Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Queen’s South Africa Medal awarded to Private J. Smith, Northamptonshire Regiment, who served as a underage soldier during the Boer War, transferred to the Royal Marine Light Infantry whilst still underage, and was discharged with ignominy for theft, assault, and lack of discipline, forfeiting his Medal in consequence.

Directionless, angry, and homeless, Smith went on to hustle a titled Lady on Brompton Road and wasn’t shy in publicly expressing his disdain towards those who had come into wealth through means other than work

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (5488 Pte. J. Smith, 2: Nthptn: Regt.) edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine £160-£200

John Lewis, alias John Smith, was born in London on 6 January 1885. His military service trail is particularly complicated, but he attested for the Northamptonshire Regiment when aged around 14 years and served with the 2nd Battalion in South Africa, recorded on the rolls as entitled to the Queen’s South Africa Medal, with clasps for Belmont, Modder River, Orange Free State and Transvaal, and the King’s South Africa Medal with the two date clasps.

Returning home to England, Smith attested for Royal Marines on 11 August 1902 (No. 11716), spending a short time at Deal before joining the Plymouth Division on 30 April 1903. Noted as ‘under age’ on his Service Record, his conduct was rated as ‘good’ at 18 years of age, but he fell from grace in April 1904 when he was convicted by District Court Martial of theft and dismissed. Fuelled by anger and feelings of unfairness, Smith returned to London and was immediately caught in the act of attempting to rob a lady in one of the wealthiest parts of the West End.

The Daily Telegraph & Courier of 13 April 1904 describes the scene:
‘Dismissed with Ignominy,
John Lewis, alias Smith, a young man, formerly in the Royal Marine Light Infantry from which he was dismissed with ignominy, was again charged, at Westminster, with snatching a purse, containing between £3 and £4, from Lady Blanche Humphreys of Thurloe-square, S.W., at Brompton-road. Lady Humphreys was out shopping, and prisoner suddenly rushed at her and snatched at her satchel containing her purse. The chain broke, and he ran off, but a young man pursued and handed him over to the police. Prisoner, in an insolent manner in court, said he considered he had as much right to the property as the lady, as she did not earn it.
Detective-sergeant Ferrett said prisoner had three years’ penal servitude for striking his superior officer and for insubordination whilst in the service. His character was described as very bad, but he had most artfully written over and cleverly altered his discharge certificate by erasure and addition so that it read “conduct exemplary”.’

The above reference to altering his discharge certificate is confirmed in the recipient’s R.M.L.I. service papers. Equally, both rolls for the Boer War Medals confirm their forfeiture, and that for the K.S.A. dated 4 June 1908. As one might expect, the Q.S.A. Medal was never returned to the military authorities - indeed, the reliable trail for John Smith or John Lewis goes somewhat cold. Recorded as homeless in the Fulham Chronicle on 15 April 1904, it seems likely that the recipient was repeatedly admitted to various London workhouses between 1907 and 1913, based upon the records of a John Lewis, born in 1885, London.