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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (2) Cape Colony, Orange Free State (6286 Cpl. E. L. Jones, Devon: Regt.)

E. L. Jones served with the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment in South Africa during the Boer War, and died of dysentery at Kroonstad on 16 September 1900.

Picture courtesy of Morton and Eden

QSA (5) Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (1976 Pte. W. Badcock, Devon: Regt.)

QSA listed on WO100/174p122. Invalided to England, 29 November 1900.

SAGS (1) 1879;
QSA (5) CC, OFS, Tr, SA01, SA02

Major S Dumbreck, Devon Regiment.

From Britannia Medal Fair, November 2025.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (1) Relief of Ladysmith (3295 Sgt. T. Jones. Devon: Regt.);
Army LS&GC VR, VR, 3rd issue, small letter reverse (3295 Sgt. T. Jones. Devon R.);
Army MSM GV, 3rd issue, coinage head (Sjt. T. Jones. Devon. R.)

Noonan's day approximately 50 Annuity Meritorious Service Medals were awarded to the 11th Foot/ Devonshire Regiment, of which 5 were the G.V.R. coinage head issue.

Thomas Jones was born at Clayhanger, near Bampton, Devon in 1863. A Labourer by occupation he enlisted for the 1st Battalion 11th Foot on 19 November 1880, the following year the title changing to 1st Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment. Stationed at home and in Ireland between 1880 and 1890 he was promoted Corporal in January 1887 and appointed Lance Sergeant in November 1887. The 1st Battalion took part in the Royal Review before H.M. Queen Victoria on 31 May 1889. Posted to the 2nd Battalion at Plymouth he was appointed Officers Mess Sergeant and moved with his battalion to South Wales during the ‘industrial unrest’ on 14 August 1893. Following the suppression of the strikes the battalion returned to Plymouth.

Awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1899, Jones embarked abroad for the first time with the 2nd Battalion bound for South Africa on 20 October 1899. Present at the Battle of Colenso on 15 December 1899, during the early stages of the Relief of Ladysmith, he was invalided home on 29 December 1899. Discharged on the termination of his engagement on 30 August 1902 his discharge records under Special Qualifications ‘Thirteen years Officers Mess Sergeant’, hence him appearing in civilian clothing in battalion group photographs. Obviously making use of his military experience he was subsequently employed as a Mess Steward at the Staff College, Camberley and is recorded as such in both the 1911 and 1921 Census.

He was awarded his Meritorious Service Medal in 1934, and died at Surbiton, Surrey on 1 August 1937, aged 73.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (3) Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, unofficial rivets between state and date clasps (5932 Pte. G. Cove, Devon: Regt.);
Tibet 1903 (0) (5932 Pvt. G. Cove Tel Deptt)

George Cove was born in Clerkenwell, Middlesex in 1877 and he enlisted in London for 7 years’ service with the Devonshire Regiment on 1 March 1900. Embarking for South Africa for service with ‘F’ Company 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, he transferred to the 1st Battalion and was involved in operations in Transvaal between 30 November 1900 to December 1901. Embarking with the 1st Battalion at Durban in SS Armenian on 3 January 1902, they disembarked at Bombay and finally at Rhaniket on 23 March 1902. The battalion paraded to receive their South African War Medals on 22 July 1902.

In July 1903 the 1st Battalion was directed to provide two qualified telegraphists to make up the Telegraph Department for attachment to Colonel Younghusband’s Expedition to Tibet. Privates Cove and Tomkins were selected and attached as Military Telegraphists and both were awarded the silver Tibet Medal 1903-04 without clasp and shown on the Telegraph Dept roll dated Barrackpore 10 August 1905.

Later transferred in India to the 2nd Battalion Shropshire Light Infantry and re-numbered 8179 he died of appendicitis at the Station Hospital, Benares, on 22 May 1911, aged 33 years and 10 months.

Noonan's say the awards relating to the Military Telegraphists with the Tibet Mission 1903-1904 were the subject of an extensive article by Alan Harfield and published in the OMRS Journal Winter 1990