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Auction: 18001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 163

(x) 'The behaviour of the volunteers, under all circumstances, was worthy of every praise. Their work was hard and trying, rendered all the more difficult by their having to sleep in the new earthworks in a tropical country. Most of them suffered from fever in consequence. Still they did their duty without a grumble, and never once questioned the authority of their officers. I appreciated their valuable assistance, and shall ever remember them with gratitude and pleasure. Their loyalty made everything so much easier and saved the lives of every one in the Belingwe garrison.

Where all did so well, it would indeed be invidious to mention names, but I cannot pass without mentioning Mr. A. J. Wilson, the late Quartermaster of the Belingwe Garrison, as all the fever-stricken men will remember. Before we had a doctor, Mr. Wilson's presence was seldom absent from the hospital, and to him all of us are indebted for many kindnesses.'

With the Belingwe Field Force, by Major T. D. Laing, refers.

The British South Africa Company's Medal awarded to Lieutenant Quarter-Master A. J. Wilson, Belingwe Field Force, a prominent member of the short-lived and hotly engaged corps

British South Africa Company's Medal 1890-97, for Rhodesia 1896, no clasp (Lieut. Qr. Mr. A. J. Wilson. "E" Troop Belingwe Column), claw tightened and edge nicks, very fine

A. J. Wilson was of Scottish descent and served with distinction during the Matabele Rebellion. His service is taken up by Major T. D. Laing in With the Belingwe Field Force:

'The first intimation we, at Belingwe had of any real danger from a rebellious rising of the natives in Rhodesia was on the morning of the 26th of March, 1896.

About 7.30 a.m., whilst at breakfast, Mr. A. J. Wilson and myself were surprised by a visit from Mr. S. N. G. Jackson, the Acting Native Commissioner at Belingwe, who appeared rather excited. After having been asked to take a seat, he explained to us that he had just received, by a native police runner, a letter from Mr. Fynn, Acting Native Commissioner at Inseza, which he handed to me.'

The letter broke news of the Rebellion. Wilson was despatched to warn the men of the Garrison to ready their rifles. By April, a number of skirmishes had occured around the Garrison, with Trooper V. C.
Beaty-Pownall being wounded by an accidental gunshot wound on 19 April. Despite close treatment by Wilson and an attempted amputation, Beaty-Pownall could not be saved.

Wilson next would have seen action with 'E' Troop. Laing continues:

'Whilst the men were having breakfast (on the 7th), the rebels showed up very boldly on the
most prominent parts of the hill and shouted down to us all sorts of defiant abuse.

As 'E' Troop, under Captain Stoddart, had been pent up in Belingwe for over six weeks, it was only natural that they were anxious to have a brush with the enemy. I sent Captain Stoddart and his men round the south end of the mountain, with instructions to storm the kraals and drive the rebels out of the position on that side. Captain Frankland was sent off with a few mounted men to watch the operations and send in reports as they proceeded. Lieutenant Beisly was sent with 'B' Troop mounted half-way up and about five hundred yards away from the east flank of the hill, to cut off any rebels who might retreat to the bush-covered slopes of the Bungwe hills, which ran parallel to, and about three miles east of, Mazezeteze's. Lieutenant Howe with twenty Cape boys was sent to cut off the retreat on the north end of the position.

As soon as 'E' Troop disappeared round the southern end of the field, the seven-pounder was sent out and Sergeant Perry commenced to shell the positions where the most of the rebels were to be seen. The shells soon made them take cover, and very shortly after a sharp rattle of musketry announced that 'E' Troop was engaged. This lasted for about a quarter of an hour and then a large column of smoke rising from the side of the hill, on which 'E' Troop were at work, showed that the first kraal had been taken and destroyed. This again was followed by a few more clouds of smoke and then the rebels could be seen retreating toward the north end of their position assisted on their way by an occasional shell from the seven-pounder. Information was sent round that the southern portion of the hill had been cleared, and that Captain Stoddart was advancing to attack the northern portion, where the rebels had all located themselves and were compelled to stay and fight it out, seeing that the base of the hill was surrounded by a line of Cape boy skirmishers. The rattle of rifle fire announced the attack of this portion of the enemy's position. Shortly after midday Captain Frankland rode in and reported that the rebels had all been driven into the northern end of the hill, and that without the aid of the seven-pounder it would be impossible to take them out of the position. One man, Trooper Woest, had been shot dead, and was still lying close up to the caves. The gun detachment were sent forward at once, and Sergeant Perry shelled the caves in rotation, until the rebels were shifted from one to another of them, and finally went to earth. Trooper Woest's body was then recovered. A linguist tried to get into conversation with the rebels, offering them their lives and liberty if they surrendered. After many vain endeavours the attempt was given up as the rebels never replied. It was now almost sundown and the troops were ordered back to the laager - 'E' Troop
very much fagged with their hard day's work.'

Later that month, Wilson was charged with leading a column to re-supply the Force, leading the wagons and the detachment of 11 men safely, returning with supplies and despatches. He had travelled along the road between Belingwe and Inseza, meeting Laing at 'Finger Kop', east of Inseza. He resigned his commission on 7 September 1897 and would have likely been on parade later that month to hear Early Grey address the recently-disbanded Belingwe Field Force:

'Men of the Belingwe Field Force, this is the second time I have had the pleasure of addressing you, and thanking you on behalf of the Company which I represent, for the gallant conduct you have displayed in the field on all occasions during the rebellion. I stand by what I have already said to you, men, when I first had the pleasure of meeting you, when you passed through here on your way to the Matojx Mountains; that if every district had stuck together and defied the rebels as you did, the rebellion would never have reached the dimensions it did. You are being disbanded, and to me this is a sure sign that the rebellion is at an end; the force of this fact is brought home forcibly to me, when I see your old commanding officer, standing here without his uniform, and you can retire proudly on laurels that have been bravely won. You have made your district of Belingwe famous, and the white men respected by natives in every part of it. You will now adjourn with me to the Chartered Hotel where we will drink to the future prosperity of Rhodesia and success to its inhabitants in years to come.'

Earl Grey then called for three cheers for the Belingwe Field Force; a call which was responded to heartily by the bystanders, a large number of whom had gathered to see the Corps disband. The men took some light refreshment and handed in all their equipment, and were dismissed; and thus, after a short but brilliant career, the Belingwe Field Force was no more.



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