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I like Henry underwood's medal, a scarce casualty that you seldom see these days and its always nice to see a medal to a man in this particular regiment who actually came from Bristol!

Doug wrote: Another example of why we shouldn't ignore the Natal clasp.

Private Underwood, Gloucester regiment, injured at Rietfontein so didn't qualify for the usual clasps!

Nice addition to the collection, even bearing in mind why the Gloucester's got a little slaughtered on this occasion!

Doug.

The pair to 3090 Pte W R King, 1st Devons.

IGS 1895 (2) Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (script engraved)
QSA (1) Natal (imp)

King was invalided 7 Nov 1900.


Picture courtesy of Wallis & Wallis

Picture courtesy of Harland Military Antiques

A unique combination to the Army Ordnance Corps / BSAC Medal / QSA Natal/ KSA 01 02/ EVIIR LSGC to 1895 CONDR G E Longstaff AOC / Mentioned in Despatches.
Sold for £975.00

George Longstaff was born at Pimlico, London, in 1869. The son of John and Sophia Longstaff. At the time of 1881 census the family were living at 57 Sutherland Street, Pimlico, London. George at the time was working as a Clerk in the Book Trade.

On the 29th of August 1882, Longstaff attested into the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) at Woolwich, as Private 1895 on short service (12 years)

His service papers state that he was 24 years old when he joined the Corps, and that he was 5’ 3 1/2” tall and weighed 127lbs. His trade is given as Clerk.

By 1895, the Matabele and Mashona tribes of Rhodesia were becoming increasingly restless with European settlers and very tiresome of their rules and regulations. As a proud people the Matabele felt that they had never really been beaten in the 1893 war.

Being superstitious people, both tribes also believed that the recent natural disasters such as plagues of Locusts destroying crops and a fatal virus that was killing cattle and other livestock called ‘Rinderpest’ was the sole doing of the European settlers. Simply put , they wanted to remove the European settlers once and for all, and the Chief’s driven on by a number of powerful Witchdoctors, rose in rebellion.

By February 1896, the indiscriminate murder of the settlers including women and children began to take place. Their homes were ransacked and destroyed and livestock was stolen. Hastily the settlers regrouped and formed volunteer fighting units to counteract the Matabele threat of Violence and a war like state took shape.

As time went on, the fighting in some parts of the country became intense and several hundred of British army regulars from varying units ( including Longstaff), were called in by the authorities to help the locals restore order.

Longstaff served as a Staff-Conductor in the AOC being based at Mashonaland, as is confirmed on the original hand written document included with the group. During the campaign , he was paid 5.00 shillings per day in the corps.

The troubles with the Matabele people came to an end in August 1896 when Cecil Rhodes agreed peace terms with the local Chiefs. However the troubles with the Mashona tribes did not end until October 1897 when the Mashona’s surrendered their arms.

Longstaff went on to take part in the Boer War and according to the ‘Army Ordnance Corps Gazette’, 15th September 1910, was in charge of a small staff based at Durban around October 1899 “ to supervise the work of unloading Ordnance and Engineering Stores”

During the war Longstaff was mentioned in despatches by General (RT. Hon.) Sir Redvers Henry Buller VC, on 9 November 1900. Interestingly in his papers it is noted SS Dunvegan Castle, the ship was used for transporting troops during the Boer War

For his services in the war, he was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with Clasp Natal. He was also awarded the Kings South Africa Medal with clasps ‘South Africa 1901’ and ‘South Africa 1902’

Longstaff was discharged from the AOC at Dover on the 28th of August 1903 at the age of 45 years, after being awarded the EVIIR Long Service Good Conduct Medal . This was a total of 21 years’ service, so at some stage he obviously extended his service period by 9 years.

On discharge he had reached the Rank of Conductor attached to No. 18 Company of the Corps ( under a Major White. His intended place of residence on discharge was given as 25 Buckland Avenue, Dover.

Longstaff died at Greenwich, south – East London on the of January 1931, aged 72 years.

The official rolls indicate that only 6 recipients were entitled to the 1896 medal for serving with the AOC. What makes the group unique is the Longstaff was the only Conductor who served in Rhodesia.

His medal entitlement is confirmed in his service papers, which are included in the sale.

BSAC and QSA are correctly engraved, KSA and LSGC are correctly impressed.

Group to Colonel E S C Kennedy, Bedfordshire Regiment, late West India Regiment


Picture courtesy of DNW

East and West Africa 1887-1900, (1) Sierra Leone 1898-99 (Maj: E. S. C. Kennedy. 1/W.I.R.);
QSA (1) Nat (Lt. Col: E. S. C. Kennedy, W. India: Rgt:);
KSA (2) (Lt. Col: E. S. C. Kennedy, W. India: Rgt:) officially re-engraved naming;
[14-15 Star]
BWM and VM with (MID) (Bt. Col. E. S. C. Kennedy.)

