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The pair to Sergeant Griffiths sold at Noonan's this morning for a hammer price of GBP 1,100. Totals: GBP 1,417. R 32,040. AUD 2,570. NZD 2,820. CAD 2,300. USD 1,740. EUR 1,590.

The DCM, QSA and KSA group to Cpl J N Waugh, RGA, sold for a hammer price of GBP 1,200. Totals: GBP 1,546. R 34,950. AUD 2,810. NZD 3,080. CAD 2,510. USD 1,900. EUR 1,740.

A shame there is no picture of the naming.


Picture courtesy of Noonan's

DCM VR (9520 Pte. W. T. Adams, 2nd Rifle Brigade 23-2-00);
[ QSA (5) Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast and South Africa 1901 ]

Noonan's say 'Of the 2097 D.C.M.s awarded during the Boer War, just 11 are known to have the date of the act of gallantry impressed after the naming details. Additionally, the vast majority of Boer War D.C.M.s have no published citation.'

DCM London Gazette 19 April 1901; Army Order 163 of 1901; citation published as part of General Buller’s despatch of 30 March 1900, London Gazette 8 February 1901: ‘23 February 1900: Gallantry in repeatedly carrying wounded to dressing station under very heavy fire.’

William Thomas Adams, an 18 year old labourer from Poplar, London, attested for the Rifle Brigade on 6 March 1888, having previously served with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. He served in the East Indies from 12 February 1890 to 29 November 1894 and then Hong Kong from 30 November 1894 to 5 February 1896, before a period of home service. He then served in South Africa during the Boer War from 13 December 1899.

Boer War
The 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade had arrived in South Africa on 26 October 1899. Rifleman Adams arrived in South Africa with drafts towards the end of that year, his service papers noting he was posted to the 2nd Battalion, dated 3 January 1900 (Depot crossed out). However, since the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade was part of the force besieged at Ladysmith, the drafts that arrived for the 2nd Battalion, along with drafts for the 1st and 2nd battalions of King's Royal Rifles, were formed into a scratch battalion, variously known as the Composite Rifle Battalion, or the Rifle Reserve Battalion. This battalion was initially posted to Frere and then Chieveley, mainly on guard duty, before joining General Buller’s force in its final push to relieve Ladysmith. The battalion was involved in battles around Hart’s and Wynne’s Hills on 23 February and it was for his gallantry on this day that Rifleman Adams was awarded the DCM. Three officers of the battalion were mentioned in General Buller's despatch of 30 March 1900, and three men recommended for the distinguished conduct medal. Seven additional officers were mentioned in the general's final despatch. After marching into Ladysmith the men joined their regiments. An account of the battalion's work is given in the Rifle Brigade Chronicle of 1900.

On Ladysmith being relieved, the Composite Rifle Battalion was disbanded, the Officers and men joining their battalions which had defended the town. Adams remained in South Africa with the 2nd Battalion until 28 February 1901 and was discharged from the Army on 9 June 1901.

Sold with copied medal roll extracts and copied research, including two articles from the OMRS Journal (June & December 2003) on dated Boer War DCMs. Ex DNW, lot 796, 28 September 2016.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

OBE, military;
MC GV;
DCM Ed VII;
IGS 1895 (1) Hazara 1891;
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Orange Free State;
KSA (2);
1914 Star, with clasp;
British War and Victory Medals, with MID;
Coronation 1911;
France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre 1914-1918, with bronze palm;
Order of Merite Agricole, breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel

OBE London Gazette 1 January 1919.

MC London Gazette 18 February 1915.

DCM London Gazette 27 September 1901.

Edward Augustus Parker was born in Peckham, London about 1867 and enlisted in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in December 1886. Having then served with the 1st Battalion in the Hazara Expedition of 1891 (Medal & clasp), he was appointed Sergeant-Major in October 1898 and participated in the operations in the Transvaal, west of Pretoria, including the action at Frederickstad on 20 October 1900. He was wounded on the latter occasion, mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 10 September 1901, refers) and awarded the DCM.

Subsequently commissioned as a Quarter-Master, with the honorary rank of Lieutenant, in the 1st Battalion in April 1904, he was a member of the regiment’s Coronation Contingent in 1911.

