TOPIC:

Pegasus,

The Elandslaagte clasp does seem to be appealing to a wide range of collectors. The advance of the Gordons and Devons is certainly noteworthy but the story of the Imperial Light Horse at Elandslaagte makes a medal to this unit a very desirable item for many, me included.

That's an awful lot of money, although, if it was being sold here and bought by someone here, at least there is no VAT, commission or additional HMRC charges to consider.

montyg71 wrote: a 5 bar to mcginnis 5th lancers el, dol, cc , ofs trans went for £787 on ebay

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith, Belfast (4843 Pte. L. Beattie, Manchester Regt.)

Service papers exist for Lewis Beattie.

Pictures courtesy of eBay

QSA (4) Relief of Mafeking: Elandslaagte: Defence of Ladysmith: Orange Free State: Transvaal: (CAPT. H. BROOKING SAC)
KSA (2) (CAPT. H.C.A. BROOKING SAC)
[ Trio ]

Descrbed as:

Captains Boer War Queens SA / KSA Medal Pair Clasps – Relief of Mafeking: Elandslaagte: Defence of Ladysmith: Orange Free State: Transvaal: KSA Clasps: South Africa 1901: South Africa 1902 - S.A.C. South African Constabulary

(Includes War Diary to an Original Officer of the Imperial Light Horse and South Africa Constabulary)

Extremely Important Boer War Pair with both a Relief and Defence Clasp - Captain HCA Brooking Served with The North Somerset Yeomanry and Died in 1918

Queens South Africa Medal: Officially Engraved on Rim: CAPT. H. BROOKING SAC Clasps: Relief of Mafeking: Elandslaagte: Defence of Ladysmith: Orange Free State: Transvaal:

Kings South Africa Medal: Officially Engraved on Rim: CAPT. H.C.A. BROOKING SAC Clasps: South Africa 1901: South Africa 1902:

37 Detailed Pages of ‘DIARY OF LIEUTENANT BROOKING I.L.H.” From October 21st 1899 to June 6th 1900 (Copy)

15 Page LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR of the TRANSVAAL Minute No: L.G. 95/64 – Removal of Capt. Brooking from Klerksdorp from The Chief Staff Officer, S.A.C. Johannesburg. Including a Signed Petition from H.M. Guest, Klerksdorp DD Pretoria 24th June 1905

The Battle of Elandslaagte was a battle of the Second Boer War, and one of the few clear-cut tactical victories won by the British during the conflict. However, the British force retreated afterwards, throwing away their advantage.

The Queen's South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to British and Colonial military personnel, and to civilians employed in an official capacity, who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Altogether twenty-six clasps were awarded, to indicate participation in particular actions and campaigns

The South African Constabulary

The SAC was established in September 1900 as the police force in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony.

The South African Constabulary (SAC) was a paramilitary force set up in 1900 under British Army control to police areas captured from the two independent Boer republics of Transvaal and Orange Free State during the Second Boer War. Its first Inspector-General was Major-General Robert Baden-Powell, later the founder of the worldwide Scout Movement. After hostilities ended in 1902, the two countries became British colonies and the force was disbanded in 1908.

Establishment

On 22 October 1900, Field-Marshal Lord Roberts, commander-in-chief of Imperial forces in South Africa, issued Proclamation 24 which founded the SAC.

The first Inspector-General of the force was Major-General Baden-Powell, who earlier in the war had been in command of the British garrison at the Siege of Mafeking. He showed exceptional ability in organising a force from scratch in a short space of time. In South Africa he recruited men from the two British colonies of the Cape and Natal and from overseas men from the United Kingdom, Canada, India, Ceylon, Australia and New Zealand.

At first the force was organised in four divisions, with each being commanded by a colonel and one assistant. Three of the divisions were in the Transvaal and one in the Orange River Colony. Each division was subdivided into troops of 100 men, each commanded by a captain and supported by a lieutenant.

Baden-Powell designed the uniform of the SAC, which he later adapted for the Boy Scout movement.

Operations

Boer resistance lasted far longer than the British had envisaged, with peace not being agreed until May 1902, and until then the SAC was involved in military rather than policing duties, being engaged in field operations and on blockhouse lines.

Once hostilities were over, each troop took up its assigned position in the two new colonies as soon as possible. In this way a network of posts and patrols was established in a very short space of time. With the SAC patrolling in every direction, including the Portuguese and Tongaland frontiers, they also visited all the farms at least once a week. By the beginning of August 1902, 28 districts, 64 sub-districts and 210 stations across South Africa were occupied and the force had over 10,000 men. A medical structure was set up, with a first-aid corporal attached to each 100-man troop, a surgeon for any area where a number of troops might be stationed and an SAC hospital for each district.

In November 1902, the size of the force was reduced to 6 000 men and after further reductions it was down to 4,000 men in 1906. During this time, a commission of enquiry was appointed to look into the administration and organisation of the SAC. The commission divided the force into two divisions in the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony and changed the military ranks into civilian ones, for example captains became inspectors and lieutenants became sub-inspectors. By May 1908, after further reductions, there were 1,068 police of European ancestry in the Transvaal and 674 in the Orange River Colony.

Picture courtesy of eBay

QSA (1) ELANDSLAAGTE (273 A. S. MAJ: E. H. CUTHBERT. IMP: LT. HORSE)

Squadron Sergeant Major Ernest Henry Cuthbert served with the 1st Battalion, Imperial Light Horse in South Africa during the Boer War, was killed in action at the battle of Elandslaagte on 21 October 1899.

The seller is asking £2,295.

David - The seller albatrosj is Jager Medals and as usual with his eBay offerings it's cheaper (by £100) on his website.

Nice medal but a bit steep.

David