ORDERS, DECORATIONS AND MEDALS
London, 24th April 2025
In our auction of 24th April 2025, the Medal Department are thrilled to offer a most comprehensive collection of South Africa Medals for the campaigns of 1877-79. Most often, this most attractive medal is associated with the perhaps more famed Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 – more of that later.
What this remarkable collection has in abundance – formed over many decades by a dedicated and truly passionate collector – is the other campaigns which it encompasses. The Department previously offered South African medals from the Collection of the late Terry Sole, offered in several parts from July 2018, but since then no London Room has offered a similar holding of a comparable depth and breadth.
The collection includes medals for the operations against the Galekas & Gaikas (1877- 78), the Griquas (1878), the Sekekuni (1878 & 1879) and against Morosi (1879). Furthermore, it has notable opportunities to acquire a number of rare or unique medals. These include several casualties of the campaigns, besides several units of the British Army who only fielded a handful of men or those tiny Colonial units raised to take the field and answer the call of duty
Personal favourites include the award of Staff Surgeon Sir HF Norbury, later Director General of Naval Medical Services [KCB], Honorary Surgeon to their Majesties King Edward VII & King George V (Lot 144). Norbury took a rare ‘1877-8-9’ clasp to the Royal Navy and distinguished himself on numerous occasions.
Another notable inclusion is the scarce British Army units, including a rare award to Private G Grey, Scots Guards, who served attached to the 1st Battalion, 24th Foot during the campaign, one of just 10 men of his unit to earn the medal (Lot 157). Other worthy mentions are the medal of Private R Wansbon, one of just 5 men of the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot to earn the medal (Lot 167). Finally, Private J Brockhurst of the 107th (Bengal Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot – his unit earned just two medals (Lot 178). The unit was raised by the East India Company in 1765 and re-established as the 3rd Bengal (European) Light Infantry during the Indian Mutiny. Transferred to the British Army in September 1862, it embarked for England in 1875.
As part of the Cardwell Reforms of the 1870s, where single-Battalion regiments were linked together to share a single Depot and recruiting district in the United Kingdom, the 107th was linked with the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot, and assigned to district No 43 at Roussillon Barracks in Chichester.
For the Colonial awards, the Zulu War Medal awarded to Trooper AR Parsons, Natal Mounted Police is most notable (Lot 261). He was killed in action at the Battle of Isandhlwana and was perhaps the unluckiest man on the field, for he accidentally discharged his weapon and was left in camp in punishment at the start of the day; the majority of his comrades escaped his grisly fate. We will also offer the award of Mr L Lloyd, Evelyn’s Wood’s interpreter, who – in one of the most contentious episodes of the conflict – was mortally wounded in the disastrous action at Hlobane on 29th March 1879.
A good selection of these outstanding medals will be on display in our London Gallery ahead of the auction. We hope you will enjoy reading the catalogue as much as we have enjoyed researching these remarkable stories and perhaps find something new for your cabinets. Do join us after the auction for our first Reception and drinks party of 2025, as it is always a pleasure to welcome old and new friends to Spink.
Our Orders, Decorations and Medals sale will take place at Spink London on 24th April 2025. For further information please contact Marcus Budgen, [email protected].