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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

CGHGSM (1) Bechuanaland (Pte. E. F. Von Sychowski. Qnstown. R. Vol.);
[ QSA (3) OFS. Defence of Mafeking, Tr ]
[ KSA (2) ];

Edmund Franz Von Sychowski attested into the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers and served in the Bechuanaland campaign of 1897.

He later served with the Protectorate Regiment during the Boer War.

The CGHGSM has appeared on the market before but the the QSA and KSA have not been recorded as extant.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (2) Cape Colony, Orange Free State (26451 Pte W. Erskine. Queenstown R.V.);
1914-15 Star (Rfm W. Erskine 1st S.A.M.R.);
British War and South African Victory Medals (Rfm W. Erskine 1st S.A.M.R.);
Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas LS$GC GV (No1434 Rfm. W. Erskine. 1st Rgt. S.A.M.R.)

Wilfred Erskine is confirmed on the roll for the clasp Cape Colony only whilst serving with the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers, the remarks section note that he served with the Border Horse where he served with the regimental number 21270 and during this time was further eligible for the Orange Free State clasp. He attested for the Cape Mounted Riflemen at King William's Town on 16 June 1905.

By the time the Great War had commenced he was a Rifleman with the 1st South African Mounted Rifles and took part in the Battle of Sandfontein which was the first battle of the campaign in South West Africa.

The Battle of Sandfontein

On 12 September 1914, Force A under Brigadier-General Tim Lukin arrived at the border post axis of Raman's Drift, Houms Drift, and Gudous. A week later, the 4th and 5th South Africa Mounted Riflemen regiments penetrated the border capturing Sandfontein. Force A proceeded to disperse, occupying Steinkopf and Raman's Drift, as German troops began concentrating on the eastern border. Sandfontein remained isolated and vulnerable to attack as the area was surrounded by hillocks and narrow sand ridges that could be used during an encirclement manoeuvre. The German command made full use of its superior intelligence, having previously detained a South African scout and holding the allegiance of the rebellious Force B commander Manie Maritz.

Sandfontein's garrison of 120 men was hurriedly reinforced by two squadrons of mounted riflemen, two machine guns, an ambulance, and two thirteen pounder artillery pieces on the early morning of 26 September. A force of 1,700 men, ten artillery batteries, and four machine guns gathered at Warmbad, encompassing Sandfontein on the dawn of 26 September. The German column immediately launched a simultaneous attack from Houms Drift and Warmbad, surprising the defenders.

The defenders began engaging the German cavalry that emerged from the northeast when another body of troops suddenly appeared from the southwestern direction. At approximately 8 o'clock, fighting intensified with the beginning of an artillery duel. Enjoying numerical superiority, the German troops struck the unprotected flank and rear of the South Africans, who had lost the capacity of breaking through the encirclement. A South African machine-gun section foiled an infantry rush from the northeast, which intended to capture the battlefield's tallest hillock. At the same time, a German machine gunner approached from the south, killing a large pack of horses and scattering the remains, later destroying an enemy machine-gun position. At 8.30, a second German battery made its appearance, suppressing the South African artillery and slaughtering the second pack of horses stationed nearby.

At 10.00, German infantry attempted a second charge from the eastern direction, retreating after suffering heavy casualties. At 11.00 transferred their artillery and machine guns to the southwest, concealing them in the stony outcrops. An hour later, the distance separating the two combatants numbered approximately 550 meters. Around the same time, UDF army commander Colonel R. C. Grant was wounded by machine-gun fire and was substituted by Captain E. J. Welby before again assuming command. Between 13.00 – 14.00, the main body of German troops ceased hostilities to have a meal while bombarding the exhausted South African troops, the majority of whom spent the previous night marching. By 17.00, German troops halved the distance separating them from the South African positions, employing high explosive shells. At around 18.00, the South African troops raised the white flag. German casualties amounted to 14 dead and 46 wounded, while the South Africans lost 16 men dead and 51 wounded.

Erskine was taken Prisoner of War and was eventually released between 3-7 July 1915. He was discharged on 15 June 1923 as "Time Expired" and applied for his LS&GC medal which has approved and duly issued.