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I recently acquired a nice QSA to a private who returned with the Yorks & Lancs after the war, but died suddenly of "apoplexy coma" at Station Hospital Fermoy, County Cork on 13 December 1901. He was only 26 years old and interestingly, his father was granted a war gratuity on 5 February 1902. His medal, which was sent to his father, consists of a QSA with, CC, TH, OFS, RoL, TR and LN clasps. He was additionally entitled to a SA01, which would make his QSA a seven clasp medal. It is named: 5058. PTE. W. PEAKE. YORK & LANC. REGT. Peake was born in 1875 at Portadown, Co. Armagh and enlisted on 17 January 1898.

The 1st Battalion sailed on the Majestic on 13 December 1899, arrived at the Cape on the 30th, and was sent to Durban. The battalion, along with the 2nd Royal Lancaster Regiment, 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers, and 1st South Lancashire Regiment, formed the 11th Brigade under Major General Woodgate, which was part of the Vth Division under General Sir Charles Warren.

At Venter's Spruit the York and Lancaster had heavy fighting, chiefly on 20th January, when they had 3 officers wounded, 10 men killed, and about 100 wounded. In the feint attack on Brakfontein, 5th February, the battalion suffered losses 1 killed and 21 wounded. After Vaal Krantz the Lancashire Fusiliers and York and Lancaster remained at Frere and Springfield to protect the British left and rear; the battalion was brought back to the main army in time to take part in the final and successful assault on the Boer position between the Tugela and Ladysmith. Their losses were comparatively light.

Despite Peake not dying in South Africa, he is commemorated on the regimental memorial in York Minster* and on the Weston Park Memorial in Sheffield.
*Peake is fourth from the bottom in the left column.

Another recently acquired QSA to a private commemorated on the York Memorial at Dunbombe Place, which is across the street from York Minster.

5476 Pte. J Dixon 2nd Dragn Gds died if enteric fever on 3 June 1902 at 16 General Hospital at Elandstontein, S. Africa. Although his service papers have not been located, his medal a QSA with CC, OFS, TR, SA01 and SA02 clasp is confirmed on Medal Roll TNA WO100/112 p. 216, which is dated Middelburg 21 February 1903. His effects were left to his brothers: Thomas, Charles, William and Henry, and his sisters Elizabeth, Margaret, Anne and Mary. He is also commemorated on the Primrose Cemetery memorial in Transvaal, South Africa. (see photo). No grave recorded

Another QSA to a man who died of disease (most likely typhoid) and is commemorated on the York Memorial at Duncombe Place. Pte. Rolfe was buried in the President Brand Cemetery, Bloemfontien, and is listed on Panel 8 of the Roll of Honor.

QSA: CC, OFS, TR, SA01 named to 5796 Pte. S. Rolfe, W. Yorkshire Regt. who died at Bloemfontein on 20 February 1901.

Another QSA with Cape Coloney & Wittebergen Clasps engraved to 2294 Pte. R. Hullah, Scots Gds.
Robert Hullah died of Typhoid (Enteric Fever) at Senekal on 23 July 1900, and is buried there too with the simple headstone: Pte. R. Hullah / Scots Guards

Guardsman Robert Hullah, was a Yorkshireman born in Leeds, Yorkshire, circa 1874.
He was son of Charles Henry Robinson Hullah, a Crimean War veteran and Sarah (Witty). He signed on for the Scots Guards, straight from the local Yorkshire Artillery Militia aged 24 on 13th August 1898. He served in South Africa from 15th March 1900 until he died on 23rd July 1900.

He is commemorated on the Boer War Memorial at Duncombe Place in York as well as on the north and south panels of Holy Trinity in Yorkshire. He is also commemorated on the Household Cavalry & Guards Memorial in Windsor.

In his over 25 pages of service records, there is a 1902 letter from his father requesting his son's medals.

Queen’s South Africa Medal, bar Defence of Kimberley, 15893 Gunner George Cooper Kilpin, 23rd Western Division Royal Garrison Artillery. Who died during the siege. Officially impressed: “15893 Gnr: G.C. Kilpin 23rd W.D. R.G.A.”

Excellent condition posthumous medal, with old silk ribbon. 15893 Gnr. G.C. Kilpin, 23rd WD RGA Died Kimberley 4 Feb. 1900. He is buried at Kimberley Gladstone and his name is on monument number 2, entered C of E row 6, plot 56.

