TOPIC:

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (7) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (701 Tpr: E. Lewis. S.A. Lt Horse.)

Picture courtesy of Warwick and Warwick

QSA (5) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, OFS, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (1248 Tpr W. Eberhard S.A. Lt Horse.)

QSA listed on WO100/275p42. SA01 listed on 275p62.

Picture courtesy of the London Medal Company

QSA (5) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Belfast (Capt: B. Bathurst, S. A. Lt. Horse.)

Basil Woodd Bambridge Bell-Bathurst was born in 1866 and is confirmed as having served with the South African Mounted Infantry and South African Light Horse during the Anglo-Boer War.

He went on to serve in France and Flanders with the Royal Horse Artillery during the Great War and died of wounds received through the explosion of an aeroplane bomb on 23 April, 1917. He is interred in the Grevillers British Cemetery, France. Tragically, he had been married only weeks earlier to Elizabeth Cawston in the parish of Holy Trinity, Kensington.

While a medal index card exists for the recipient, other than his name, rank and date of death, there is no reference to campaign medal entitlement or their issue which suggests that no Great War Medals were claimed and that this is his sole entitlement.

Probate was published in 1918, and stated: Bell-Bathurst, Basil Woodd Bainbridge of 4 St. James-place St. James’ Middlesex, major R.H.A. died 23 April 1917 at No.3 Casualty Clearing Station, France on active service. Probate London 29 April to Wilfred Robert Carter solicitor. Effects £184 14S. 2d

£750

Picture courtesy of Charterhouse

Described as:

A group of six medals, awarded to Major R D Anderson, comprising a Distinguished Service Order (DSO), OBE, Queen's South Africa medal, with Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902 clasps, (Lieutenant S A Lt H) British War medal, Victory medal (MID), and a Belgium Order of the Crown, with copy documentation.

There is a Lt R D Anderson listed for CC, OFS and Tr on the SALH roll (WO100/274p10). Date clasps listed on the supplementary SALH roll (WO100/275p163) and crossed through.

Subsequently served in the 2nd Battalion, IY, from 23 February 1902 (WO100/131p6 and p7).

Charterhouse supply a clear picture of the BWM and VM naming but only part of the QSA.

Around Queen Victoria's left shoulder, I would have expected there to be more letters.


Picture courtesy of Charterhouse

The letter that can be seen looks like an upside down letter L