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From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

QSA (1) CC (2721 Pte. H. Wallace, 1st Suffolk Regt.)

The 1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment arrived at the Cape on 28 November 1899 and were sent to assist General French in the Colesberg district. After the battalion had been in the colony for about a month, they entered on an enterprise which was to prove most disastrous.

In the early morning of the 1st January the Berkshires had successfully assaulted a hill forming part of the Colesberg defences. On the 4th the Boers had been driven from other hills, but there was still another hill—Grassey or Suffolk Hill—on the north-west portion of the defences which General French considered to be the key to the position.

On the 5th it was carefully reconnoitred, and the possibility of its capture was discussed with Colonel Watson. General French (Despatch of 2 February 1900) stated:

“I gave him a free hand to rush the position at night if he saw a favourable chance, but he was to inform me and all the troops in his neighbourhood of his intention to do so. I heard no more, but left Rensburg at 2am and reached the Colesberg position shortly before dawn. At dawn we heard sharp musketry-fire in the direction of Grassey Hill. I directed Colonel Eustace to get his guns into position to assist the attack which I thought Colonel Watson must be making. The artillery got into action at once against the Grassey Hill defences, but in a few minutes, I received news that nearly 300 men of the Suffolk Regiment had returned to camp, having received an order from ‘someone’ to retire.”

General French furthermore “considered that Colonel Watson and his four companies would have attained success had the majority of his men not been seized with panic and retired.”

The Colonel and another 3 officers and 25 men were killed, and 1 officer and 23 men were wounded; 5 officers and over 100 men were taken prisoners. Night attacks are proverbially dangerous. Here the enemy had been found on the alert, and a murderous fire had been poured into the troops before they could get in with the bayonet or take cover.
“Our Regiments in South Africa” by Stirling.

Although the SAFF Casualty Roll initially indicated that Pte Wallace was “Missing” after the attack of 6 January, it was later established that he was killed. He is buried in Colesberg.

Pictures courtesy of DNW

QSA (4) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 (6776 Pte C. Wicks. Suffolk Regt.) edge bruising;
[ 1914-15 Star ];
BWM and VM with MID oak leaves (1100 A. Sjt. C. Wicks. M.F.P.);
Defence Medal;
Army LS&GC GV 1st issue (7681142 Pte. C. Wicks. MMP.) mounted for display, attempt to erase rank on last

C. Wicks served during the Great War with the Military Mounted Police in the French theatre of war from 18 December 1914.

Sold with MID Certificate, dated 9 March 1919; and 2 photographs of recipient in uniform, one of which in a pub with other soldiers celebrating.

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (5595 L. Corpl: J. Edwards. Suffolk Regt.)

Verified on WO100/174p439

Picture courtesy of DNW

DSO GV, silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar, in its R & S. Garrard & Co case of issue, the inner silk lining with ink inscription, ‘With love to my wife 1914’;
QSA (4) South Africa 1901, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (6587 Pte. S. J. Steward, Vol. Coy. Suffolk Regt.) clasp carriage block loose on ribbon and mounted in order listed;
1914 Star, with clasp (Capt: S. J. Steward. R.A.M.C.);
BWM and VM with MID oak leaves (Major S. J. Steward.)

DSO LG 1 December 1914:

‘Went with a party of stretcher-bearers across ground swept by rifle and shell fire to Langemark village, and removed 11 wounded men.’

The War Diary of No. 1 Field Ambulance for 25 November 1914 states: ‘Captain Steward on his return from Langemarck stated he collected eleven wounded of the Welch Regt. there, east of the village - just to the right of his position, he found 22 bodies in a heap, all dead - the position was too exposed, just behind the trenches, to remove identity discs as sniping and shell fire was going on, but a Corporal Maxwell of the Regt. who (with Ptes. Evans & Ruderick) had stood by in the village for medical aid) recognised some of the bodies & identified them. The wounded were carried by the six stretcher squads sent to the village where they were dressed in a cottage & removed then by 3 ambulance wagons I had sent out to follow Capt. Steward as far as the village of Langemarck.’

Captain Steward was decorated by the King in person on 3 December 1914, on the occasion of H.M.’s visit to the Expeditionary Force.

MID LG 17 February 1915 (Field-Marshal French’s despatch of 20 November 1914).

Sidney John Steward was born at Worcester in 1879, son of John A. Steward, JP He was educated at Cathedral King’s School, Worcester; Downing College, Cambridge, and St Thomas’s Hospital, London.

Served as a combatant in the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, in the South African War, 1899-1901.

He served in the European War from 17 August 1914, was present at the retreat from Mons; advance on the Marne and Aisne; Ypres, 1914; Loos, 1915 (with No. 1 Field Ambulance, 1 Division until March, 1916); Medical Officer, No. 5 Infantry Base Depôt, Rouen; Senior Medical Officer, Paris (March, 1917); Second-in-Command, 24th Field Ambulance (8th Division) (October, 1917), and with this unit (Acting Major, January 1918) at Villers Bretonneux, March, 1918, and retreat to Marne, 1918; O.C., 31st Motor Ambulance Convoy (June, 1918), and with this unit (8th Corps) in advance during October, 1918, reaching Mons on Armistice Day, 1918.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (5326 Pte. G. Sole, 1st. Suffolk Regt.) edge bruising
SA01 and SA02 listed on WO100/174p243

George Sole was born in March, Cambridgeshire, in 1880 and attested there for the Suffolk Regiment, having previously served in the Regiment’s 4th (Militia) Battalion. Posted to the 1st Battalion, he served with them in South Africa during the Boer War from 31 August 1900 to 14 March 1902.

After further service with the 2nd Battalion in India from 5 March 1902 to 26 October 1906, he transferred to the Army Reserve on 12 June 1907, and was discharged on 12 June 1911, after 12 years’ service.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (2) Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (3547 Pte G. Lane. Suffolk Regt)

George Lane was born Ely, Cambridgeshire in 1875. Enlisting with the Suffolk Regiment on 3 June 1893 he was posted to the 1st Battalion. Posted to Burma Lane was stationed at Rangoon in 1893 when he was caught breaking out from the Barracks on 11 June 1897, later transferred on to Quatta in 1901. The Regiment was sent on to South Africa for service in the Boer War, here they saw action in Transvaal with General French's column, notably half of them were present for the push from Barberton to Machadodorp. Leaving South Africa Lane remained with the Regiment until 10 February 1905 when he was discharged to the Army Reserve. Leaving the Reserve at Gosport on 3 May 1912 Lane returned to civilian life.

Returning to the colours on 28 August 1914 he was posted first to the 3rd Battalion Suffolk Regiment before joining the 2nd Battalion in France on 7 October 1914 (Medals and Star). Lane was wounded in action on 19 November 1914 but survived and continued with the unit which saw heavy fighting throughout 1915 and 1916 including the Battle of Albert during the Somme Offensive. He remained with the Suffolk Regiment until 22 November 1916 when he was declared unfit for frontline service and permanently depot posted. He was finally demobilised on 9 March 1919.