Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Warrant Officer Class II M. Smyth, Royal Field Artillery, who witnessed considerable action during the Siege of Ladysmith from 2 November 1899 to 28 February 1900

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast, Orange Free State (11939 Bomb: & Cr: Mkr: M. Smyth. 53rd. Bty: R.F.A.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (11939 Bomb: -Clr: -Mkr: M. Smyth. R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (11939 Sdlr: Q.M. Sjt. M. Smyth. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (11939 W.O. Cl. 2. M. Smyth R.A.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (11939 Sd: Q.M.Sjt: M. Smyth. R.F.A.) minor contact marks to the Boer War pair, these nearly very fine, the remainder good very fine and better (6) £260-£300

Matthew Smyth, a saddle and harness maker, was born in Dublin in 1877 and enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery on 6 November 1895. Initially posted overseas to India on 23 September 1896, he passed a class of Instruction as Collar maker at Cawnpore on 13 July 1899 and was subsequently transferred to South Africa with the 53rd Battery from 19 September 1899 to 8 October 1902; heavily engaged during the Siege of Ladysmith, Smyth’s Battery was commended by Sir George White for a ‘well carried out’ reconnaissance of Boer positions on 7 December 1899. On 6 January 1900, the guns of the 53rd inflicted heavy losses on the enemy at the Klip River Flats, the Battery Commanding Officer, Major Abdy, being mentioned in Sir George White’s despatch of 23 March 1900, 1 of approximately 10 ‘mentions’ to the 53rd during the campaign.

Advanced Saddler Quartermaster Sergeant 16 October 1912, Smyth went on to witness further active service in France from 21 December 1914. Transferred to Salonika from January 1916 to January 1918, he was discharged upon termination of his second period of engagement on 23 February 1918 and returned home to his wife who was living at 78 Princess Street, Rusholme, Manchester.

Sold with original flattened named box of issue for 1914-15 Star with corresponding Record Office letter; O.H.M.S. envelope of transmittal bearing the above address; and copied research.