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The engraved QSA to Major C J M Heigham, WYR.

QSA (4) TH RoL Tr SA01.

Served in the South Africa war and took part in the operations : in the relief of Ladysmith , including the action at Colenso , operations of the 17th to 24th Jan 1900 and the action at Spion Kop : of 5th to 7th Feb 1900 and the action at Vaal Krantz on Tugela Heights , 14th to 27th Feb 1900 , and the action at Peters Hill ; and the Transvaal east and west Pretoria, July to 29th Nov 1900 .( Info... Reserve of Officers - War Services of the Field Officers, page 848. ) Heigham Retired and was not entitled to KSA .

On BoB with a starting price of R12,000 (£670).

Picture courtesy of

Ashanti Star 1896, named on the reverse in the usual regimental style (3051 Pte. H. Ogram 2. W. Yorks R.);
QSA (4) Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Transvaal (8051 Pte. H. Ogram. W. Yorkshire Regt.) unofficial rivets in places;
KSA (2) (8051 Pte. H. Ogram. W. Yorkshire Regt.) renamed

Private H Ogram was wounded in Natal on 24 February 1900 and invalided home on 9 November 1900.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

After alternately occupying and abandoning Willow Grange Station during the previous weeks, Major-General H J T Hildyard, commanding officer at Estcourt, decides on 22 November to take Brynbella Hill, overlooking the station with a force of about 5,200 men with 14 field-guns. He orders a force under Colonel F W Kitchener to occupy Beacon Hill from where he plans to make a night attack on Brynbella, supported by one of his naval guns. It is a very hot day and the un-acclimatized troops are exhausted and thirsty before reaching the foot of Beacon Hill. A heavy thunderstorm first alleviates their plight, but it changes into a hailstorm that leaves them battered and bruised. The Boers also notice their struggle in dragging the naval gun up the steep slope and open fire with their Creusot field-gun.

The British persevere and are soon able to position their naval gun on the summit and return fire until the renewed thunderstorm and darkness suspend the action. After dark, a tremendous thunderstorm engulfs the landscape. Two British soldiers and two burghers are knocked unconscious by lightning and a burgher and six horses are killed on Brynbella.

Slipping and sliding, the British proceed with their night march despite the appalling conditions. After a short rest on the slope, they charge the summit at about 03:00. The small Free State picket abandons their position, blankets and a few ponies to avoid the loathed bayonets and flee down the back slope, leaving the summit in the hands of the jubilant British. At dawn, part of the Krugersdorp commando open fire on the summit. They are soon joined by two field-guns and a pom-pom. As the light improves, Boer rifle fire increases and Kitchener’s position on the summit becomes steadily worse.

At about 09:00 he realises that he will have to retreat to avoid being cut off and surrounded. The retreating British troops are raked by Boer shellfire. Only when their own artillery return fire, can they fall back to Beacon Hill and from there to Estcourt, arriving at about 11:00.

The British lose 11 killed (including Percy Fitzpatrick’s brother, George), 67 wounded and eight captured.

The Boers lose two killed and two wounded.
“The Anglo-Boer War: A Chronology” by Pieter G. Cloete.

QSA (1) Natal (5446 Pte. S. Tobin, Wt. York. Regt.)
One rim dent at 6 o’clock.

Pte Tobin was killed in action at Willow Grange.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

QSA (1) RoL (Capt. C. Ryall. W. York. Rgt.)
Engraved naming.

Charles Ryall was born in Plymouth on 2 January 1869. He entered the West Yorkshire Regt in May 1890, serving ‘at Home’ till January 1895. He then saw service abroad: Gibraltar up to November 1896, then Hong Kong up to January 1898, Singapore up to February 1899, followed by East Indies to May 1899. He finally served ‘at Home’ till the Regiment set out for South Africa and was mortally wounded on 21 January.

In the published Boer War Diary of Malcolm Riall, the entry for Sunday 21 January reads: “Fight began in real earnest at dawn. Sniping had been going on all night… Ryall and a section advanced about 400 yards in front of position and nearly got wiped out. Captain Ryall wounded in three places and died next morning. Battalion retired at dusk as it was impossible to advance against the Boer fire.”

Captain Ryall was brought out of the line of fire, as reported by Col F W Kitchener (LG, 8 Feb 1901, p950) and died among his men. “Col Sgt Kingsley, when his company was unexpectedly caught by a very heavy crossfire which wounded both his Officers, showed coolness and intelligence in withdrawing his men steadily to cover, and gallantry in bringing his Captain under cover when mortally wounded”.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

Sunday's River, 10 April 1900

“The Boers remained for the greater part of the time very quiescent, and, except for a few affairs of outposts, there was only one break in the monotony of the long period of waiting.

This was on April 10th, when the Boers brought seven or eight field-guns into position on the hills on the left bank of the Sunday’s river, and shelled Elandslaagte camp. Their fire was replied to by long-range guns, and a little musketry fire was exchanged between the reinforced outposts of the 2nd Brigade on the right bank and some Boers on the left bank of the river. Firing was continued most of the day, but with very little effect, Clery’s force suffering seventeen casualties.”
Times History, Vol IV, p169.

QSA (3) Tug H, RoL, Tvl (5108 Pte. T. Peacock, W. Yorkshire Regt.);
KSA (2) (5108 Pte. T. Peacock, W. York. Regt.)

Pte Peacock was slightly wounded at Willow Grange on 23 November 1899.

He was wounded again in the Sunday’s River incident and was sent back to England on 6 July 1900.

At some time during 1901 he returned for service in South Africa entitling him to a KSA with the usual two date clasps.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

Lake Chrissie, 6 February 1901

On the evening of 5 February Maj-Gen Smith – Dorrien’s column camped on the farm Bothwell on the northern edge of Lake Chrissie. Cmdt-Gen Louis Botha’s main aim at the time was to cripple the advance of Smith-Dorrien into the Eastern Transvaal and he decided on a night attack to achieve this and, at the same time, carry off welcome supplies of food, weapons and ammunition.

The British camp was well situated but surprise reigned when some 2000 Boers attacked in pitch darkness just before 03h00 on 6 February. A tremendous fusillade broke out, followed by a rush of galloping hooves through the crowded camp. The horses of the 5th Lancers and ILH had stampeded, throwing the camp into turmoil. The burghers achieved initial success in the wake of the stampeding horses and cut up some of the West Yorks pickets but could not gain a foothold on the slopes and were not able to open direct fire on the main camp situated on a plateau. At 04h30, under cover of the thick morning mist, Botha ordered them to retreat.

The Boer commando suffered about eighty casualties, including Field Cornet Spruyt of the Heidelberg Commando, and the British seventy-five. About 300 horses of the British force were killed or stampeded: this definitely delayed the British advance and gave the Boer commandos time to re-group.

QSA (5) TugH, OFS, RoL, Tvl, L Nek (5064 Pte. A. Middleton, W. Yorkshire Regt.)
Light cleaning scratches.

Pte Middleton (Muddleton on SAFF Casualty Roll) was wounded at Hussar Hill on 18 February 1900. Just under a year later he was killed in the Lake Chrissie night attack. He was entitled to a SA’01 clasp.