The Collection of Medals to Welsh Regiments formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord

An unusual Africa and Great War campaign service group of four awarded to Major E. W. Broackes, Welsh Regiment, a veteran of the Rhodesia 1896 operations who served in the 4th (Glamorgan) Company, 1st Imperial Yeomanry in the Boer War and as a Major in the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment in the Great War - he was taken P.O.W. in May 1918

British South Africa Company’s Medal 1890-97, no clasp, reverse Rhodesia 1896 (Troopr. E. W. Broackes, M.R.F.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen (9891 Cpl. E. Broackes, 4th Coy. 1st Impl. Yeo.); British War and Victory Medals (Major E. W. Broackes), generally very fine or better (4) £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to Welsh Regiments formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord.

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Edward William Broackes, who was born at Risca, Montgomeryshire in January 1874, is confirmed as having served as a Trooper in the Matabeleland Relief Force in the Rhodesia operations of 1896 (Medal). He afterwards appears to have served as a Sergeant in the Monmouthshire Artillery Volunteers.

In June 1900, Broackes enlisted in the 4th (Glamorgan) Company, 1st Imperial Yeomanry and was one of six yeoman kitted out and horsed at the expense of The Western Mail. He subsequently witnessed active service in Cape Colony and the Transvaal, including the action at Wittebergen, and was discharged back in Shorncliffe in early 1901 (Queen’s Medal & 3 clasps).

In November 1914, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the 10th Battalion, South Wales Borderers, but by early 1916 he was serving as a temporary Major in the 3rd Battalion, Welsh Regiment, attached the 23rd Battalion. It was in this latter capacity that he first witnessed active service - on the Salonika front in August 1916 - but he was invalided home on account of malaria and ill-health caused by ‘exposure to weather conditions’. He subsequently passed out of the Senior Officers’ School at Aldershot in late 1917, and was drafted to the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. Duly embarked for France, he was taken P.O.W. at Tramery, near Faverolle on 30 May 1918:

‘I was ordered to withdraw from the position in which we were, and proceeded to carry out instructions by going forward myself with the Headquarters Company ... after proceeding about 100 yards a heavy machine-gun fire was opened on us when seven or eight of the H.Q. party were wounded, and we all dropped in the grass. When I looked up I saw that the enemy were all round us ... ’

Broackes was repatriated via Copenhagen in December 1918 and demobilised in April 1919. He relinquished his commission in October 1920, when he retained the rank of Major; sold with copied research.