TOPIC:

The KOYLI were already in South Africa when the war broke out, having been brought from Mauritius, and were employed at strategical points in Cape Colony until Lord Methuen was ready to advance.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

QSA (1) Belm (5962 Pte J. Hirst, 2. Yorks. Lt. Inf.)

Wounded at Graspan/Enslin and was subsequently invalided to England

Private Hirst's QSA is available from Liverpool Medals for £495. The medal sold at City Coins for a total of £210.

Jonathan Hirst was born during 1870 in Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Yorkshire. He had been a 23 year old Quarryman when he attested for service on 4th December 1893, having been a previous member of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, West Riding Regiment.

He was the son of George and Jane Hirst, his father and 2 older brothers were also Stone Delvers in the local quarries, with the rest of the family working in the local mills, so this was his chance to escape the Quarries and join the Army and finally leave Yorkshire.

He saw the following service:

Home, 4th Dec 1893 – 1st Jan 1896
South Africa, 2nd Jan 1896 – 24th Jan 1896
Mauritius, 25th Jan 1896 – 15th Feb 1897
India, 16th Feb 1897 – 16th Feb 1899
Mauritius, 17th Feb 1899 – 5th Oct 1899
South Africa, 6th Oct 1899 – 23rd Dec 1899 (Invalided home after Enslin)
Home, 24th Dec 1899 – 7th June 1902.

4831 Private J. Dillon
2nd Battalion Yorkshire Light Infantry

BELMONT / MODDER RIVER / TRANSVAAL / WITTEBERGEN

Nothin in F.M.P.

A recent purchase off an old collecting friend of mine.
Q.S.A., 5062 Pte. J. KNIGHT 2: YORKS Lt. Inf.
Clasps: BELMONT, MODDER RIVER, TRANSVAAL, WITTEBERGEN.
The only British Regiment I collect to is the K.O.Y.L.I. and then sparingly.
I served in the 51st Bn for many years in it's various forms and it is affiliated with the K.O.Y.L.I.
When my friend mentioned that it was for sale and it had the Belmont and Modder River Clasps it was too good to refuse.
J. Knight is also entitled to a K.S.A. Ihave added that medal to my 'watch list'.

Jim

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

[ IGS 1895 (1) ];
QSA (4) Belmont, Modder River, Transvaal, Wittebergen (4790 Corl. C. H. Cutts, 2: Yorks: Lt. Inft.);
[ KSA (2) ]

Charles Henry Cutts was born in Sheffield in 1877 and attested for the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in his home city on 13 November 1894. Posted to India on 1 December 1897, he served with the Tirah Expeditionary Force on the Punjab Frontier 1897-98, and later in South Africa from 6 May 1899 to 25 June 1902. Advanced Sergeant, Cutts was discharged to Army Reserve on 22 November 1906.

IGS on WO100/89p15
QSA (4) on WO100/194p201
KSA on WO100/338p123