Orders, Decorations and Medals

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (17125 A.B. G. Kewell, H.M.S. Terrible) engraved naming, edge bruising, contact marks, fine £200-250

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Boer War Medals to the Royal Navy.

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George Kewell was born in West Wittering, Sussex on 27 January 1877. A Gardener by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on St. Vincent in January 1893 and was advanced to Boy 1st Class on the same training ship in March 1894. He was promoted to Ordinary Seaman on the Active in January 1895 and Able Seaman on the Royal Sovereign in September 1896. Posted to the Terrible, March 1898-October 1902, he served in the Boer War with the Naval Brigade and was present in the relief of Ladysmith operations. On the same ship he served in the Third China War and was awarded the China Medal with clasp for the Relief of Pekin. Whilst on the ship he was advanced to Leading Seaman in April 1900 and Petty Officer 2nd Class in June the same year. He was promoted to Petty Officer 1st Class when on the Excellent in April 1903. Having been appointed a Chief Petty Officer in 1912, he served throughout the Great War based at Victory I and was demobilized in 1920. Sold with copied service papers and a reprinted photograph of H.M.S. Terrible.