TOPIC:

I'm very chuffed to have acquired a group of medals to a chap who was one of only 24 Bailey's South African Sharpshooters - a small group of picked men whose sole purpose was to eradicate as many of the enemy as they possibly could.

Sydney Herbert Weaver served 4 1/2 years with the 1st Kings Dragoon Guards which is where he acquired his Queens Medal with CC/OFS/TVL clasps to 4265 Corpl. H. Weaver, 1st DGN. GDS.

He stayed on in South Africa and joined the Railways where, in 1903/4 he was awarded the C.S.A.R.V. Regimental Rifle Association Shooting Medal as a Sergeant Instructor of Musketry. This was the forerunner of things to come, as, 12 years later, he was selected as one of the 24 Snipers to be financed by Sir Abe Bailey for the Western Front. It is estimated that these 24 men killed as many as 3000 Germans between them.

He was transferred to the S.A.N.L.C. as a Colour Sergeant in August 1917 suffering from shell-shock. He claimed, on his medical report, that he "was half buried 3 or 4 times on the Somme by shells and has suffered from shell-shock. He was a sniper and a very good rifle shot, but is now useless with the rifle having been wounded by shrapnel in his hands."

The group came with his original parchment discharge papers from the Boer War.

Regards

Rory

Very nice indeed Rory,

What a great find.

Cheers

An excellent group, Rory.

I wonder how many hands it has passed through without anyone knowing its history?

Came with other medals from the family David but I know what you mean...

Rory,

Great find-on the regimental medal between the hallmarks and the rim is some very small lettering-I am just curious what it is.

Regards,
George

The words are "Heydenrych, Johannesburg" George

Regards

Rory