Four: Private S. G. R. Horsford, 5th (West) Middlesex Rifle Volunteers and City of London Imperial Volunteers, later Army Service Corps

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill (200 Pte. S. G. R. Horsford, C.I.V.) with contemporary top silver brooch bar; British War and Victory Medals (M-319287 Pte. S. G. R. Horsford. A.S.C.); together with a London Borough of Willesden Tribute Medal, silver, gold, and enamel, the reverse engraved ‘S. G. R. Horsford. C.I.V. 5th V.B. W. Middlesex Regt’, with integral ‘1899 South Africa 1900’ suspension bar; together with the recipient’s ‘Queen’s shilling’, 1899, the reverse engraved ‘Corporal S. Horsford, C.I.V., enlisted 1st January 1900’, pierced with small ring for wearing on a fob, minor edge bruise, nearly extremely fine (5) £600-£800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Jack Webb Collection of Medals and Militaria.

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Samuel George Reginald Horsford was born at Shepherd’s Bush, London on 7 August 1876. A clothier’s assistant by occupation, he joined the 5th (West Middlesex) Rifle Volunteers on 12 January 1897, advancing to Corporal before serving in South Africa as a Private with the Infantry Battalion of the City Imperial Volunteers during the Boer War.

After the outbreak of the Great War Horsford attested for the Army Service Corps on 10 December 1915, and was mobilised for duty on 29 January 1917. He served on the Western Front from 18 October 1917, and at one time was attached to No. 11 Canadian Siege Battery, before transferring to Class Z Army Reserve on demobilisation on 13 May 1919.

The Willesden Tribute Medal, Ref. Hibbard A 26, is one of the most attractive tribute medals, and was presented by the Borough of Willesden, Middlesex, to the 53 volunteers from the borough who served in South Africa.