A Fine Collection of Queen's South Africa Medals to Scout Units

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lt. G. H. Cawston, Namaqualand. Border. S.) officially engraved naming, nearly extremely fine £200-£240

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Queen's South Africa Medals to Scout Units.

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Haworth G. Cawston served with the Namaqualand Border Scouts from 5 July 1901 until 13 December 1901. The medal roll notes that he was dismissed by Field General Court Martial but that the decision of F.G.C.M. was quashed by the Judge Advocate General. His medal was issued in December 1907.

This corps, about 360 strong, was almost wholly recruited from half-castes. In the words of a British officer who, although not belonging to them, saw much of their work, "they were an excellent force, which did a great deal of hard patrol work under Colonel White, and had several stiff brushes with the enemy. They were conspicuous for consistently refusing to surrender when surrounded, as patrols were at times. They would keep up a fight till dark, and although half of them were killed the survivors of the party would escape. They made wonderful marches without water in their desert country". The work of the regiment was very similar to that of the Border Scouts. The corps was employed in their own district in 1901 and 1902, and had the good fortune to be part of the garrison of Ookiep when that town was besieged in April 1902. The force which held the town made a most excellent defence, and were complimented by Lord Kitchener.

Sold with copied medal roll extract.