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O'okiep bronze medal (D Cruywagen). Named in impressed capitals. City Coins April 2013

259 Pte D Cruywagen.

The very rare silver O'okiep Medal from the next City Coins auction.


Picture courtesy of City Coins

[QSA]
[KSA]
Silver O'okiep Cape Copper Company Medal (Capt. W. Mitchell. C.T.H.);
1914-15 Star (Mjr. W. Mitchell 6th Infantry);
British War Medal (Mjr. W. Mitchell);
MSM Ed VII (Supt. Clk. W. Mitchell, R.E.);
Army LS&GC VR (5630 Qr. Mr. Sergt. W. Mitchell, R.E.)

William Mitchell was commissioned on 12 March 1900 during the Anglo Boer War. He is recorded as being promoted Captain in about mid January 1901 and together with 12 men was transferred to the Namaqualand Border Scouts in July 1901.

The full story of the silver and bronze medals awarded by the Cape Copper Company to the members of the Garrison who defended O'okiep during the month long Siege from 4 April to 4 May 1902 was published in an article included as a preview to the fabulous father and son silver and bronze medal groups awarded to the Townsend family which were offered in City Coins Postal Medal Auction No. 67, 26 August, 2016, p 43-47.

In this catalogue was an article in which Rob Mitchell alluded to the discovery of a previously unrecorded silver medal that had surfaced in Cape Town a few years before.

….. “another silver medal surfaced in Cape Town approximately 18 months ago – this included in the group of medals awarded to Captain/Sergeant Major William Mitchell of the Cape Town Highlanders. William Mitchell (no relative of this author!) was attached to the Namaqualand Border Scouts and is shown in several photographs of Groups of Officers who defended O’okiep during the Siege. Unfortunately, this author did not have the opportunity of examining the Mitchell medal awarded to his namesake. It can be emphatically stated that the silver medal awarded to Captain Borcherds is not impressed in the usual impressed O’okiep style but is engraved in rather amateurish small square capital letters.”

Top ear of suspender of the silver O'okiep is broken, ribbon bar loose.

Naming? Would they have done that in 1902?

The style looks similar to the bronze medal (I think) so the medals were named at the same time/by the same company?

Any chance of the rest of the Forsyth book please?

Cornwall Auctions have now listed their O'Okiep Medal

A rare pair of Boer War medals awarded to No. 104 Pte. J White Namaqualand Town Guard - Queen's South Africa medal (no bar) and Cape Copper Company bronze medal for the Defence of O'Okiep April -May 1902 £800 - 1200