TOPIC:

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Belmont, Modder River, Orange Free State (1644 L./Corpl: A. Collie, RE);
KSA (2) (1644 Serjt: A. Collie, RE);
1914 Star (1644 Q.M. Sjt. A. Collie. RE);
BWM and VM (1644 W.O. Cl. 1 A. Collie. RE);
MSM GV (1644 Supt: Cl: A. Collie, GHQ RE);
Army LS&GC GV 1st issue (1644 E.C.Q.M. Sjt: A. Collie, RE);
France, Third Republic, Medaille Militaire, silver, silver-gilt and enamels

Alexander Collie, who was born in Portsmouth and enlisted in the Royal Engineers at Aldershot, served in 7th Field Company, RE during the Boer War, and was present in operations in the Orange Free State and at Belmont and Modder River.

Next actively engaged in the Great War, he went out to France in August 1914 as a Quarter-Master Sergeant on the R.E’s Railway Transportation Establishment, in which capacity he served up until his death through wounds on 3 June 1918, aged 42 years.

He had been awarded the French Medaille Militaire in the rank of Engineer Clerk Quarter-Master Sergeant (LG 24 February 191), and the MSM as a Superintending Clerk at GHQ, RE (LG 1 January 1917), in the interim.

He is buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery, France.

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast (Lieut. D. D. Davies, R.E.) engraved naming.

Pictures courtesy of C&T Auctions

Described as:

Scarce Queens South Africa Medal Defence of Ladysmith 1st Balloon Section Royal Engineers, medal with two clasps Cape Colony and Defence of Ladysmith, awarded to “27815 Sapr W HAIN R.E”, medal with early style naming. Generally good condition. William Hain was born in 1875 in Hereford, Herefordshire. He attested for the Royal Engineers on 28th November 1893. He had previously served with the 1st London Volunteer Engineers. He trained at Aldershot in Ballooning and qualified on 14th October 1895. He served with the 1st Balloon Section of the Royal Engineers during the Boer War and was present at the Defence of Ladysmith. He later served with the section in Australia from 12th November 1900 until 22nd April 1901. He transferred to the Army Reserve in 1902.

He is confirmed on the medal roll as being entitled to the two clasps for the Queens South Africa medal.

An account of the Balloon section during the Boer War states, “The Royal Engineers balloon section at Ladysmith enabled the defenders to observe very closely what the Boer’s were doing, to discover their laagers, and sometimes to divine their purposes, and it is very credibly asserted that the Boers were greatly vexed by the balloon ascents. It is a notable fact that a balloon is a very difficult object indeed to destroy by gun or rifle fire, owing to elevated position and uncertainty of range. The ballooning section which accompanied Sir Redvers Buller also proved extremely valuable, and it played a particularly useful part during Sir Charles Warren's flanking movement, when the positions of the enemy were discovered and signalled to him.”

C&T Auctions accept bids in advance of the auction. The current bid on Hain's medal is £920.

Update on QSA to Hain.
As of today, the highest bid appears to be £540.
Auction is live 26th to 27th May.

That is odd, Moranthorse1. When I looked just now, I see £920.