Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Boer War D.C.M. group of three awarded to Battery-Sergeant-Major W. Smith, Elswick Battery, 1st Northumberland Volunteer Artillery, 1 of 2 awarded to the Battery

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (2731 Bty: Serjt: Major W. Smith. Elswick Bty:); Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp (117. Ag. Br. W. Smith. L/5. R.A.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 (7183 Bty: S. Major. W. Smith, 1st Nthld: Vol: Art:) mounted for wear, unofficial rivets between 3rd and 4th clasp, last section of unit on QSA impressed in a slightly different style, light contact marks overall, therefore very fine (3) £2000-2400

Provenance: Spink, November 1984.

D.C.M. London Gazette 27 September 1901.

W. Smith served with the Royal Artillery during the Second Afghan War, 1878-80, before advancing to Battery-Sergeant-Major and serving with the Elswick Battery, 1st Northumberland Volunteer Artillery during the Second Boer War:

‘This splendid Volunteer Battery, manned by the 1st Northumberland Volunteer Artillery, did most excellent work throughout a great part of the campaign. They were furnished with six 12-pounder naval quick-firing guns, weight about 12 cwt, on field carriages, the guns and carriages being manufactured by the Elswick firm. These guns and carriages were a present from Lady Meux to Lord Roberts. The battery [consisting of 244 officers and men] landed at Cape Town about the end of April 1900. The battery was for a time in the Orange River Colony with Colonel Hickman’s column, and was then taken to the Transvaal.

In July 1900 this battery and the Canadian Battery were the field artillery of Ian Hamilton’s force, which was on the north or left flank in the eastern advance towards Balmoral, and then was taken north-west of Pretoria towards Rustenburg, and thereafter eastwards again to Belfast. They accompanied General Pole-Carew to Koomati Poort in September 1900, and a portion operated about Rustenburg during October. Six officers and 5 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in Lord Roberts’ final despatch. Two officers [Major H. Scott and Lieutenant H. S. Bell] afterwards got the Distinguished Service Order and 2 men [Battery-Sergreant-Major W. Smith and Sergeant T. Howarth] the Distinguished Conduct Medal.... The weapons of the battery were admittedly very superior in range and otherwise to the ordinary field-gun, and their shooting was often most highly praised.’ (British Regiments in South Africa 1899-1902 by J. Stirling, refers).