Advanced to QM & Captain in April 1914, Parker joined the 1st Battalion in Flanders in early October and was consequently witness to the severe fighting that followed. Following an abortive attack on Menin on the 17th, the Battalion - numbering 1150 officers and men - took up positions on the Broodseinde Ridge: within three days, as a consequence of severe enemy shelling and numerous infantry assaults, the unit’s strength was reduced to 200 officers and men.

On the 29th, the Battalion was reinforced by 200 men and moved to new positions just east of the village of Zandvoorde. The Germans attacked in force on the following day, supported by 260 heavy artillery guns, and managed to get behind the Battalion’s line: it was all but annihilated, just 90 men answering the roll call on the 31st, among them Parker, the only surviving officer.

He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 17 February 1915, refers) and awarded the M.C., both distinctions undoubtedly reflecting his ‘gallantry in the Field’, as cited in a reference written by Major-General H. E. Holman at a later date. He was invested with his MC by King George V at Windsor Castle in April 1915, one of the first officers to be so honoured.

Parker was subsequently appointed to the Staff, initially serving as ADC to the GOC 7th Division (November 1914-May 1915), and afterwards as a Camp Commandant In IV Corps HQ (May 1915-February 1916), and Camp Commandant 4th Army (February 1916-March 1918). Then following a brief spell as Camp Commandant, Supreme War Council, he returned to his post in 4th Army and remained similarly employed until the war’s end.

He was awarded the OBE and five times mentioned in despatches (London Gazettes 15 June 1916, 4 June 1917, 7 April 1918, 20 December 1918 and 5 July 1919, refer); in addition he was appointed a Chevalier of the French Order of Merite Agricole (London Gazette 7 October 1919, refers), and awarded the Croix de Guerre (London Gazette 24 October 1919, refers).

Parker, who had been advanced to QM & Major on the recommendation of Lieutenant-General H. Rawlinson, GOC IV Corps, in May 1915, was appointed QM & Lieutenant-Colonel in November 1923, shortly before his retirement. He died in December 1939.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including the recipient’s pre-attestation recruit’s form; warrants appointing him to the rank of Sergeant-Major and Quarter-Master (1898 and 1914); his MID certificates for French’s despatch, dated 14 January 1915, and Haig’s despatches, dated 30 April 1916, 8 November 1918 and 16 March 1919; and an old copy of General Rawlinson’s letter recommending him for advancement to QM and Major, dated 5 May 1915.

Pictures courtesy of Noonan's

DCM EdVII (9974 Serjt:-Maj: D. Pringle. 12th Imp: Yeo:);
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (9974 R. Sjt:-Maj. D. Pringle. 44th Coy Imp: Yeo:) officially renamed;
KSA (2) (R. Sjt:-Maj: D. Pringle. Imp: Yeo:)

DCM London Gazette 31 October 1902.

David Pringle was born in Duns, Berwickshire. He attested for the 2nd Life Guards in February 1888, and was discharged by purchase in November 1892. Pringle was employed as a Police Constable, prior to attesting for service with the Imperial Yeomanry at Newcastle on Tyne in January 1900. He advanced to Colour Sergeant and was posted to the 14th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry the following month. Pringle served during the Second Boer War with the 44th (Suffolk) Company, 12th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry (DCM and also mentioned in Lord Kitchener’s despatches). He was discharged at his own request in August 1902.

The QSA is the upper image.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

DCM EdVII (464 Serjt: A. Wheaton. Suffolk Regt);
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (464 Sgt. A. Wheaton. 1st Suffolk Regt.);
KSA (2) (464 Serjt: A. Wheaton. Suffolk Regt.)

DCM London Gazette 4 November 1902.

MID London Gazette 10 September 1901 and 29 July 1902.

Picture courtesy of Noble Numismatics

DCM VR (Serjt: L.Knapman. S. Aust: Cont.);
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast, with unofficial MID (87 Sergt L.Knapman S.A.M.R.)

The first medal impressed, the second medal engraved in unique style as found on medals to SAMR.

Together with 100th Anniversary of Peace Anglo-Boer War Medal 2002, uncirculated.

DCM: LG 27/9/1901, p6329 - to 87 Sergeant Leonard Knapman 2nd SAMR. MID: LG 14/4/1901, p2608, to 87 Sergeant Leonard Knapman 2nd SAMR.

Served in the Second Contingent of South Australian Mounted Rifles; Embarked 26 Jan 1900; Disembarked 25 Feb 1900 at Cape Town; RTA 29 Mar 1901; Contingent Disbanded 15 May 1901.