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Picture courtesy of the London Medal Co

A South Africa Boer War Tribute Medal and Imperial Service Medal pair awarded to Arthur Edge, who saw service during the Boer War as a Corporal with the 1st Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment, and later worked as a postman with the General Post Office in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, being awarded the Imperial Service Medal.

South Africa Boer War Tribute Medal, silver, hallmarks for Birmingham with date letter ‘c’ for 1902, gold central shield to one side, reverse central silver shield engraved: ‘A. EDGE. BOER WAR 1899-1902’, mounted to ribbon for the Queen’s South Africa Medal and recipient’s Imperial Service Medal, GVR Coinage bust; (ARTHUR EDGE), housed in its fitted presentation case.

Condition: Good Very Fine.

Together with a newspaper cutting detailing his award of the Imperial Service Medal for his work as a postman at Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire.

Arthur Edge was born in the parish of Newton near Alfreton, Derbyshire, and having worked as a farm labourer and seen service with the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment, then enlisted into the British Army at Derby on 26th February 1889, joining as a Private (No.2522) the Derbyshire Regiment.

Posted to the 1st Battalion on 7th May 1889, and to the 2nd Battalion on 11th November 1891, he saw service overseas in India from 11th November 1891, and was appointed to Lance Corporal on 24th March 1892. Promoted to Corporal on 24th February 1895, he was tried and convicted by Court Martial for drunkenness on 19th December 1896 and reduced to Private, but then immediately reinstated as a Corporal.

Edge then saw service during the operations on the Punjab Frontier in the Tirah Campaign of 1897 to 1898, being appointed to Lance Sergeant on 17th September 1897 but on 31st January 1898 he was deprived of his strip and reverted to Corporal, being then posted home on 22nd April 1898 when he transferred to the Army Reserve. Recalled on the outbreak of the Boer War, Edge embarked for South Africa on 11th November 1899 as a Corporal with the 1st Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment. Posted home on 26th February 1902, he was discharged on 27th February 1902. Edge later worked as a postman with the General Post Office in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, being awarded the Imperial Service Medal.