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Picture courtesy of Bill Friar Medals

CMG n/b January 1916
QSA (2) CC OFS (Lt Col E Allen RIR)
KSA (2) (Lt Col RIR)
14-15 Trio and MID (Lt Col)

Edward Allen first commission as 2Lt into Royal Irish Rifles 1879. Lt 1880, Capt 1885, rose to Major 1895. MID twice 1901 & 1902. Brevet of Lt Colonel 1902. retired shortly after. Recalled for service in the Great War. MID 1916.

£1950. Sold with nephew's group who was KIA in Sicily during WWII.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

QSA (1) CC (2920 Pte. J. Madden. R. Ir. Rif.)
Engraved naming. E/k’s and wear on obverse.

Pte Madden was killed in action at Stormberg.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

Mostershoek near Reddersburg, 3 – 4 April 1900

A force of some 600 men under Capt. W.J. McWhinnie sets out on 2 April 1900 from Dewetsdorp, bound for Reddersburg. Early the next morning his advance scouts come under Boer fire when they reach a ridge on the farm Mostertshoek, some 6 km east of Reddersburg. De Wet sends a note to the British demanding their surrender and claims to have three Krupp guns and reinforcements on the way.

McWhinnie refuses and opens fire even before the messenger has reached safety. The Boers then prove themselves good marksmen, inflicting heavy casualties at long range, even though the British had fortified their position. At nightfall, the battle subsides. The burghers’ numbers have increased to more than 800 and they light fires and eat roast mutton. The McWhinnie’s force spends a cold, cheerless night with a dwindling water supply.

At dawn on 4 April McWhinnie’s thirsty men crowd around the water carts, only to be dispersed by rifle fire from the surrounding Boers. De Wet then orders some of his burghers to storm the hill and by the time they reach the dead ground at the foot of the hill, some of the British are already surrendering. Other pockets of resistance still hold out but by noon all resistance ends.

British losses amount to 10 killed, 35 wounded and 540 taken prisoners: the worst case of surrender by the British Army during the Boer War. The Boers lose only 3 men killed and 3 wounded.

QSA (2) CC, OFS (4144 Pte. J. Kennedy, R. Ir. Rif.)
Engraved naming.

A marginal note on the QSA Roll states that Pte Kennedy was killed on 4 April: possibly in the dawn volley from De Wet’s burghers.

He is buried in Edenburg.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (6223 Pte J. Campbell Rl. Irish Rif.)

No clasps listed on the QSA roll page. All clasps listed on the supplementary roll page as James Campbell.

Possible Great War service and a Silver War Badge.

The medal to 3301 Pte J Mc'Allister, who was taken prisoner at Stormberg.


Picture courtesy of Spink




His KSA (2) is missing.

It is not clear why his medal is named MC'ALLISTER as both QSA and KSA rolls show McAllister

This medal is to another prisoner at Stormberg, 2234 Pte T Hunter.


Picture courtesy of Spink

I was not expecting the medal to be engraved. This was not mentioned in the catalogue. The rim looks fine.





He was returned to England 15 October 1900.