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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (5) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (Lieut: A. Hamilton, Rl. Irish Fus:) officially impressed naming;
KSA (2) (Lt. A. Hamilton. Rl. Irish Fus.)

Lieutenant Alastair Hamilton was wounded in the fierce fighting at Pieter’s Hill on 27 February 1900, the capture of which cleared the way for the relief of Ladysmith by the cavalry the following day. His medals are accompanied by a contemporary hand-written transcript of a letter to his mother, written during the action whilst he lay wounded, describing the attack:

‘My dear Mother
We advanced today about 9 a.m. to take a hill to our front, which we did without much trouble, only losing a few men.
About 5.15 p.m. we advanced to take a small hill to our right which was strongly held. The Dublin Fusiliers being unable to manage it, we had to advance about half a mile over an open space under a heavy fire. A shell burst about ten yards from me and knocked over one of the men, but he was not hurt. We lay down to get our wind and a shell hit the handle of my knob carry and smashed the knob in three places and made a great gravel rush in my wrist, but there was not much blood.
Then we advanced about 700 yards to a small kopie where the D.F’s were. We again rested, then we advanced over another open bit and about half way I was hit in the ankle, at about 6 p.m., and am now lagging behind and am with bullets dropping round me pretty thick. The Company is about 100 yards in front under a stone wall. We were first in, and no one else has gone in passed me, but now they come. I was afraid they were going to give it up, but they are going up splendidly under a heavy fire. I am not 500 yards from the hill it is hard not to be able to go in as I had hoped, but no such luck. I am not in much pain, but hope I shall not have to crawl in, as I do not think the bullet came out as there is only one hole in my boot, so the least movement hurts a bit. We seem to be making a turning movement there are a lot of our men returning on my right under a heavy fire which makes a cross fire for me, I shall not be hit again I feel sure, but the bullets throw dust and stones over me every now and then. I expect you will get a wire tonight, I hope they will only put slight, as I am sure it is not bad. The evening star has just come out, so it will soon be dark, we must be doing well as the firing is not nearly so heavy, but may break out again at any moment. I am very sick at being hit, but must make the best of it. I think we are getting in but I wish I could hear them cheer. Well it is getting dark and the firing less and our men out of sight. I shall soon make tracks and hope soon to fall in with the stretcher bearers so good bye. 7 p.m.’

Alastair Hamilton was killed by lightning at Machadodorp on 5 December 1902.

Sold in the same lot as two other QSAs to members of the Hamilton family.

David
Thank you for this posting and the incredibly detailed letter home to his mother, all the more poignant when you read the next two postings about other members of the same ex family. It would be great to think that there were descendants of the family or one of the
M who might bid for all the medals and reunite them.
After nearly 125 years, probably unlikely.
Thanks again
Clive

Rare and interesting Egypt/Ashanti 1896/Boer War (MID) group to a Royal Irish Fusilier.

Egypt, dated 1882, clasp “Tel-el-Kebir” – 2577 Drumr. J. Powell, 1/Rl. Ir. Fus.
Ashanti Star 1896 – unnamed as issued [only to 26 regiment]
Queen’s South Africa with clasps Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Orange Free State [very clear ‘ghost dates’ on reverse] – 4123 Sgt. J. Powell, Rl. Irish Fus. (Served in 2/RIF)
King’s South Africa – usual two clasps – 4123 Corpl. J. Powell, Rl. Irish Fus.
Khedive’s Star dated 1882, engraved lightly on 3 reverse arms: 2577 – J.P. – R.I.F.
The medals are mounted on a custom made five-medal bar with a wider space for Khedive’s Star ribbon.

Powell was born in St. Pancras in 1866 and enlisted as a “musician” in 1/RIF in 1880 aged just over 14 years. He served as Drummer with 1/RIF in Egypt and at Tel-el-Kebir in 1882, and was one of only 1 Officer and 25 men of the RIF to serve in the Ashanti Campaign in 1896 and receive the Star. He is listed on the nominal roll, page 45 of McInnes and Fraser book, Ashanti 1895-96.

He served through the Boer War with 2nd Battalion RIF. Medal rolls reflect fall in rank from QSA to KSA. He was Mentioned in Dispatches while a corporal – Lord Roberts, LG Sept.1901.

He was discharged in Armagh (RIF depot) with the rank of Sergt. at the young age of 36 in April 1902 after 22 yrs 20 days’ service – no trace of LSGC award. He seems later to have become a lawyer’s clerk after army service and was living with wife in Ilford in 1911.