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Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (1) Cape Colony (848 Buglr. W. C. Shafto. D.L.I.), unofficially engraved, pawnbrokers marks to the reverse;
KSA (2) (848 Buglr. W. C. Shafto. D.L.I.).

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (3) Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (5053 Pte. A. Swann. Durham Lt. Infy.), unofficial rivets between top two clasps;
KSA (2) (5053 Pte. A. Swann 1st Durham Light Infy.), re-engraved naming;
1914-15 Star (No. 1006 Sergt. A. Swann. Vol. Arty. Bty.);
British War Medal 1914-20 (1006 Sgt. Albert Swann, Vol. Artly. Bty.);
Victory Medal 1914-19 (1006 Sgt. A. Swann. Vol. Arty. Bty.);
Defence Medal 1939-45;
Delhi Durbar 1911;
Jubilee 1935;
Army LS&GV GV (Serjt. A. Swann. H.E. The Govrs. Band Bo.);
Army Meritorious Service Medal, GV (B. Instr. - A. Swann, Lawrence R.M. School.);
Volunteer Force Long Service (India & the Colonies), GV (Rfmn. A. Swann, Simla Rfls. A.F.I.).

Albert Swann served initially in the Boer War with the 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (Queen's Medal and 3 clasps, King's Medal & 2 clasps). He thence went out to India to forge his life and was heavily involved in the Volunteer Forces, serving in the Simla Rifles and also seeing active service with the Volunteer Artillery Battery during the Great War. Numbering some 67 men they served in the Mesopotamia campaign with the Battery - soon after arrival from India - being divided into two sections, one preceding up the Euphrates and the other up the Tigris river. Of the total Battery strength of 67, 38 became casualties: 45 of the men were taken Prisoner of War at the Fall of Kut with 18 of them dying during captivity.

Swann returned to India and forged his musical career, serving in The Governor of Bombay's Band and earning his M.S.M. with the Lawrence R.M. (Royal Music?) School.

The long service group to Pte Swann sold this morning for a hammer price of £1,700. Totals (inc VAT on the commission for the UK only): £2,540. R49,200. Au$4,180. Can$3,700. US$2,880

Picture courtesy of C&T Auctions





QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State and South Africa 1901 (6933 BUGR. W. HESLOP DURHAM LT INFY),;
Militia Long Service and Good Conduct medal Ed VII (6933 BGLR. W. HESLOP 3RD DURHAM L.I. MIL.)

The catalogue states 'William Heslop from originally from Limerick, Ireland attested for the Durham Militia as a Boy at the age of 12 giving his address as Barnard Castle. Appointed Bugler in May 1865 he kept this rank until his discharge on 13th January 1908 having reached the age limit. He served in South Africa with the 3rd Battalion between 11th January 1900 and 11th June 1901. The QSA with 3 clasps is confirmed on the roll and there is a reference to a medal presentation by His Majesty the King at Marlboro on 29th July 1901. The Award of the QSA and the Militia Long Service medal is confirmed on his discharge certificate.

William Heslop died at the age of 91 on 5th January 1943.'

Hammer price £920

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (2) Cape Colony, Orange Free State (2368 Pte. M. Turner. Durham Lt. Infy.)

CC and OFS listed on WO100/201p201. SA01 indicated on WO100/201p240.

10 years have passed since QSA Mike started this thread and it's great to be able to add another medal to one of the men who served under, and was wounded with, Sergeant C.H. Flowers at the Battle of Colenso.

An interesting life story that spans Scotland, England, South Africa, Australia and the States.


BIRTH: 7 April 1874
Aberdeen, Scotland

DEATH: 19 November 1933 (59 years old)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Family
Wife: Jane Elizabeth Waters
Birth: 1871
Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England
Death: 19 December 1940
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Father: Bernard Milligan (1841–1892)
Mother: Georgina McInnes (b1851)

Early Life

According to the 1881 census 7-year-old Bernard was living in Scotland with his parents and two other siblings; his father was working as a “Tobacco Pipe Maker”.

Some time later the family moved to Durham where Bernard attested with the Durham Light Infantry; unfortunately, his father passed away shortly afterwards in 1892.

25-year-old Bernard married Jane Elizabeth Waters on the 19th June 1899 at St Edmund, Gateshead, Durham but unfortunately events in South Africa meant the honeymoon was short lived.

Their first child, also Bernard Milligan, was born in April 1900 while he was on service in South Africa. Jane would have been about 4 months pregnant when Bernard embarked Southampton on the 24th October 1899.

2nd Anglo Boer War

The best description of the events leading up to the wounding of Pte Milligan was provided by the diary entries of Sergeant C.H. Flowers by QSA Mike on page 1 of this post:
Ref: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...urham-light-infantry


Courtesy of QSA Mike:

“DIARY OF SGT. C. H. FLOWERS, 1st. BATTN. DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY, CAPE TOWN 11-18-1899

Under the command of 3282 Sgt. Charles Henry Flowers, DLI while enroute to South Africa.

…MILLIGAN, B., Pte., 4011…

REJOINED D.L.I. FROM RESERVE 17th OCT. 1899, LEFT N/CL ON TYNE FOR ALDERSHOT 18 OCT. 1899 LEFT ASHOT. & EMBARKED AT SOUTHAMPTON ON STEAM SHIP CEPHALONIA 24th OCT. 1899.

