Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Eight: Regimental Sergeant-Major James Ball, Cape Police, late 99th Foot and afterwards a Captain in 10th South African Infantry, who was taken prisoner by the Boers at Hoopstad on 23 October 1900

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (1867 Pte. J. Ball. 99th Foot.); Cape of Good Hope General Service 1880-97, 1 clasp, Bechuanaland (32 Sgt. J. Ball. C. Pol.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Relief of Mafeking, Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State, Transvaal (32 R.Sjt.-Mjr: J. Ball. C.P. Div: 2); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (32 R.S. Mjr: J. Ball. C.P. Dist.2.); British War and Bilingual Victory Medals (Capt. J. Ball); Coronation 1902, bronze; Mayor of Kimberley’s Star 1899-1900, reverse hallmark with date letter ‘a’, with integral top riband bar, light contact marks, otherwise very fine or better and a very fine group (8) £1,800-£2,200

This lot is to be sold as part of a special collection, A Small Collection of Medals to Intelligence and Police Units.

View
Collection

James Ball, following service as a Private in the 99th Foot during the Zulu War, joined the Cape Police seeing service as a Sergeant with the Bechuanaland Field Force in 1897. By the outbreak of the Second Boer War he held the rank of Regimental Sergeant-Major and served throughout the defence of Kimberley and at the relief of Mafeking. He was taken prisoner during a joint operation with a party of Cape Mounted Rifles at Hoopstad on 23 October 1900. The following brief account of the action is taken from the Record of the Cape Mounted Riflemen by Basil Williams:

‘On the 23rd October the column returned towards Hoopstad from the Vaal. During the march fifty Cape Police under Major Berrange were detached to move along the river and cover the right flank, while fifteen C.M.R. under Lieutenant Rolfe were told off to search farmhouses at an interval of half a mile behind the Police. Both forces were in full view of the Boers on the further side of the river, but after leaving the Vaal so as to conform with the main column's march, the C.M.R., losing sight of the Boers, caught up and passed the Police. Then suddenly firing was heard in the rear: Lieutenant Rolfe with his men returning to the Police found both their maxims out of action, and the gunners and horses shot. Dismounting on the right of the Police the C.M.R., though unsuccessful in saving the guns, enabled the survivors of the Police to get clear away; but on turning to their own horses, found that one of the horse-holders, Private Miller, had been shot dead, and most of the horses stampeded. After retiring a short distance, the men lay down and attempted to keep off the Boers by rifle fire, but after Lieutenant Rolfe had been mortally wounded, Privates Hassell and N. Grant shot dead, and Private Knox-Gore wounded, the Boers galloped up and took the rest of the detachment prisoners. In the same engagement the Police had twenty-seven casualties. The Boer Commandant, De Villiers, showed great consideration to the wounded in taking steps to have them properly attended to by their own people, and three weeks later released the prisoners, who had first been taken to Wolmaranstad.’

During the Great War, Ball joined the 10th South African Infantry as a Captain, at Potchefstroom on 30 January 1916. He embarked for service in East Africa on 11 February, and served there until contracting malaria at M’Bugwe in April 1916. He returned to South Africa and after a further period in hospital at Wynburg and was discharged, with 2 months recuperative leave pending, at Durban on 23 November 1916, and released from the service at the end of that year.

Sold with copied research including medal roll extracts and record of service.

For the recipient’s related miniature awards, see Lot 705.