TOPIC:

My morning’s research project has been the unravelling of the identity of the recipient of the following medal which I purchased on a well known auction in November last year. The medal was originally held in a well known Port Elizabeth collection which was dispersed by Spink in their “first” medal auction in 1983. (I have repeated some of HL’s catalogue write-up to complete the story)

Single - QSA, no bar: (Pte. F. Somers, Pearston Tn Gd) Nearly Extremely Fine

The village of Pearston (45km north-west of Somerset East) was garrisoned by 25 men of Nesbitt’s Horse and a small Town Guard (white and coloured men). At dawn on 3 March Commandants Kritzinger and Lötter attacked and completely surprised the garrison. 22 men from Nesbitt’s Horse fled to Somerset East, leaving the Town Guard in badly positioned trenches and schanzes. They eventually surrendered and had to look on while the Boers helped themselves liberally to supplies (including liquor). Two stores, whose owners were connected to the military, were completely looted. Apart from prisoners, the Boers took 80 horses, 60 rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition while 20 local men joined the Rebel commando. Gorringe's Flying Column arrived in Pearston early on the 5th. He immediately instituted court-martial proceedings against the men of Nesbitt's Horse. Gorringe also arrested about 15 local citizens, mostly close relatives of those who had rebelled. They were suspected of having sympathized with or assisted the Boers.

(These details have been extracted from the very informative MA Thesis by R J Constantine dealing with the Guerrilla War in the Cape Colony.)

A marginal note on the QSA Roll reads: “The Pearston Town Guard was called out for permanent duty on 27 January 1901 in view of the proximity of the enemy. They defended the town against the attack of Kritzinger’s and Lötter’s Commando on 3 March 1901 to whom they surrendered, and the Town Guard has not since been reformed”. The Roll contains 25 names, but 11 of them (including that of Lt D May, the C/O who signed the Roll) are annotated “Issue of medal not approved”. This may be connected to the surrender of the Town Guard. Of the remaining 14 medals issued, 6 were unclaimed and returned to Woolwich.

A genealogical search reveals that the recipient of this medal was Ferdinand Hartzenberg Somers who married Alleta Elizabeth Van Heerden at Graaf Reinet on 19 October 1887. He was born in 1846 and died at the Graaff-Reinet hospital on 16 July 1912 aged 65 years. His Death Notice describes him as a Storekeeper and records the names of five children: His son William Ferdinand and a daughter as being Majors (in 1912) and three minor children born between 1894 and 1899. These dates suggest that his two eldest children including his eldest son Willem Ferdinand were born during the years between his marriage and his eldest minor child who was born in 1894. Archival records also reflect that his two youngest children, his only daughter Vera and his son Cecil were both born in Pearston on 25 February 1896 and on 5 July 1899 respectively, which leaves little doubt that Ferdinand Hartzenberg Somers was the recipient of this medal.

Ferdinand Hartzenberg Somers had seven siblings, three sisters and four brothers including Gysbert Henry Somers who one might guess was the individual referred on the Pearston Town Guard medal roll as Private G.H. Somers and whose medal issue was not approved. Ferdinand also had a son named Gysbert Henry however as he was only born on 4 January 1894, he would clearly have been too young to have been involved with the Town Guard.

RobM

The DMT QSAs sold by DNW yesterday achieved strong prices, I thought.