ARRIVED AT CAPE ST. VINCENT, CAPE VERDE ISLANDS 2nd NOVEMBER 99, COALED AND SAILED ON MORNING OF 3rd ARRIVED IN TABLE BAY CAPE TOWN ON 18th NOV 1899 COALED ON 19th.

HAD LEAVE WENT ON SHORE AND HAD A WALK AROUND. SAILED FOR CAPE TOWN MIDNIGHT 19th SUNDAY. S.S. DRONNATTAR ARRIVED AT CAPE TOWN 5p.m., 19th WITH REFUGEES FROM DURBAN.

PASSED PORT ELIZABETH ABOUT 10.30 AM TUESDAY 21st AND EAST LONDON AT 8pm. TOWN LIGHTED UP BY ELECTRICITY AND LOOKED WELL FROM THE SHIP.

ARRIVED AT DURBAN 4.30 ON WEDNESDAY 22nd NOV. 1899. 2 MEN OF WAR AND 5 TROOPERS AT ANCHOR. DISEMBARKED ON THURSDAY 24th AND LEFT BY 3 SPECIAL TRAINS FOR NOTTINGHAM ROAD WHERE WE INCOMMODE WITH THE SCOTTISH RIFLES.

HAD A MOST ENTHUSIASTIC SEND OFF PEOPLE GIVING BREAD, TOBACCO, CIGARS AND FRUIT ALL ALONG THE LINE.

TERRIBLE THUNDER STORM NEARLY ALL NIGHT. THE WILD FLOWERS ON THE RAILSIDE WERE LOVELY, THOUSANDS OF ANSON LILLIES GROWING WILD.

ON SATURDAY LEFT NOTTINGHAM ROAD CAMP BY TRAIN FOR A CAMP AT MODI RIVER WHERE THE FIRST BDE WAS ENCAMPED WITH ARTILLERY AND THORNEYCROFTS LIGHT HORSE.

A LARGE FORCE LEFT ON SATURDAY NIGHT FOR ESCORDT (?) AND THE REMAINDER LEFT ON MONDAY MORNING. 3KRR ARRIVED FROM KILKENNY ON WEDNESDAY 29th NOVEMBER. THE BRIGADE CONSISTING OF D.L.I., K.R.R., SCOTTISH RIFLES AND RIFLE BRIGADE.

LEFT MOOI RIVER ON THE 6th DEC. UNDER COMMAND OF GENERAL LITTLETON AND MARCHED ABOUT 15 MILES TO THE WILLOW GROVE WHERE THE BRIGADE WAS ENCAMPED.

THE BRIGADE WAS PARADED AT 7am LEFT BY MARCH ROUTE TO ESCOURT. THE BRIGADE LEFT ESCOURT AT 6am ON FRIDAY DECEMBER 8th 1899 AND MARCHED TO FRERE AND THE HEAT BEING TERRIFIC A LOT OF MEN FALLING OUT.

THE GARRISON AT FRERE BEING NEARLY 20,000 STRONG. GENERAL BUTLER BEING IN CAMP. MONDAY 11th DEC. ON OUTPOST DUTY/WE WERE SHOT AT BUT DID NOT KNOW WHO AND FROM WHERE, OFFICER RETURNED TO CAMP INTOXICATED/

FROM 3pm TO 3pm ON TUESDAY. A LARGE FORCE MOVED OUT TOWARD COLENSO BEFORE DAYBREAK 12th DEC. NEARLY ALL TROOPS IN FRERE PARADED AT 130pm AND MARCHED TO A CAMP 2 MILES PAST CHIEVERLEY ON WEDNESDAY 13-13-99.

ON FRIDAY 15th THE WHOLE OF THE TROOPS IN CAMP MARCHED OFF TO ATTACK THE BOERS POSITION CLOSE TO COLENSO AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TUGELA RIVER.

THE NAVAL GUNS SHELLED THE BOER POSITION WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE. DURING THE FIGHT ON FRIDAY OUR SIDE LOST 1149 KILLED WOUNDED AND PRISONER.

I WAS WOUNDED BY A SHELL IN THE LOWER JAW, CHEEK AND ARM WHILE IN RESERVES ON SUNDAY.”


According to the SAFF Casualty List only two members of the Durham Light Infantry were wounded at the Battle of Colenso; Sgt CH Flowers and Pte B Milligan.




Source: Ancestry

Bernard’s wounds were recorded as slight, potentially also from a shell splinter, and remained with the regiment until 1901 when he returned to England with “Time Expired”.

Inter War Years:

Following his return to England Bernard and Jane settled down at 8 Marlow St Blyth Northumberland where Bernard was working as a below ground Coal Miner shifting stones.

During this period they had another 5 children together taking the total family size to 8 members.

World War 1:

Following the outbreak of hostilities Bernard re-joined the Durham Light Infantry on the 12th August 1914 with regimental number 11992.

During the war Bernard served in the 1st Home Service Battalion and never left England; he was eventually promoted to the rank of Seargent.

He served until the 3rd September 1917 when he was discharged medically unfit as a result of contracting Bronchitis

Unfortunately his brother Charles Milligan died of wounds on the 4th May 1917 whilst serving with the 5th Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in France.

Post War Period:

In 1926 Bernard, along with his family, migrated to the USA and settled down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

For some reason Bernard found himself in Sydney in 1933 where he passed away and was buried at the Rookwood General Cemetery in New South Wales.

The remainder of his family remained in the United States and is buried there.