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Auction: 17001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 196

(x) 'Advancing from North to South along the ridge forming our support to the front line were large numbers of the enemy. They were quite near, the foremost within a few yards. One fired just cutting my face and wounding the man who had pushed out behind me in the arm, and then threw a bomb into the entrance of the shelter, wounding all the men who were trying to get out … The men were done up ... a number were wounded and others had been buried and dug out during the bombardment. I could hear the enemy digging and pacing about above … '

Lieutenant A. Pinnock, 3rd Battalion, K.R.R.C., describes the moment of his capture at Nieuport les Bains in November 1917.

An impressive Boer War, Natal Rebellion and Great War campaign service group of seven awarded to Lieutenant A. Pinnock, King's Royal Rifle Corps, late Cape Mounted Riflemen and South African Mounted Rifles, who was taken P.O.W. after 3rd K.R.R.C's gallant stand at Nieuport les Bains in July 1917

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Talana, Transvaal, Orange Free State, Defence of Ladysmith (8780 Pte. A. Pinnock, K.R.R.C.); King's South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (8780 Pte. A. Pinnock, K.R.R.C.), the dated clasps loose on riband; Natal 1906, 1 clasp, 1906 (Pte. A. Pinnock, Cape Mtd. Riflemen); 1914-15 Star (Lt. A. Pinner, 2nd S.A.M.R.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. A. Pinnock); Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (No. 131 Cpl. A. Pinnock, 1st Rgt. S.A.M.R.), together with a S.A.M.R. cap badge, surname officially corrected on the first, the three earlier awards with contact marks, generally very fine, the remainder rather better (8)

Alfred Pinnock was born at Thatcham, near Newbury, Berkshire on 1 March 1877 and enlisted in the King's Royal Rifle Corps in September 1894. Originally drafted to the 3rd Battalion, he transferred to the 1st Battalion in South Africa in April 1897, where he joined the newly formed 1st K.R.R.C. Mounted Infantry Company.

Pinnock first saw action at the battle of Talana on 20 October 1899, following which a much fatigued 1st K.R.R.C. Mounted Infantry Company reached Ladysmith. The Company subsequently took part in the town's defence, including the actions at Farquhar's Farm and Wagon Hill, but two months after the arrival of the relief force, he was invalided home.

On returning to active duty in South Africa, he was drafted to the 3rd K.R.R.C. Mounted Infantry, afterwards No. 3 Company of the 25th Mounted Infantry, and he served in that capacity until embarked for England in October 1902 (Queen's Medal & 4 clasps; King's Medal & 2 clasps).

Placed on the Army Reserve, Pinnock enlisted in the Cape Mounted Rifles in England in July 1903 and was subsequently employed in a Maxim detachment in the Natal Rebellion in 1906 (Medal & clasp). Advanced to Corporal in July 1911, and following the disbandment of the Cape Mounted Rifles, he enrolled in the 1st South African Mounted Rifles (S.A.M.R.) in April 1913. Having then been awarded the Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas L.S. & G.C. and commissioned Lieutenant in the same year, he transferred to 2nd S.A.M.R. on the eve of the Great War.

Pinnock entered German South-West Africa with the 2nd S.A.M.R., a component of Northern Force, in September 1914 and remained actively employed in that theatre of war until July 1915. Towards the end of the campaign, the regiment crossed the Namib Desert, described by one officer as 'one of the most awful scenes of desolation to be found on the face of the globe.'

In November 1916, he was granted leave to take up a commission in the Imperial Army and was embarked for England. Appointed a Lieutenant in 3rd Battalion, K.R.R.C., he was embarked for France in the following year. It was in this capacity, as a member of 'D' Company, that he was captured in the Battalion's gallant stand at Nieuport les Bains in July 1917.

Repatriated in December 1918, Pinnock joined 5th (Reserve) Battalion and was demobilised in August 1919. He died at Marden, Herefordshire on 14 January 1951.

Sold with two or three Great War editions of the War Illustrated, one of which includes a special feature on the 3/K.R.R.C's gallant stand at Nieuport; together with an extensive file of copied research from which the above biographical entry has been taken.


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Sold for
£1,400