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My thanks to Mark Reid for pointing out the QSA in the next Baldwin sale on 5 Jun 13. There is an excellent selection of Boer War medals and I would like to thank Caroline Newton for the permission to reproduce their images.

Group to Col H F Coleridge, 1st LNLR:



Hugh Fortescue Coleridge was born on the 11th of January 1858 in Cadbury, Thorverton, and was the son of Reverend Canon F J Coleridge.

Having been passed asa Cadet at the Royal Military College in 1879, he was commissioned into the 47th Foot 22 January 1879 and served for a period of 2 years in Gibraltar before spending some 8 years in the East Indies. He was promoted to Captain on the 1st of July 1887 and was Adjutant with the 1st Volunteer Battalion Loyal North Lancs from the 1st of May 1893 to the 1st of November 1898. After a period of home service, Major Coleridge served in the Second Boer War between 1899 and 1902 as Provost-Marshal and also performed the duties of Intelligence Officer to a column. He took part in the advance on Kimberley with the 1st Battalion Loyal North Lancs, including actions at Belmont, Enslin, Modder River. During this battle, he led his men across the river (as mentioned in Conan Doyle’s ‘The Great Boer War’) shouting “Now, boys, who’s up for otter hunting?” as he jumped first into the water. During the climax of the battle, his qualities came to the fore, as outlined by Maurice’s ‘History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902’:

“...They were so closely pressed by the enemy’s musketry that, in order to cover the retreat, two officers, Major H F Coleridge, North Lancashire, and Captain T Irvine, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, each with ten or eleven men of different battalions, threw themselves into farmhouses, which they stubbornly defended until, many hours later, after their detachments had suffered severe loss, they wereordered to evacuate their posts.”

Following this action he was present at Magersfontein; operations in the Orange Free State, April to May 1900; operations in the Transvaal, west of Pretoria, July to 29 November 1900, including actions at Lindley and Renoster River; operations in Cape Colony, north and south of Orange River, 1899 to 1900; operations in the Transvaal, 30 November 1900 to 31 May 1902. He was mentioned in Despatches and then awarded the DSO in September 1901, being invested by the King 24 October 1902. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on the 1st of June, 1906; and commanded the 1st Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He was given the Brevet of Colonel on the 1st of June, 1909, and retired a year later on the 1st of June, 1910, with the rank of Colonel. Colonel Coleridge served in the Great War, 1914-18, and was created a CBE in 1919. He married, in 1906, Kathleen, eldest daughter of Rear Admiral J H Bainbridge and of Mrs Bainbridge, of Elfordleigh, Plympton, and they hadfive sons. He died at Langstone, Tavistock, on the 17th of April 1928.

Group to Bombardier George Day, RA



Bombardier George Day was born c.1878 in St Leonards, Exeter, Devon, and attested for service with the Royal Artillery on the 4th of October, 1898, at Fort Rowner, Gosport, having previously worked as a Butcher. He served with the Royal Artillery in the Boer War, and was posted to the 1-Pounder Maxim Battery on the 10th of February, 1900. At the end of the Boer War, he continued to serve with the Royal Artillery, later serving with the 3rd Depot, RGA, as of the 1st of December 1903. He reached the rank of Corporal before he was convicted of Felony and discharged in 1909, having served for nearly 11 years with the colours.

DoL DCM to BSM W J Bell, 67th RFA



BSM W J Bell served with the 67th Battery, RFA during the Boer War. This Battery served with distinction at Talana and during the Defence of Ladysmith, where its guns played a key role in silencing the Boer artillery pieces which had been causing much damage. BSM Bell is confirmed as having died of disease at Dundee on the 27th of June 1901.

David

My thanks to you and Baldwins for sharing these outstanding medal groups.

Regards
Brett

I have to agree with Brett.....

Many thanks to Baldwin's for allowing the posting of the information and pictures....

Now must go and visit the Bank Manager.....

Just makes you shake your head a little, City Coins, Kaplan's and Baldwins,like the old saying When it Rains it Pours.....

Mike

Mike, Brett - Agreed!

David