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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (2) Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith (4292 Cpl. G. Leech, Manchester Regt.)

G. Leech, 1st Manchester Regiment was a member of “D” Company and was killed in action at Wagon Hill, 6 January 1900, when the regiment was heavily engaged. Under Colonel Curran, Caesar’s Camp was manned by the Manchesters and the 42nd Battery R.F.A., Naval and Natal Brigade Volunteers. The Boers occupied part of the area and there was bitter fighting for most of the day. Only after some 15 hours of combat were the Boers driven from the hill. The fighting took its toll of the Manchesters with casualties amounting to 33 killed and 41 wounded. For this action, Privates R. Scott and J. Pitts, both of “D” Company, were awarded the V.C. for “holding out in their sangar for fifteen hours without food or water, all the time keeping a sharp look-out, although the enemy occupied some sangars on their immediate left rear.”’

The battle is known in English as Wagon Hill but the larger area of the battle was on the neighbouring plateau of Caesar's Camp where the Manchesters had their camp and fought on 6 January 1900. “A” and “D” companies were principally involved. The men in “D” Company qualified for the clasp Elandslaagte, having fought in that battle a few months earlier, whilst “A” Company was not at Elandslaagte.

“D” Company was holding the crest from a series of sangars and at about 3 am “A” Company was pushing up to relieve them when the Boers stormed over the crest. The men in the sangars fought a desperate battle to keep the Boers out, while those of “A” Company also came under heavy fire from the attacking Boers on the crest. Privates Pitts and Scott of”D” Company were awarded the Victoria Cross. They were the only survivors of the defenders of one of the sangars.

Victoria Crosses were also awarded for this action to Lieutenant R. Digby Jones, Royal Engineers (posthumous), Lieutenant J. Masterson, Devon Regiment, and Trooper H. Albrecht, Imperial Light Horse (posthumous).

Lieut Robert James Thomas Digby-Jones (VC)



Trooper H Albrecht (VC)

Picture courtesy of Spink

Sudan (4647. Pte. T. Bowman [sic] 1/N. Staff: R.);
[ QSA (3) Eland Dol Belf ]
KSA (2) (4780 Pte. T. Bowmar. 5th Lancers.);
Khedive’s Sudan (1) Hafir (No. 4647 Pte. T. Bowmar. 1. N. Staff. R.)

T. H. Bowman served initially in Sudan with the North Staffordshire Regiment and the Roll confirms his transfer to the 5th Lancers.

Spink says he is entitled to the Belmont clasp but this should read Belfast (WO100/115p8).

Picture courtesy of Warwick and Warwick

Egypt (un-dated) (2) El-Teb_Tamaii, The Nile 1884-85 (3982 Pte R. Patterson 2nd Gordon Highrs);
QSA (2) Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith (3982 Pte R. Patterson Gordon Highrs);
Khedive Star, unnamed.

Egypt Medal named in later style similar to QSA naming.

QSA verified on WO100/203p392

The trio for Pte Patterson sold at Warwick and Warwick this morning for a reasonable hammer price of £480. Totals (inc VAT on the commission for the UK only): £595. R11,500. Au$1,000. Can$890. US$690

The auctioneers opened the lot at £3,600 and realised he had made a mistake, lowering the starting price to £360.

From last week's London Coins auction.

QSA (4) Elandslaagte, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Laing's Nek (287 Tpr: H. Cullingworth, Natal M.R.)

Hammer price £460.

The description reads:

'comes with copy of entitlement to the medal and a copied account of a demonstration against an enemy-held hill on the Modder Spruit side of Ladysmith known as Tinta 'Nyoni. The force, led by General White consisted of 5th Lancers, 19th Hussars, I.L.H, Natal M.R., 42nd and 53rd Batteries R.G.A., 1st Liverpool Regiment, 1st Devons, 1st Gloucestershires and 2nd Kings Royal Rifles, a total of 5300 officers and men. The Force proceed along the Newcastle Road for about 6 miles, when they came under fire from their left at 0700 hrs. Their action was prompt and at 0800 a discharge of musketry rose and fell among the extended line of troopers, as the infantry had come up to Rietfontein. The British were soon shelling the enemy opposition, and one extremely accurate shell burst full upon one of the Boer pieces. The Natal Mounted Rifles. were ordered by Sir George White across from his right and sent in front of his left flank. The colonial riflemen used all of their skills to remove all of the danger and the object accomplished, 114 casualties were suffered. No Natal M.R were killed, and only three wounded including Trooper H. Cullingworth.'