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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 649

(x) Seven: Sergeant W. Edwards, King's Royal Rifle Corps, who was taken Prisoner of War at Blood River Poort on 17 September 1901 and severely wounded in the Great War

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (1942 Pte. W. Edwards, K.R.R.C.); King's South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (1942 Corpl: W. Edwards. K.R.R.C.); 1914 Star, with clasp (1942 L. Cpl. W. Edwards, 2/K.R. Rif. C.); British War and Victory Medals (1942 Sjt. W. Edwards, K.R. Rif. C.); Jubilee 1935; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (1942 L. Cpl. W. Edwards, K.R.R.C.), light contact marks, otherwise good very fine (7)

William Edwards served in South Africa with the Mounted Infantry Section of the 3rd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps. He was captured following Major Hubert Gough's crossing of the Buffalo River, when, in attempting to surprise 300 Boers who had dismounted at a farm near Blood River Poort, his force was itself surprised, this time by 700 Boers under Louis Botha; the latter's mounted attack completely swamped Gough's outnumbered force, resulting in four officers and 19 other ranks killed and two officers and 19 men wounded. A further six officers and 235 men, including William, were captured and stripped of their weapons and most of their clothing.

Following the outbreak of the Great War, William saw brief service in France but was invalided home sick, where he stayed on home service at various depots until September 1918. He gradually regained his health and served once more in France from 27 September 1918 but received a severe wound to the right foot on 17 October which ended his war, being invalided home for a second time.


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Sold for
£400