TOPIC:

The attached pair of medals are a QSA to GG West of the Cape Town Highlanders, and a DCM to J Moore, who had the alias GG West. He was killed in Jacobsdal on the 25th October 1900.

I have reproduced here a letter from his nephew that was with the medals that gives a family version of his history. I would love to be able to prove all of it!

The CTH were garrisoning Jacobsdal with some of the Cape Garrison Artillery. General JBM Hertzog and Capt HPJ (Hendrik) Pretorius surrounded Jacobsdal on the night of 25 October. The CTH were camped in the town square. The Boers managed to get into some of the houses of sympathisers, and fired into the CTH tents at 3am, killing 14. The attack raged on for 10 hours and the Boers withdrew when re-enforcements arrived. Quoting Roberts in his report, “The houses of the treacherous inhabitants were destroyed."

The following account of George Gill West’s life was written by his nephew:

'As a child he was ‘tongue tied’ and several operations failed to make him able to talk. It was later discovered that his brain was so active he could not express himself, but just before his ‘teens he spoke naturally and speedily. He was a musician, an athlete and a scientist. A desire to see the world prompted him to join the Royal Navy and he was determined to become an officer.

He was a good sailor and was permitted to apply for officer status and passed every examination with distinction but he could not qualify because his family had no previous naval background and certainly none of rank. He persuaded my father, who had been recently discharged from the Royal Artillery after a full term of honourable service, to aid his desertion from the Navy rather than return to ordinary seamanship and my father bribed a member of the Union Castle Line to take my uncle to Cape Town for payment of £5.

On arrival in Cape Town, my uncle trekked to Kimberley, where he was a pioneer miner. He installed the first known electric lighting. He was much respected by the Boers and other residents and after an order that all British persons must leave for Cape Town, he was assured that he could go on the last train, liable to attack en route. Unfortunately this train was attacked and all of his possessions, including his clothes, were taken, making his arrival in Cape Town an unhappy one.

Regardless of the friendships he had made up country, he had no alternative but to join the forces and he was enlisted as a Cape Town Highlander. His departure on service was almost immediate and his company was installed in a block house which was comparatively safe in enemy territory.

The doctor’s son endeavoured to reach his father in the block house but was shot down and lay within sight of his father. My uncle disregarded the enemy fire and brought the son in but his body was riddled with bullets.

For this act my uncle was recommended for the Victoria Cross and all preliminaries were in progress when it was discovered that he was a deserter from the Navy and was thus automatically disqualified. The special act of bravery was, however, rewarded by a pardon and reinstatement as George Gill West, instead of ‘John Moore’ his assumed name, and his bravery award for distinguished conduct in the field bears, by order, his correct name.

This and an account of his death later at Jacobsdal on the Modder River, is recorded in “The History of the Great Boer War” ... Needless to say his first letter home from South Africa enclosed £30 to more than cover the cost of his outward passage.’ (Ryan's note - I think he is talking about the Times History but I have not found a specific reference to him).

Hi Ryan
Just a quick question, does the QSA have a regimental number? for example 1005?

Cheers

Dave....

Hi Dave

From memory it is 1005 on the QSA. I can’t get to the medals right now but the notes on my phone say 1005.

Cheers
Ryan

Hi Ryan
Interestingly the medal roll for 1005 J Moore Capetown Highlanders does have a margin note reference real name G West. Also there is a reference to the medal being issued in 1903. I didn't find a G G West in the Cape Town Highlanders.
The DCM all checks out reference J Moore .
As for the naval connection, I found a George Gill West who joined the Royal Marine Artillery on the 16th September 1896. Record number 6268.held by the National Archives London
Also in February 1897 a Mr J Moore left England for Cape Town on the Tintagel Castle which was owned by the Castle Line. Mr J Moore was aged 20 and the shipping recorded him as being a miner by profession.
1891 census has George G West living Martin Road Camberwell aged 15.
His mother was Louisa West a widower. This maybe your man.
Do you have any details on the nephew?
J Moore is remembered on the Jacobsdal memorial and I believe there is a memorial to him in Capetown. As for the QSA naming, is it possible there may be 2 medals? One with his real name and one with his alias? The paperwork does suggest that regimental number 1005 is recorded against Trooper J Moore.

Will keep looking.

Dave........

Hi Ryan

From the Noonan website.
Looks like his DCM has G G West and his QSA is to J Moore, is that correct?
Also , I found his nephew , he is a chap called H Monk.

Yes that is the one. I can’t remember getting it from DNW but it’s the same so must have. Getting old!