TOPIC:

Hi there:

My name is Wim, I'm a Spanish based Belgian interested in history (WW1, Spanish Civil War, WW2, etc.) and I'm also a medal collector (mostly Belgian WW1, Spanish, but also from other countries, and especially in miniatures).

I would like to do some research on the following miniature medal bar that covers the Boer war, WW1 and WW2 and maybe to try to identify the militar it belonged to.

Any help is very appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Wim

Welcome to the Forum, William.

That is a lovely group of medals, seemingly as it was worn at the time.

In terms of the recipient, I think he would be very difficult to trace. Is there any indication on the DSO whether it is Victorian or George V? Many officers received the CB, CMG and DSO for the Great War (presuming these are not higher grades of the orders).

Sorry not to be more help.

Best wishes
David

Thanks David!

The DSO is a George V.
I was hoping to narrow down a bit with the clasps of the QSA, at least on regimental level.

QSA clasps are:

- TRANSVAAL
- RELIEF OF LADYSMITH
- ORANGE FREE STATE
- TUGELA HEIGHTS

KSA with 2 clasps
- SOUTH AFRICA 1901
- SOUTH AFRICA 1902

Best regards.

W.

W,

I did have a look at the clasps but I don't think they will be of particular help. Some 12,000 were in the the relief of Ladysmith so the pool, even if you focus on the officers, is large. It would be possible to narrow it down to a handful of men but that would require a lot of work in my opinion.

Another option would be to search past catalogues for the full size medals in case they have appeared on the market . But again, another long shot.

After months of research I finally managed to identify the owner of my miniature group!

John Wigan was born in July 1877 in West Hartlepool and educated at Rugby School before joining the British Army in May 1897 as a second lieutenant with the 13th Hussars. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on 8 March 1899, and later that year was deployed to South Africa for service in the Second Boer War. While in South Africa he was severely wounded during reconnaissance near Sundays River (in Cape Colony) in March 1900. He stayed in South Africa throughout the war, and was promoted to the rank of captain on 26 March 1902. Following the end of hostilities, he left South Africa with other men of his regiment on the SS City of Vienna, which arrived at Southampton in October 1902. In 1909, Wigan retired from the regular army and transferred to the Territorial Army with the Berkshire Yeomanry. This force was activated at the outbreak of World War I and sent to the Mediterranean.

Wigan was seriously wounded in 1915 during the Battle of Gallipoli while in command of the Berkshire Yeomanry, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) the following year in acknowledgement of his service. The Berkshire Yeomanry moved to Egypt in 1916 and in April 1917 Wigan was again wounded at the Second Battle of Gaza. In July 1917, Wigan was advanced to command the 7th Mounted Brigade and in November 1917 this force was deployed in the Third Battle of Gaza at which Wigan was wounded for a fourth time in an attack on Turkish trenchlines. On 7 April 1918, he was appointed to command of the 22nd Mounted Brigade (later redesignated 12th Cavalry Brigade) in 4th Cavalry Division, a command he held until the end of the war.
In 1918 Wigan was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in recognition of his service and in 1919 a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). At the end of the war, the yeomanry was decommissioned and Wigan entered politics as MP for Abingdon. He was on the governing body of Abingdon School from 1918 to 1921.
In 1921 Wigan gave up his seat and retired, later serving as High Sheriff of Essex in 1930. Wigan died in Cuckfield, West Sussex in November 1952.


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tyson_Wigan

Somo more information about Brigadier General Wigan