County: Worcestershire
Issued on: Return
Dates of presentations: 10/06/1901, 26/10/1903
Number issued: 23
Silver medals, to:
10/06/1901 presentation
1st Volunteer Active Service Company, 2nd Bn. Worcestershire Regiment –
Captain R.H. WHITCOMBE
6696 Sergeant William Simpson MACKAY (K.I.A., Senekal, 21/08/1900 - medal forwarded to his family)
6700 Lance-Sergeant William Wilkes MUCKLOW
6723 Lance-Corporal Henry DARKES
6848 Private John ALBERTS
6757 Private Samuel Henry JONES
6772 Private Ernest Henry MOLES
16th (Worcestershire) Company, 5th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry –
7323 Trooper Charles Ernest SMITH (died of wounds received at Lindley, 01/06/1900 - medal forwarded to his family)
Presentation made by the Rector, Rev. A.T. Money-Kyrle, at the Town Hall, Bewdley.
26/10/1903 presentation
2nd Volunteer Active Service Company, 2nd Bn. Worcestershire Regiment –
6861 Private Alonzo CUTHBERT (died, Kroonstad, 04/01/1902 - medal handed to his family)
6862 Private Thomas Francis DAVIES (died, 19/01/1902 - medal handed to his family)
6874 Private William STOKES (died, Heilbron, 29/10/1901 - medal handed to his family)
16th (Worcestershire) Company, 5th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry –
22403 Trooper Charles HUNT
20933 Trooper Walter James MAUNDER (K.I.A., Kleinfontein, 24/10/1901 - medal handed to his family)
23819 Trooper William PLEVEY
23049 Trooper George R. SCOTT (killed, wagon accident, 07/06/1901 - medal handed to his family)
102nd (Worcestershire) Company, 5th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry –
31399 Trooper Albert Henry MILLS
4th (Pembrokeshire) Company, 1st Bn. Imperial Yeomanry –
31369 Trooper Tom BROWN
137th Company, 30th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry –
39011 Trooper George BARNFIELD
27th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry –
37966 Trooper Harry EVANS
37976 Trooper Valentine Charles FINLOW
37967 Trooper Arnold MUCKLOW
37969 Trooper Albert Edward STEPHENSON
Imperial Yeomanry (unknown company) –
????? Trooper H. ELSON [F. Elson]
Presentation made by the Mayor (Mr Thomas Owens), in the Guildhall, Bewdley.
KNOWN EXAMPLES HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN
Type 1 (1901)
Obverse with the civic arms and motto of Bewdley: "PRO DEO REGE GREGE".
Reverse: "BOROUGH OF BEWDLEY / Presented to / [CAPTN R.H. WHITCOMBE] / ON HIS RETURN FROM / THE WAR IN / SOUTH AFRICA - 1901".
Type 2 (1902)
Obverse with the civic arms and motto of Bewdley: "PRO DEO REGE GREGE".
Reverse: "BOROUGH OF BEWDLEY / Presented to / [TROOPER T. BROWN] / ON HIS RETURN FROM / THE WAR IN / SOUTH AFRICA - 1902".
Memorial medal
Obverse with the civic arms and motto of Bewdley: "PRO DEO REGE GREGE".
Reverse: "BOROUGH OF BEWDLEY / TO THE memory / OF / SERGT. W.S. MACKAY / WHO DIED FOR HIS COUNTRY / in / SOUTH AFRICA - 1900".
Issued in black morocco cases, each with white silk lining blocked: "W. PALMER / JEWELLER / LOAD STREET / BEWDLEY".
The blank disc is the same as that used for the
West Ward medal, each having maker's initials "W.J.D" (for William James Dingley, Warstone Lane, Birmingham).
Note: "memorial medals" were forwarded/handed to the families of the deceased.
Each of the volunteers and yeomen received a second medal from
Worcester
The medal presented to Captain Whitcombe (Hibbard 1982, p. 10)
The Bewdley and West Ward medals, showing the use of identical blank discs, made by William James Dingley, Warstone Lane, Birmingham.
Both have London hallmarks for 1896.
Captain Whitcombe example illustrated in Hibbard and Hern.
Sergeant Mackay example described in Hibbard.
Trooper Brown example featured in Garry Whitley's article published in the Journal of the O.M.R.S., winter 1978.
Trooper Brown example held in the collection of the Worcestershire Regiment Museum.
Private Darkes example held in the collection of Bewdley Museum.
