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Pictures courtesy of Spink

MC GV a contemporary copy, reverse engraved "Replica" No. 11776. Coy. Sgt. Maj. A. J. Lodge, 10th. Battn. Duke of Wellington Regt.';
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (3896 Serjt: A. Lodge. W. Riding Regt.);
1914-15 Star (11776. Sjt. A. J. Lodge, W. Rid. R.);
British War and Victory Medals (3-11776 W.O. Cl.2 A. J. Lodge. W.Rid.R.)

Alfred John Lodge was born in 1874 at Romford, Essex, the husband of Emma Haldin of Pines Cottage, Standon Road, Puckeridge, Hertfordshire. A carman by trade, he attested for the West Riding Regiment on 3 October 1893, his papers noting previous service with the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. After four years in the East Indies, Lodge was posted to South Africa from 1 August 1902-9 September 1902, before being discharged at York on 2 October 1909. Re-attesting on 16 September 1914, Lodge was appointed Sergeant and sent to France with the 2nd Battalion, West Riding Regiment, on 26 August 1915. Promoted Warrant Officer 2nd Class on 8 December 1915, a contemporary newspaper article describes the award of the M.C. to Lodge:

'Puckeridge Soldier Decorated with the Military Cross

On the 8th inst. Company-Sergeant-Major A. J. Lodge, M.C., of the West Riding Regiment, who attained the rank of a warrant officer during the present war, was decorated by the King at Buckingham Palace with the Military Cross. His Majesty said he was very proud to have the honour of pinning on the breast such a decoration. In all at this function 15 other soldiers received decorations. This gallant soldier, who has been discharged from the Army owing to disablement, has served 19 years (sic) with the colours. He was awarded the distinction for conspicuous bravery. On March 11th, 1916, at Suchez (sic), he brought in 14 wounded men under heavy machine gun fire, dressed their wounds and sent them to the dressing station. Later in the day he saved 14 men with frost bitten feet from falling into the enemy's hands. On July 9th his heroism was still further marked. After fighting with wonderful pluck and valour he brought in an officer who was mortally wounded under very heavy machine gun fire, and was himself wounded in the back and received such injuries to the spine that eventually led to his discharge from the Army. He holds three medals gained in the Boer War and India. Four of his brothers are in the war now and one was among the 700 heroic Mons veterans who took part in the great Albert Hall commemoration on Saturday last.'



Admitted to Bath War Hospital on 19 July 1916, Lodge was discharged on 22 August 1917 no longer physically fit for war service and was awarded Silver War Badge '258659'. He took employment as the local postman and became widely and affectionately known as 'Grandfather Lodge' amid the gently rolling hills of East Hertfordshire (Flesh - The Great Illusion, the autobiography of Ronald Wright, the grandson of Lodge, refers). In November 1931 his request for a L.S. & G.C. Medal was turned down by Captain V. R. Booth, having served 11 years and 40 days with the colours rather than the required 18 years. A 'very proud old man, he was even prouder when my mother presented him with his first, indeed only, grandson.' (ibid)



Lodge died at Puckeridge around 1956.

pte a cave 4102 west riding

single clasp

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (5) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, South Africa 1901 (Capt. O. Harris. W. Riding. Rgt.) retaining rod between 4th and 5th clasps, edge bruise, good very fine

MID LG 8 February 1901.

Owen Harris was born in November 1863, and was the son of Francis Harris, M.D., of 24 Cavendish Square, London and the Grange, Lamberhurst. Harris was educated at Winchester, and was initially commissioned into the 3rd Battalion, Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment. He transferred to the West Riding Regiment in January 1884, and advanced to Captain in February 1890. Harris served as adjutant of volunteers, February 1892 - February 1898, and held the local rank of Major whilst commanding the 16th Battalion Mounted Infantry during the Second Boer War.

Harris was wounded in action at Klip Kraal, 16 February 1900, and again at Bothaville, 6 November 1900. Major Harris died of enteric fever and pneumonia, 9 October 1901.

I wonder how many times this medal has changed hands in the last thirty years, at least it's description here makes it more attractive.

djb wrote:

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (5) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, South Africa 1901 (Capt. O. Harris. W. Riding. Rgt.) retaining rod between 4th and 5th clasps, edge bruise, good very fine

MID LG 8 February 1901.

Owen Harris was born in November 1863, and was the son of Francis Harris, M.D., of 24 Cavendish Square, London and the Grange, Lamberhurst. Harris was educated at Winchester, and was initially commissioned into the 3rd Battalion, Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment. He transferred to the West Riding Regiment in January 1884, and advanced to Captain in February 1890. Harris served as adjutant of volunteers, February 1892 - February 1898, and held the local rank of Major whilst commanding the 16th Battalion Mounted Infantry during the Second Boer War.

Harris was wounded in action at Klip Kraal, 16 February 1900, and again at Bothaville, 6 November 1900. Major Harris died of enteric fever and pneumonia, 9 October 1901.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

Vlakfontein, 12 January 1901

Some 300 Boers attacked a supply convoy moving from Vlakfontein to their camp at Rhenosterkop, east of Pretoria. The escort under Captain F Thomas consisted of 20 of his own men (NSW Citizen’s Bushmen) and 53 men from the West Riding Mounted Infantry.

After a four-hour engagement, in which the Bushmen lost one man with another mortally wounded and the West Ridings one man killed, the party surrendered.

At the Court of Enquiry, it emerged that most of the West Ridings had just been discharged from hospital, had been drinking and had few rifles and little ammunition. The defence of the convoy fell on the Bushmen and the West Ridings surrendered of their own volition once they ran out of bullets.

The Boers overran the West Riding positions and the Bushmen had to surrender also.
“Shoot Straight, you Bastards” by Bleszynski, p223.


QSA (5) RoK, Paard, Drief, Tvl, SA01 (5373 Pte. W. Jackson, W. Riding Regt.)
Rim nicks. Date clasp loose on ribbon; late issue.

Pte Jackson was severely wounded in the Vlakfontein debacle.

In “Australia’s Boer War” by Craig Wilcox (p162) a different version of the incident is given in which Captain Thomas is blamed for the surrender:
“The first drive to be conducted, as Kitchener intended, burned its way across the eastern Transvaal from the end of January 1901 to the middle of April. It was a response to a month of raids by Botha and Viljoen on railway stations, outposts, and convoys, including the seizure near Bronkhorstspruit station of thirteen wagons, a thousand sheep, and £1000 in soldiers’ pay after the leader of the convoy’s escort, Captain James Francis Thomas of the New South Wales Citizen Bushmen, had surrendered without good reason to a smaller number of Boers.”