Kilpin G C 15893 Gunner Demise: Died of disease - enteric fever 04 Feb 1900
Place: Kimberley
Source: In Memoriam by S Watt
Kilpin G C 15893 Gunner Died of disease. Kimberley, 4 February 1900
Enteric Fever
Source: South African Field Force Casualty Roll


Scarce to the Royal Artillery, only 98 men from the Royal Artillery earned the clasp out of about 5,500 clasps issued to the defenders. There were only 44 single clasp medals to the RGA.
Confirmed on the medal roll. With copy service papers.

During the Siege of Kimberley, less than 2 weeks from being freed, George died from Enteric (aka Typhoid) Fever on 2-4th February 1900. His obituary was published soon afterwards back home in Yorkshire, with a sketch of him, he was looking forward to getting out into the field to get even with “Old Four Fingers” President Kruger:

“A LEEDS GUNNERS DEATH AT KIMBERLEY

Gunner George Cooper Kilpin, 23rd Company, R.G.A, whose death from Enteric Fever at Kimberley on Feb 2nd, has already been announced, was the eldest son of G.S. Kilpin, of 50 Wellclose View, Blackman Lane, for many years with Archibald Ramsden’s of Park Row.
The deceased soldier enlisted at Scarborough some 4 years ago and was transferred to Woolwich, where he worked as a Wheeler. He went to South Africa in March 1898 and was sent ‘Up Country’ last September. His letters from Kimberley prior to the investment of that town were full of enthusiasm at the prospect of fighting, and his strong wish was to get even with ‘Old Four Fingers’ as he termed President Kruger. Gunner Kilpin will no doubt be remembered by the Old Boys at Belle Vue Board School, He was in his 25th year.”



A further entry in the Yorkshire Evening Post, 12th Feb 1900:

“The death is announced as having occurred at Kimberley of Gunner George C. Kilpin of the 23rd Company RA, eldest son of Mr G.S. Kilpin of Well Close View, Leeds. Gunner Kilpin was 24 years of age, and prior to joining the Army, 4 years ago, he worked as a joiner at Hunslet. He had spent 2 years in South Africa. His brother is a member of the Leeds Rifles, and has volunteered for the reserve company about to be formed in connection with that corps. The deceased soldier died of enteric fever.”

George Cooper Kilpin, was born circa 1874 in Battersea, London.
He was raised in Yorkshire and before enlisting was already a member of the Yorkshire Artillery, Western Division Royal Artillery Militia. He was a Joiner and Militia Man, and signed up for full time service at Scarborough on 6th July 1896. However, he was almost denied as he was under the required chest size requirement to be fit as a soldier, but he was “Specially Enlisted” as the surgeon said he was otherwise “Fit, Likely to Develop”. He was approved by the Lt Col in Command, who wrote the following recommendation: “This lad is very eager to join the Royal Artillery, he is one inch under the chest measurements. He will I believe make a good soldier.”

He is listed on the York Memorial at Duncombe Place, which is across the street from York Minster. Gunner Kilpin is also listed in column three of the Outer Panel on the RA Memorial in London.

A new addtion for this thread.

BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY MEDAL RHODESIA 1896 REVERSE TO 2818 PTE J RYAN 2/ W RIDING REGT.

Ryan was a native of Halifax, Yorkshire. After serving with the BSAC, he was put on Army Reserve and later re-called for active duty in the Boer War. He contracted typhoid (Enteric Fever) in Pretoria and died on 4 October 1900. If anyone can help in finding his grave in SA or another monument upon which he is remembered, I would greatly appreciate the information. Thank you in advance!

The regimental numbers and dates on which these were issued, below, to determine parameters for when your own West Riding Regiment ancestor would have joined up. Note though that these numbers are only for regular enlistments. Special Reserve and Territorial Force battalions operated completely separate regimental number sequences.

2595 joined on 23rd January 1890
2904 joined on 10th January 1891

The 1st West Riding Regt.'s QSA medal roll confirms Ryan's entitlement to the four clasps; Paardeberg, Driefontein, Relief of Kimberley and Transvaal. There is no mention of a KSA, but considering that he died in October 1900 he wouldn't have completed the 18 months’ time in South Africa to qualify for the medal. No mention of medal sent to his NoK either, but it should have been sent to them.

The BSAC medal roll (2nd Bn WR Regt.) shows that he went to the Reserve for a brief period before being recalled in 1899.

Ryan is memorialized on the Duncombe Place Boer War Memorial across the street from the Minster, on the Duke of Wellington's Regt. Boer War Memorial in All Saint's Chapel inside York Minster, and on the Boer War Memorial in Halifax, Yorkshire. www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/2599

If anyone knows of his QSA, please contact me as I would like very much to reunite them.