been dreadful not knowing if they’d come back and knowing the sacrifices they made.”

758 men from NSW went to Sudan, and about 14 of those men were from Orange.

Miss Griffin said the Orange contingent was a large, compared to groups from other areas.

“I think it’s a very good insight into the feeling at the time,” she said.

Mr Rauchle fought in the Sudan war, and went on to fight in the Boer War and World War I.

The Orange War Memorial had records of service of the 14 serving men on display, as well as photos of their medals.

The NSW contingent consisted of an infantry battalion and an artillery battalion.

The men left Sydney on March 3, 1885, arrived in Sudan on March 29 and returned on June 19, 1885.

While the contingent did not fight in any major battles, three soldiers were wounded and seven soldiers died from fever and dysentery.