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Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State, Transvaal (4902 Pte. D. Murray, L.N. Lanc. Regt.);
KSA (2) (4902 Pte. D. Murray. L.N. Lanc: Regt.);
Kimberley Star, ‘c’, lacking top suspension brooch

QSA and KSA verified.

From today's DNW auction


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QSA (1) Defence of Kimberley (Pte. P. J. Stewart. Kimberley Town Gd:);
Kimberley Star ‘b’.

QSA verified.

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QSA (1) Defence of Kimberley (Pte. W. Fletcher. Kimb: Town Gd:) officially re-impressed;
Kimberley Star, ‘a’.

Entitled to QSA (0). Roll states "Electrical work, searchlights and telephones".

Picture courtesy of Liverpool Medals

DCM GV (152 Sjt: G.M. Stewart. 7/Inf:- Kimberley R.)

Described as:

Award announced in the London Gazette, 22nd August 1918. Citation: “In charge of the Camp water supply, who under fire during the battle of Trekoppies plugged with wood the holes in the water tanks made by shrapnel and rifle bullets as they occurred.
The water had to be fetched 50 miles across the desert and the loss of it would have been disastrous. His gallant conduct calls for special recognition.”

A particularly unusual and rare award for the 1915 German South West Africa campaign, during the battle of Trekkopies (Trekkopjes) on 25th April 1915 in the middle of the desert, the Germans were well aware they were bombarding the “Water Tanks” of the South African Forces, with a 50 mile trip to the nearest water supply Sgt Stewart no doubt saved the lives of the entire force, when the Germans approached they were shocked to find that some of those water tanks were actually their 12 armoured cars, each with mounted Vickers machine guns which kept them at bay and allowed them to repulse the attacks.

George Martin Patrick Stewart born 1872 in South Africa. Lived most of his life in Kimberley where he worked as a Rigger for De Beers Company, in 1899 he married Elizabeth Aletta Botha in Kimberley.

During the Boer War he naturally took up arms and joined the Kimberley Light Horse, serving from 19th October 1899 until 14th March 1900, also being part of the Kimberley Town Guard. He earned the QSA with bars for Defence of Kimberley and Orange Free State.

During WW1 he began as a Private on 30th September 1914, being promoted to Sergeant on 1st December 1914 until 13th August 1915.

He later died at the Voortrekker Hospital in Kroonstad aged 88 on 23rd December 1960.

An interesting article on this battle by Steve Lunderstedt for the South African Military History Society June 2020 can be read by clicking here

A brief description of the Battle by Hamish Paterson at the Military History Society on 13th August 2015 reads:

“The battle for Trekkopjes was a decisive action which took place in the deserts of German South West Africa in the early part of WWI.

The South African Northern Force was commanded by General Botha, however, the key problems of the battle were extremely high temperatures, lack of shade and shortage of water for men, horses and the railway engines.

Botha had decided to advance on Windhoek via the Riet River but then realised that he would need to use the railway for both supply and support. So Col. Skinner was given the task of protecting the railhead and the construction teams and, so sure was Northern Force command that the Germans would not attack him that they withdrew the 12-pounders of the artillery.

However, the Germans were observing from the air and saw all this plus the camp layout. The Germans decided to cut off Skinner's force from reinforcements and attack him at Trekkoppies (Trekkopjes).

However, Skinner had an improvised anti-aircraft gun "Skinny Liz" and was sent 12 armoured cars each of which had a mounted Vickers machine gun which gave him huge fire power. Unfortunately for them, the German air observation thought the cars were water tanks.

Col. Skinner decided to conduct a reconnaissance up to Ebony Siding on the night of 25 April and they spotted a German force on its way to attack the South African positions. Skinner prudently withdrew to Trekkoppies and summoned the Second Rhodesia Regiment from Arandis.

The Germans opened the action by blowing up the railway line. Unfortunately, they blew it up to the north of the South Africans and not the south as intended, so the reinforcements were able to get through and man the ridge defences.

Next the Germans opened fire with a three-hour artillery bombardment but the South Africans were in the trenches and not the camp. Then the Germans tried an outflanking movement only to encounter the seemingly invulnerable armoured cars [that they had thought water tanks] which kept forcing them to retreat down the railway line.

The fire-power of the cars combined with the SouthAfrican rifle fire proved a barrier which the Germans were not able to suppress so their attack at Trekkoppies failed to dislocate the South African strategy.

Botha was still able to exploit both the railway route and the Riet River.

At Trekkopjes station lies a neat cemetery with the carefully tended graves of eight South African and nine Germans who fell at the famous battle there on the 26th April 1915.”

£1,295

Picture courtesy of Spink

CGHGSM (1) Bechuanaland (305 Pte. S. V. Bowden., C. Pol.);
QSA (2) Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State (Lieut: S. V. Bowden, Cap Police) engraved naming;
KSA (2) (Lieut: S. V. Bowden. C.P. Dist. I.);
British War and Victory Medals (Capt. S. V. Bowden.) edge of BWM rubbed prior to naming;
Defence Medal

Sydney Vincent Bowden was born in Dumfries in January 1871 and was educated at Fettes, Edinburgh. Emigrating to South Africa, he enlisted in the Cape Mounted Rifles as a Private in September 1889. Discharged in September 1894, he next enlisted in the Bechuanaland Border Police and, in mid-December 1895, as a Trooper in ‘K’ Troop of the British South Africa Company Police, in which capacity he was present in the Jameson Raid, taking part in the action at Vlakplaats Farm on 1 January 1896, prior to being taken prisoner by the Boers on the following day.

In common with many of his fellow raiders, Bowden was repatriated to England in the Harlech Castle, but he returned to South Africa in the following year, where he enlisted in the Cape Police at Kimberley and went on to serve in the Bechuanaland rebellion. He saw further service during the Boer War, including at the defence of Kimberley, in which period he was appointed a Lieutenant in District No. 1. Qualifying as an Inspector in 1904, and as a Chief Constable in 1908, he was dismissed from the service in July 1911 on being found guilty of disrespect to the Magistrate of Kenhardt.

Having then returned to England, Bowden applied for a commission in the British Expeditionary Force, and was appointed a Second Lieutenant in 2/4th Howitzer Battery, 1st West Riding Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (Territorials) in March 1915. Appointed an Acting Captain at the end of the same year, he joined a Trench Mortar Battery in 62nd Division on the Western Front in early 1916 and, with the exception of a period of attachment to 3 Corps in 1917, appears to have served in that capacity until the end of the War. For his services during the Great War he was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 23 December 1918). He was placed on the Reserve of Officers List in December 1919.

Sold for a hammer price of £2,800. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £3,606. R67,700. Au$6,110. Can$5,760. US$4,580

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State, Transvaal (826 Pte. P. Judge. Kimb: Vol: Regt.);
Kimberley Star, ‘c’, unnamed as issued, with integral top riband bar

Discharged 1 July 1902. Also served KTG (No I Section, K Company).

QSA (3). Spink Feb 75 £54

KSA returned 7 April 1909 (WO100/362p169)