Tpr. A. Hollos. Adelaide D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
215 Tpr: E. G. F. Clarke. Albany Dis: M.T. sold for a hammer price of £130. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £167. R3,300. Au$290. Can$280. US$220
35 Tpr: L. H. Lax. Alexandria D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £160. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £206. R4,100. Au$360. Can$340. US$280
10 Tpr. T. E. Peterson. Aliwal N. D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £130. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £167. R3,300. Au$290. Can$280. US$220
Cpl. D. Leppan. Bedford D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
34 Pte. R. G. Prior. Burghersdorp D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £110. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £142. R2,800. Au$240. Can$240. US$190
20 Tpr: I. K. Frank. Caledon D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
16 Tpr. D. Purdon. Cathcart D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £200. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £258. R5,100. Au$440. Can$430. US$340
34 Tpr. F. J. Brett. Christiana D.M.R. sold for a hammer price of £240. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £309. R6,100. Au$530. Can$510. US$410
55 Tpr. R. Oosthuisen. Colesberg D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
52 Tpr: E. Reynolds. E. London D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
54 Tpr: T. Muller. Fort Beaufort D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
46 Tpr. S. Mansfield. Graaff-Reinet D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
Serjt: H. Radue. Green River D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
Lieut. J. de C. Smeeton. Hex River D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £300. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £386. R7,700. Au$670. Can$640. US$520
29 Tpr: T. Blatherwick. Hopefield D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £120. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £155. R3,100. Au$270. Can$260. US$210
10 Tpr: G. van Onselen. Humansdorp D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
9 Pte. W. Mc.Kenzie. Indwe D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £180. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £232. R4,600. Au$400. Can$390. US$310
103 Tpr. M. Heydenrych. Jansenville D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
64 Tpr. L. J. Mundmich. K.W. T. D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £130. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £167. R3,300. Au$290. Can$280. US$220
1 L.Cpl. W. C. Rose. Krom River D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £190. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £245. R4,900. Au$420. Can$410. US$330
Tpr: G. G. Swaart. Ladismith D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £150. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £193. R3,800. Au$330. Can$320. US$260
7 L.Cpl. A. G. Smith. Mosita Squad D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £190. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £245. R4,900. Au$420. Can$410. US$330
162 Tpr. C. Potgieter. Naauwpoort D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £180. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £232. R4,600. Au$400. Can$390. US$310
2 Q.M. Serjt. E. W. C. Brice. Oudtshoorn D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £150. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £193. R3,800. Au$330. Can$320. US$260
56 Tpr: P. van Jaarsveld. Paarl Dis: M.T. sold for a hammer price of £130. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £167. R3,300. Au$290. Can$280. US$220
100 Tpr. R. H. Reynolds. Peddie D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £110. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £142. R2,800. Au$240. Can$240. US$190
102 Tpr: T. J. Robinson. Queenstown D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £140. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £180. R3,600. Au$310. Can$300. US$240
Cpl. G. A. Thomas. Sandflats D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £180. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £232. R4,600. Au$400. Can$390. US$310
112 Tpr. H. Karp. Somerset E. D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £90. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £116. R2,300. Au$200. Can$190. US$160
Tpr: T. Norbye. Stellenbosch D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £160. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £206. R4,100. Au$360. Can$340. US$280
4 Serjt. W. Ring. Steytlerville D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £190. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £245. R4,900. Au$420. Can$410. US$330
2373 Tpr: W. Iveson. Stutterheim D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £110. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £142. R2,800. Au$240. Can$240. US$190
14 L.Cpl. W. F. Bergh. Swellendam D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £180. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £232. R4,600. Au$400. Can$390. US$310
133 Tpr. W. S. Brown. Uitenhage D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £130. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £167. R3,300. Au$290. Can$280. US$220
Tpr: H. Seath. Vict: East D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £170. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £219. R4,300. Au$380. Can$360. US$290
77 Tpr: P. D. du Toit. Wellington D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £170. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £219. R4,300. Au$380. Can$360. US$290
90 Tpr: M. D. de Kock. Worcester D.M.T. sold for a hammer price of £200. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £258. R5,100. Au$440. Can$430. US$340

There was definitely some strong bidding last night. Some of the more common QSA’s fetched prices well over what they usually go for.

If a dealer paid those prices he could find himself with some QSA’s for a long time.

Jim

Not a single one out of the seven I bid on........

Mike

A medal named to the Aliwal North DMT.

The Spink 2019 catalogue (p 365) said 5 medals were awarded to this unit in May 1907.

Looking at the roll ( www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/dmt/2491-aliwalnorthdmt ) I think more were issued but the annotations on the roll make it difficult to be certain.

Of the 5 medals issued from pages 69 and 70 of the roll, 4 were returned, leaving Trooper Molentze.

Page 71 shows 14 medals issued and 7 returned, leaving 7.

The medal to Captain Webster from page 72 appears to have been issued from this roll.

It looks like 9 medals were actually awarded to the Aliwal N DMT.

Morning All,
Being from George, I've always bought George TG for the fun of it, recently i bought a few with a large amount of research with the TG.
So my field of Collecting have just received another topic... lol
I have mentioned on FB groups that I'm after GTG and if any of you would be so kind as to keep me in mind I would greatly appreciate.
Eric