Sergeant Mackay example sold through eBay, 26/06/2023, for £2,300 (with 2-clasp QSA).
Kidderminster Shuttle, 15/06/1901
Kidderminster Shuttle, 22/06/1901
Journal of the O.M.R.S., winter 1978
Hibbard #A3
Hern #756
eBay, 26/06/2023
________________________________________
Worcestershire Chronicle, 15th June 1901
RECEPTIONS IN THE DISTRICT.
RECEPTION OF CAPT. WHITCOMBE AT BEWDLEY.
The inhabitants of Bewdley gave an enthusiastic reception to the Volunteers belonging to that borough who have returned from the war. Capt. WHITCOMBE, who for several months has been in command of the Volunteer Service Company, resides as Bewdley and is Captain of the local Volunteer Corps. It was natural therefore that the residents should greatly rejoice when he and five of his men returned home. The men reached Kidderminster station at 4.30 on Monday afternoon, and were met by several of the officers of the Kidderminster Companies. A char-a-banc was in readiness, and they were driven through Kidderminster to Bewdley. At Wribbenhall they were received by the Band and members of the Bewdley Company of Volunteers, who heartily welcomed their captain and comrades. The road from Spring Grove to Bewdley was decorated with flags and garlands, while at Bewdley there was a great wealth of decoration. At the centre of the Bewdley bridge the heroes were received by the Deputy Mayor and members of the Corporation, and their march to the Guildhall was a triumphant one. The men proceeded direct to the parish church of St Anne’s, where a short service of thanksgiving was held, with a spirited address from the Rector, the Rev. A.T. Money-Kyrle, in which he referred to the bravery of the men and made a touching allusion to the death of Sergeant MACKAY. Then the men returned to the Town Hall. A platform had been erected, and the heroes were accommodated there by the side of the municipal representatives. The Deputy Mayor, Mr Dudfield, delivered an address of welcome, and said they were all proud of the achievements of the men and delighted to welcome them back to the old and loyal borough of Bewdley. The Rector, as Chairman of the Reception Committee, also spoke, and alluded to the excellent reports which the superior officers had issued with regard to the conduct of the Worcestershire Volunteer Company while at the war, and said the men had nobly upheld the fair name and traditions of Bewdley. The Rector then presented to each man a silver medal with his name inscribed thereon in honour of the event, and there were two memorial medals to Sergeant MACKAY and Trooper SMITH, of the Rock. Capt. WHITCOMBE, who was received with the utmost enthusiasm, briefly thanked the inhabitants for the “grand and magnificent reception” they had accorded to the men, declaring that it had far exceeded the wildest dreams of any of them. He paid a high tribute to the valour and devotion to duty of the late Sergeant MACKAY, and assured them that not one of the Bewdley men had by any act brought disgrace upon the name of the dear old borough.
Kidderminster Shuttle, 15th June 1901
Reception of the Bewdley Volunteers.
Load Street was thronged when the Volunteers returned from Church, and it was with the greatest difficulty that a line was opened for them to walk to the Town Hall. A platform had been erected in front of the gates, and Captain Whitcombe and his men stood by the side of the Rector, the Deputy Mayor, the Town Clerk and Members of the Corporation. The medals presented were of silver. On the one side was the Borough Coat of Arms and Motto, and on the other the name of the recipient and the occasion on which it was presented. Eight medals had been prepared, six for the men who had returned, and two in memoriam of Sergt. MACKAY and Trooper SMITH of Rock, who died in South Africa, and these have been forwarded to their relatives. The large crowd was thoroughly representative not only of Bewdley, but of Wribbenhall and District.
The Deputy Mayor said: –
A Roll of Honour shall adorn the wall of our Town Hall and also the six names of our gallant soldiers returned home today, but the two who unfortunately will never return shall have the first place of honour on the scroll – (cheers). Thanks very much to the inhabitants of Bewdley and Wribbenhall who have so kindly responded to the appeal made to them, the reception committee are able to have a special medal prepared, which I shall presently ask the Rector to present. We have not forgotten the absent ones, for a medal has been prepared to the memory of Sergt. MACKAY and Trooper SMITH, which will be forwarded to their respective families.
The Rector followed with the following: –
I am glad on behalf of Bewdley and District to have the honour of presenting to them these medals, which will no doubt be kept as family possessions as long as they live, and handed down to future generations. There is one word you will allow me to say: these men have made a most splendid record in South Africa, may I ask you all to assist them to keep that record now that they have returned home – (cheers). It is just possible that they on their return by mistaken kindness and excessive friendliness you may lead some of them to forget themselves. They have a great record, it is on you to help them today not to spoil that record which they have made during the last 18 months – (cheers).
