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Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State, Transvaal (4929 Pte. W. Waterhouse, 1: L. N. Lanc: Regt.);
KSA (2) (4929 Corpl: W. Waterhouse. L. N. Lanc: Regt.);
Kimberley Star, reverse hallmark with date letter ‘c’, reverse engraved ‘Sergt. Waterhouse. L. N. Lancs.’, lacking integral top riband bar;
1914 Star, with clasp (4929 C.S.Mjr. W. Waterhouse. L.N. Lan: R.);
BWM and VM with MID oak leaves (4929 W.O. Cl.2. W. Waterhouse. L.N. Lan. R.);
Army LS&GC GV 1st issue (4929 C.Q.M. Sjt.: Waterhouse. L.N. Lanc: Regt.)

MID London Gazette 20 August 1901: ‘For good service during attack on convoy to Ventersdorp, 23 May 1901.’

MID London Gazette 19 October 1914

Walter Waterhouse was born in 1875 at Accrington, Lancashire, the son of David and Isabella Waterhouse. He attested for the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in 1895 at Preston and embarked for Ceylon with the 1st Battalion in October 1896, gaining promotion to Lance Corporal in March 1898. His battalion was posted to South Africa in February 1899 and he served there for the entirety of the Boer War. Waterhouse was among the four companies of the battalion that were sent to Kimberley on 20 September 1899 and did important work during the siege of that town between 12 October 1899 and 15 February 1900. He then gained advancement to Corporal in March 1900 and was mentioned in despatches and wounded on 23 May 1901 at Kalfontein whilst in defence of a convoy which was heavily attacked whilst en-route for Ventersdorp.

Returning home to England in September 1902 Waterhouse was promoted to Corporal in 1904, Sergeant in 1906, Colour Sergeant in 1912, Company Quarter Master Sergeant in 1913 and Company Sergeant Major in June 1914. He was awarded his Army L.S. & G.C. medal per Army Order 99 in 1914.

Following the outbreak of the Great War, Waterhouse served on the Western Front from 12 August 1914 and was Mentioned in Field Marshal Sir John French’s Despatch of 8 October 1914 from the Aisne. He was one of 4 officers and 5 men of the Battalion mentioned in this Gazette in which the mentions relate to ‘services rendered from the commencement of the campaign up to the present date [8 October 1914].’ Given that the 1st Loyal North Lancs took no real part in the fighting at Mons or Le Cateau and were held mostly in reserve at the Marne, Waterhouse’s Mention is therefore almost certainly in connection with services on the Aisne where his battalion’s attack on Troyon, on 14 September 1914, resulted in over 500 officers and men of the battalion being either killed, wounded or missing.

On 18 October 1914, Waterhouse’s battalion moved up to take part in the bitter fighting around Ypres, taking part in a successful charge with fixed bayonets to clear enemy trenches near Pilckem on 23 October - 600 prisoners were taken. However, later in the month heavy casualties were sustained, particularly at Gheluvelt on 31 October.

Company Sergeant Major Waterhouse was captured on 31 November 1914 and taken prisoner of war, spending the remainder of the war in Germany. He was advanced Warrant Officer Class 2 on 29 January 1915 and finally repatriated on 18 November 1918. He was discharged on the termination of his engagement on 19 April 1921.

Baldwin's have a full page advertisement in the August Medal News for a single CGHGSM (1) Bechuanaland to Sgt S A Bristow, Kimberley Rifles.

He earned QSA (1) Defence of Kimberley. Served with No 2 supply depot.

I cannot see the CGHGSM listed on Baldwin's site.

The group of 7 to WO Waterhouse sold for a hammer price of £1,500. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £1,932. R38,100. Au$3,500. Can$3,240. US$2,590

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Relief of Mafeking, Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State (890 Pte. P. C. de Sconde. Kimberley V.R.)

Philip Caspar de Sconde, a farrier from Kimberley, was born in Wynberg, Cape Colony, in 1853 and served in “H” Company, Kimberley Town Guard. He joined the Kimberley Volunteer Regiment, and was killed in action at Israel’s Farm during the Relief of Mafeking on 16 May 1900.

At daylight on 16 May 1900, Mahon’s north-bound Relief Column made contact with Plumer’s south-bound Relief Column at Jan Masibi’s on the Molopo River, some 18 miles east of Mafeking. At 7:30 a.m. the combined force, numbering some 2,000 troops with 14 field guns, set out on the last lap to relieve Mafeking. Shortly before 2:00 p.m. the Boers made a last attempt to block the relief column at Israel’s Farm. British losses were 7 killed and 32 wounded. Mafeking was relieved the following day.

The QSA (3) Relief of Mafeking, Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State to Private de Sconde, KVR, sold for a hammer price of £1,500. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £1,932. R37,100. Au$3,500. Can$3,240. US$2,570

Picture courtesy of Spink

Kimberley Star, 'd';
QSA (5) Defence of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Relief of Mafeking, Rhodesia, Transvaal (Sergt. Major C. Greetham Kimberly Lt. Horse); No mention of the copy clasps or the lack of entitlement to the Rhodesia clasp
KSA (2) (Lt. C. Greetham Field Intelligence Dept.);
1914-15 Star (217 Tpr. C. Greetham. E. Afr. M. Rif.);
British War and Victory Medals (217 Tpr. Greetham. E. Afr. M. Rif.)

The second and third medals officially engraved in 'B.S.A. Company Medal' style, local rivets to the second

One of 151 combinations known of the 'Defence of Kimberley' and 'Paardeberg' clasps.Charles George Greetham initially served with the Kimberley Light Horse during the Boer War, at the rank of Troop Sergeant Major and Pay Sergeant to the unit. He was mentioned in Lord Roberts' despatch (London Gazette 17 June 1902, refers), an account of which is given in The Colonials in South Africa:

'At Edenkop, Eastern Transvaal, 30th June, he twice went out under heavy fire to bring in his brother, who was stunned by [a] fall of his horse.'

Greetham was subsequently transferred and commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Field Intelligence Department for the remainder of the war with the roll showing his rank as Staff Captain.

At the onset of the Great War, he enlisted in the East African Mounted Rifles on 9 September 1914, and served in East Africa, his MIC noting 'Theatre 4A'. He was discharged medically unfit on 4 November 1914 and was issued with a Silver War Badge (The Story of the East African Mounted Rifles, refers); sold together with copied medal rolls, lists of despatches and the recipient's MIC.