Edward Stanley Curwen Kennedy was born on 27 March 1864, 3rd son of the Rev. Sherard Kennedy of Stapleford Park, Leicestershire. Appointed Lieutenant, 1st West India Regiment, 4 November 1885; Captain, 19 July 1893; Major, 12 January 1898; Brigade Major, General Staff (Sierra Leone), 16 April 1898; Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel, 2 W.I.R., 29 November 1900; Lieutenant-Colonel, 2 W.I.R., 9 February 1904; Commanding 1 W.I.R, February 1906-09 in Sierra Leone and Jamaica; Brevet Colonel, 2 July 1906; Retired, 2 February 1910; Reserve of Officers, 1910-14; Commanding 8th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, September 1914 to February 1916.

Served in operations in Sierra Leone in 1898-99 with the Mendiland and Protectorate Expeditions as Chief Staff Officer (Mentioned in despatches; Medal with clasp). Served in the South African War 1899-1902, as Special Service Officer, afterwards on Staff and as Commandant at Maritzburg; took part in the relief of Ladysmith, also the operations on the Zululand Frontier of Natal in September and October 1901 (Mentioned in despatches (Buller); Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel; Queen’s Medal with 1 clasp; King’s Medal with 2 clasps). Served in France, 31 August 1915 to February 1916. Colonel Kennedy died at Nuthurst, Sussex, on 2 October 1927.

Group to Commander A Rowand, RIM


Picture courtesy of British Medals

Distinguished Service Order, (Ed VII),
QSA (1) Nat (Lieut., Rl. Ind. Mar.),
China (0) (Lieut., R.I.M.);
AGS (1) Somaliland 1902-04 (Lieut. in Comd., D.S.O., R.I.M.S. Dalhousie);
1914 Star (Commdr., D.S.O., R.N., Transport Staff),
BWM and Victory Medals, M.I.D. (Commr., R.N.),

DSO LG 26 Jun 1903: ‘In recognition of services during the occupation of China by International Troops.’

One of only two DSOs awarded to officers of the Royal Indian Marine for the Boxer Rebellion

Alexander Rowand was born in August 1868, the son of the late Alexander Rowand of Glasgow, and was educated at Stubbington House, Fareham. Having then attended the training ship Worcester, and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Shaw, Saville & Albion Co. Ltd., he was commissioned into the Royal Indian Marine in March 1889.

Lieut. April 1895, served in Natal during the Boer War, for which he was mentioned in despatches, and during the Boxer Rebellion, (mentioned in despatches and Distinguished Service Order). Further served in the Somaliland operations of 1902-04, when he served as Lieutenant in Command of the Dalhousie.

Rowand retired from the Royal Indian Marine on 25 May 1909, as Commander 2nd Grade in the previous year, but he returned to active duty with the Royal Navy in the Great War, initially serving as a member of the Transport Force at Marseilles in 1914, (MID LG 1/1/1916 ).

Prov DNW Barret J Carr Collection March 2007 £11780

Good Afternoon Everyone......

Just received a jiffy bag which will reduce my want list by two items....... One to a Naval Ship and One to the Royal Marine Light Infantry......

The interesting thing is that the QSA is named in the style and letter size as medals from WW! so therefore must have been a replacement for his original that may have been lost during the war......

Mike

PRIVATE WILLIAM JAMES CHAMBERS, ROYAL MARINE LIGHT INFANTRY

A group consisting of Queen's South Africa Medal clasp Natal, British War & Victory Medals to Sergeant William James Chambers, King's Royal Rifle Corps late Royal Marines Light Infantry a former Oilman's Assistant from Luton, Bedfordshire. Chambers attested for the RMLI in 1896 and purchased his discharge in 1904. He volunteered for the Army in the First World War.

Queen's South Africa Medal single bar Natal - Ch9.124 Pte W J Chambers RM HMS Forte
British War & Victory Medals - R-4892 SJT W J Chambers KRRC

William James Chambers was born in Luton, Bedfordshire 11 September 1877 an Oilman's Assistant he enlisted at London 27 July 1896 joining the Recruit Depot at Deal the same day. Chambers joined 'E' Company Chatham Division 14 February 1897, HMS Galatea 1 March 1899, HMS Forte 20 April 1899 landing for the defence of Durban in November 1899 (QSA Clasp Natal). Chambers joined HMS Hawke 15 May 1902 and Chatham Division 23 July 1902 and was discharged 7 October 1904 on payment of Twenty Pounds, his intended place of residence is recorded as 50 St Helen's Road, Westcliffe on Sea, Essex.

Chambers first served with the 18th (Arts & Crafts) Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps in France, he also served with the Labour Corps and finally the 43rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers. William James Chambers died in Clapton, Middlesex on 25 January 1929