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Picture courtesy of Spink

[ Queen's Sudan ];
QSA (2) Defence of Ladysmith, Belfast (3653 Pte. W. J. Byles. Rifle Brigade.);
KSA (2) (3653 Pte. W. Byles. Rifle Brigade.);
[ Khedive Sudan (1) Khartoum ]

William John Byles was born in 1877 and was native to Lowestoft, Suffolk, working there as a labourer when he enlisted at Great Yarmouth into the Rifle Brigade on 26 March 1895. He saw service in Egypt with the 2nd Battalion.

Byles was discharged on 25 March 1907

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (6239. Pte. G. Gilmour. Rif. Brig.) engraved naming;
British War Medal 1914-20 (6239 A.W.O. Cl. 2 G. Gilmour. Rif. Brig.);
Army LS&GC GV (6239 C. Sjt: G. Gilmour. Rif: Bde:)

George Gilmour was born on 6 January 1879 and attested for the Rifle Brigade on 6 October 1898. He served with the 1st Battalion in South Africa during the Boer War. An Orderly Room Clerk for much of his service, he was advanced Acting Warrant Officer Class II and and saw further service during the Great War with the 6th Battalion on Draft Conducting Duties (entitled to a British War Medal only). Awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 1 July 1917, the following year he was appointed Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant of the 2nd Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Volunteer Battalion. He was discharged on 24 July 1921, and saw further service during the Second World War at the Recruiting Office in Southampton. He died in Parkstone on 1 August 1963.

QSA verified on WO100/210p30

Picture courtesy of Spink

Queen's Sudan (2378 Bglr: H. Stone.2/R.Bde:);
QSA (6) Defence of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek, Belfast, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 (2378 Bugr H. Stone, Rifle Brigade);
Khedive's Sudan (1) Khartoum, unnamed as issued

Herbert Stone was serving with the Rifle Brigade during the Battle of Omdurman before later being deployed to South Africa for service in the Anglo-Boer War. They were rushed up to the front just in time to be trapped in Ladysmith with the rest of the British Army there. The Battalion garrisoned King's Post and Leicester Post to start with before also taking over Observation Post.

After the attack on Lombard's Kop on 8 December Colonel Metcalfe of the Rifle Brigade determined to attack Surprise Hill and destroy the Howitzer there. Five companies of the Battalion moved to attack the position on the night of 10-11 December, Stone amongst them. They achieved surprise but unfortunately there were several delays, the gun was not in its emplacement and had to be located, and after that the first explosive inserted failed to detonate. A second managed to disable the gun but by this time the Boers had massed in sufficient numbers to take on the British raiders.

Encircled the force seemed to be in trouble for a moment however a bayonet charge managed to clear their way. The British saw losses of 12 killed and 36 wounded with 10 taken prisoner, Stone was amongst the wounded although his injury was described as light.

The Battalion was involved in the repulse of the Boer attack on 6 January, sending reinforcements to Caeser's Camp and seeing heavy fighting. With Ladysmith relieved the Battalion joined the advance North into Boer territory, with Stone now well recovered from his wounds.

At Belfast/Bergendal they were part of the initial assault, attacking to the west of the British line towards the Bergendal Kopje. Their attack came in the teeth of heavy rifle and artillery fire but managed to push forward until the Boers withdrew. During the fighting Rifleman Durrant spotted Corporal Weller- who had been knocked down by enemy fire- disorientated and on the ground. He rushed through the fire to his comrade, lifted him and carried him safely back to British lines covering a distance of 200 yards twice under the heaviest fire.

The capture of the Kopje by the Rifle Brigade and Inniskilling Fusiliers forced the Boers to abandon their entire position and quit the field. The Battalion lost 24 dead and 70 wounded including Stone whose injuries at this juncture were described as severe. It is unclear if he was able to continue serving after this point as the medal roll describes him as invalided.

Picture courtesy of Dominic Winter

[ CMG ];
[ DSO GV ];
Queen's Sudan (2nd Lieut. A.R. Harman 2/Rif Bde);
QSA (3) Defence of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek, Belfast (Lieut. A.R. Harman. Rifle Bde);
[ Great War medals ];
Khedive's Sudan (1) Khartoum (2nd Lieut A.R. Harman 2/Rif Bde)

Together with a black and white portrait photograph of Harman wearing Rifle Brigade uniform circa 1913, with a military hat tin by Hawkins & Co, typically finished in black with brass plaque engraved 'A.R. Harman Esq Rifle Brigade', 9 cm high x 32.5 cm wide x 16.5 cm deep, enclosing personal belongings including a Rifle Brigade Officer's astrakhan cap by Hawkes & Co, the front with a corded boss bearing king's crown with a bugle below, with cord and fittings (all loose), lacking plume, the remains of a silver top Rifle Brigade swagger stick, a campaign cutlery set folding knife fork and spoon, each with bone grip, contained in a fitted case and other items

CMG London Gazette: 3 June 1918
DSO London Gazette: 20 October 1916 'For gallantry at Ovillers, France in July 1916', 'for the excellent handling of his battalion, notably when clearing the enemy's trenches with great determination during several consecutive days.'
MID London Gazette: 1 January 1916; 15 June 1916; 4 January 1917; 20 May 1918.

Hammered at GBP 600.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (4) Relief of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (9481 Pte. G. Edmunds, Rifle Brigade.) last clasp loose as issued

George Edmunds was slightly wounded at Chieveley on 5 February 1900.

By sheer luck, I was able to keep these two medals together—they were listed in separate auction lots, but I managed to reunite them before they were parted for good.

James Simpson was born in Birmingham, Warwick, England, in the late 19th century. Though his exact birth date remains unrecorded, he enlisted in the British Army at the age of 18, a young man of medium build with light brown eyes, brown hair, and a scar on his hand—a mark noted in his enlistment papers.

He began his military journey on 1 June 1895, enlisting with the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade; number 3790

His most notable military engagement was in the Second Boer War (1899–1902), where he served in South Africa. Among the key battles during this campaign was Caesar’s Camp on 6 January 1900, part of the larger Siege of Ladysmith. This battle was a major Boer offensive aimed at breaking British defences on the Platrand ridge, a strategic high ground south of Ladysmith.

At 3 a.m., the Rifle Brigade—to which Simpson belonged—heard the furious rattle of musketry from the southern defenses. By 5:30 a.m., they were ordered to send six companies to reinforce Caesar’s Camp, located four miles away. They arrived around 7 a.m., just as the battle intensified. The Rifle Brigade played a critical role in reinforcing the British line and holding the ridge against determined Boer assaults. Their presence helped stabilize the defense during one of the most desperate phases of the siege.

It was during this intense and pivotal engagement that James Simpson was wounded.

James Simpson was officially discharged from his first period of limited engagement on 21 March 1903, finally being discharged on 31 May 1907.