Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Queen’s South Africa Medal awarded to Company Sergeant-Major J. H. Smith, 17th Company, Royal Engineers, who was mentioned in despatches and was awarded a rare dated D.C.M. for gallantry at Langerwachte Spruit on 23 February 1900, during the Relief of Ladysmith

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (17858 C.S.M. J. H. Smith. R.E.) very fine £400-£500

D.C.M. recommendation submitted to the King, 18 April 1901; London Gazette 19 May 1901; details London Gazette 8 February 1901 (Sir R. Buller’s despatch of 30 March 1900)”

‘23 February 1900. 17858 C.S.M. J. H. Smith and 1528 Sapper Trask, 17 Coy., Royal Engineers. For coolness and gallant behaviour when making a sandbag wall across railway bridge at LANGERWACHTE SPRUIT under heavy fire.’

The D.C.M. with edge dated ‘23-2-00’ was presented by the King at St James’s Palace on 25 July 1901, one of only eleven known dated D.C.M.’s awarded during the Boer War. The D.C.M. awarded to Sapper Trask on the same occasion was sold by Dix Noonan Webb in December 1999 and is not dated on the edge.

John Hinde Smith was born at Portland, Weymouth, Dorset, and enlisted for the Royal Engineers at Dorchester on 29 January 1883, aged 20, a stone cutter by trade. He served in India for 10 years 88 days, including the Burmese war of 1885-87 (Medal and Clasp) and on the Hazara expedition of 1891 (Clasp); served in South Africa for 1 year 24 days (Despatches; D.C.M.; Queens medal with 5 clasps). He was also entitled to the L.S. & G.C. medal and was discharged on 28 January 1904, intending to reside at New Brompton, Kent.

Sold with copied discharge papers and other research including medal roll confirmation.