The Jack Webb Collection of Medals and Militaria

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill (555 Pte. L. E. Wilton, C.I.V.) nearly extremely fine £100-£140

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

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Leslie Edwards Wilton was born in 1873 in Stratford, Essex. A civil engineer by occupation, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on 6 May 1891 and joined the Honourable Artillery Company in 1899, serving with the Infantry Battalion of the City Imperial Volunteers during the Boer War. He resigned from the H.A.C. on 2 December 1901 and was re-admitted to the Veteran’s Company on 11 April 1904, resigning once more on 23 October 1911.

At the time of his wedding in December 1901, the following was written: ‘Much interest was taken in the wedding of Mr. Leslie Edwards Wilton second son of the late Mr. Leonard Wilton of Stratford, Essex, and Miss Edith Annie Jones, eldest daughter of Mr. F. J. Jones, J.P., of Treeton Grange, at the Parish Church, Treeton, yesterday afternoon. The usually quiet colliery village rose to the occasion, and testified in some degree, at any rate, to the respect entertained for its chief resident and employer of labour and his family.’ (Sheffield Daily Telegraph 5 December 1901).

Wilton was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Worcestershire Regiment on 22 November 1915 and seconded for duty with a provisional battalion. In civilian life he was the owner of a heating and sanitary engineering business. He died in Hindhead, Surrey, in 1952.