TOPIC:

The East Surrey Regiment were heavily engaged in the fighting in Natal.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020.

QSA (2) Tug H, RoL (4806 Pte. W. Downing, 2nd E. Surrey Regt

Pte (Lce Cpl on QSA Roll) Downing was killed at Wynne Hill on 23 February where he was buried.


[DCM]
QSA (2) Tug H, RoL (5676 Cpl. R. Parris, 2nd E. Surrey Regt.)
A few small e/k’s.

Reuben Parris was awarded the DCM (LG 19 April 1901, p2708). However, this medal has unfortunately become separated from his QSA medal. It would seem that this medal has never been noted on the collector market. The report on his gallantry was worded as follows:

“February 23rd. No 5676 Lce. Corpl. Parris, R. Carried a letter from Major Pearse to LtCol Harris under very heavy fire, when told that it was next to impossible to cross over; and was severely wounded”.

Memo from Major H.W. Pearse to Brigade Major, 2nd Brigade (WO132/16).

Parris was posted home in September 1900, probably as a result of the severity of his wound and took his discharge on 4 October 1902 when he was paid a gratuity of £20/-/- for the DCM.

According to an article by Abbott in the OMRS Journal of December 2003 it is highly likely that Parris’ DCM, which was presented by Lord Roberts at Woolwich on 13 January 1902, was dated (23-2-00).

7077 Private G. Morton
2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment

(Nothing in F.M.P.)

ORANGE FREE STATE / TRANSVAAL / LAING'S NEK / SOUTH AFRICA 1901 / SOUTH AFRICA 1902

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (2) Cape Colony, South Africa 1902 (1504 Serjt: H. Crockett. E. Surrey Regt.) nearly extremely fine

Sold with three to Private A. J. Crockett, 12th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), who was captured at Loos on 27 September 1915 and held prisoner of war in Germany for the remainder of the war
1914-15 Star (5162 Pte. A. Crockett. R. Fus.);
BWM and VM (GS-5162 Pte. A. J. Crockett. R. Fus.)

Henry Joseph Crockett was born in 1878 at Mile End, London, Middlesex and attested for the East Surrey Regiment on 7 June 1900. He served with the 4th Battalion during the Boer War in South Africa (QSA with 2 clasps) gaining rapid promotion to Lance Corporal on 11 September 1900, Corporal on 6 October 1900 and Sergeant on 20 February 1902.

Following the outbreak of the Great War, he attested once more for the East Surrey Rifles on 3 September and served as a Private with No. 1 Platoon of No. 1 Company, 1st Battalion (service number 326) on the Western Front from 4 December 1914. He was killed in action at Hill 60 on 12 April 1915, the battalion having taken over trenches the previous day half a mile south-east of Verbrandenmolen and south of the railway line across from Hill 60. He was the eldest son of Henry Thomas Crockett and Catherine Crockett and the husband of Florence Crockett and is buried in Chester Farm Cemetery, Belgium.

Augustus James Crockett, brother of the above, was born in Stepney, London in 1890, and was a clerk by occupation. Following the outbreak of the Great War, he attested for the Royal Fusiliers at Hounslow on 16 September 1914 and was posted to the 12th Battalion, serving with B Company on the Western Front from 1 September 1915. Captured by the Germans at Loos on 27 September 1915, he was incarcerated at Münster and Friedrichsfeld bei Wesel prisoner of war camps and was repatriated on 10 December 1918. He was discharged Class Z on 8 March 1919.

Picture courtesy of Spink

IGS 1895 (2) Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (3796 Pte. W. Smith. 1. E/Surrey Regt.), re-engraved naming;
QSA (2) Laing's Nek, Tugela Heights (3796 Pte. W. Smith, 2nd. E. Surrey Regt.), unofficial rivets, second clasp on QSA a tailors copy

WO100/185p67 only shows entitlement to Laing's Nek.

From the City Coins auction, 4 November 2022

QSA (5) Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (4611 Pte J. Kalaher, 2 E. Surrey Regt;)
KSA (2) (4611 Pte J. Kalaher, E. Surrey Regt);
BWM and AVM (bilingual) (Sjt J Kalaher D.S.C.)

John Kalaher. Served from 2 December 1893 to 1 December 1905 when discharged in South Africa. No documents for WWI.

Picture courtesy of Charterhouse Auctions

Described as 'A Queen's South Africa medal, awarded to 3175 Sgt J W Stubbs 2nd East Surrey Regiment, with Natal, Tugela Heights and Relief of Ladysmith clasps (although only entitled to Natal clasp), with photographs, paperwork and his stripes.'

The Tugela Heights clasp is a copy.