The Rector then presented the medals.
Kidderminster Shuttle, 22nd June 1901
Rock.
THE LATE TROOPER SMITH.
Mr Christopher Smith, of Callow Hill, Rock, called at the ‘Shuttle’ Office on Thursday morning to show a medal he had just received from the Bewdley Reception Committee, in recognition of the gallant services of his son, the late Trooper E. SMITH, who fell at the battle of Lindley on June 2nd of last year, while going to the relief of the Irish Yeomanry. The father is much touched by the consideration shown, and wishes to thank the many friends of his son for their sympathy. The value of the medal was enhanced by a sympathetic letter from the Town Clerk (Mr Stanley Hemingway) accompanying the medal. The inscription read as follows: – “Borough of Bewdley. To the memory of Trooper E. Smith, who died for his country, in South Africa, 1900”; and on the reverse is inscribed the borough arms. Trooper SMITH was the first of the Worcestershire Yeomanry to fall in battle, and the only one among the Bewdley contingent of Yeomen and Volunteers.
Wellington Journal, 14th December 1901
Walter MAUNDER was connecting file between the guns, and I [Trooper W. CLEVER] was connecting file between the support and the rear screen. When the battle began Walter spurred his horse and galloped up into the thick of the fight, and it seemed as he dismounted an explosive bullet passed through his temples, and another through his heart. I did not see him, but Corporal KING did, and laid him out on the side of the road. When the ambulance went round, they could not find him. I inquired the next morning if any more had been brought in, and they told me there had not been anyone out until it was light. We moved out of camp at five o’clock, and when we got to Zeerust they told me that the Boers had found Troopers MAUNDER and Fred HALL, and had buried them both together.
Kidderminster Times, 24th May 1902
BEWDLEY.
RETURNED FROM THE WAR.
Trooper W. PLEVEY, of the Worcestershire Imperial Yeomanry, has returned home to Bewdley, after nearly two years’ absence in South Africa. He has been through several engagements, including the battle of Kleinfontein, in which Troopers MAUNDER, JONES, HALL, and others were killed. Taken ill with enteric fever in the middle of December last, he remained in hospital till March. Trooper PLEVET speaks very highly of his treatment while in the hospital ward. Sergeant MAUNDER (brother of the fallen hero), along with others, went to the station to meet their old friend and comrade.
Kidderminster Times, 13th December 1902
THE ROLE OF FAME.
The roll of fame, bearing the names of the 23 heroes from Bewdley and the district who volunteered for service in the late war in South Africa, has been practically completed and made ready for fixing in the Town Hall. It is in the form of a shield and of carved oak. Of the 23 names it contains no less than seven are those of young men (Messrs D. MACKAY, DAVIS [sic], CUTHBERT, STOKES, W.J. MAUNDER, E. SMITH, and SCOTT), who gave their lives for their country’s cause and lie buried on the veldt, SMITH being the first to be killed (at Lindley), and SCOTT fell on the occasion of Methuen’s reverse. It is hoped that sufficient funds will be forthcoming to enable the committee to affix a commemorative tablet of brass to the walls of St Anne’s Church.
Worcestershire Chronicle, 31st October 1903
PRESENTATION OF MEDALS.
On Monday evening, at the Guildhall, in the presence of the members of the Corporation, the Mayor of the borough (Mr Thos. Owens) presented silver medals to those members of the local Volunteers and Imperial Yeomanry who went out to the South African War. The three Rifle Volunteers who went out, died in the Transvaal, but medals were handed to the relatives, 16 medals being distributed. The Mayor spoke of the self-sacrifice of the men who went out to the war, and said while he was not a peace-at-any-price man, he hoped it would be a long time before England became involved in another great war. The medals having been distributed, Major WHITCOMBE moved hearty thanks to the Mayor for his services, and the reception committee, who had prepared the medals for presentation. Sergeant MAUNDER, in seconding, said there was no town of the same size as Bewdley which had sent more Volunteers to the war than Bewdley, and of the total number sent out six had died. Councillor Hunt supported the motion, which was carried, and the Mayor briefly responded.
Memorial in St Mary and All Saints' Church, Kidderminster, Worcestershire (with thanks to
BereniceUK)
