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Auction: 19002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 457

(x) A FINE COLLECTION OF AWARDS TO LOCALLY RAISED UNITS WHO FOUGHT IN THE SECOND ANGLO-BOER WAR 1899-1902

Preface

It gives me great pleasure to present this outstanding Anglo-Boer War Collection of Medals, comprising over 300 lots dedicated to local units. In October 1999, under the direction of David Erskine-Hill, Spink produced the hugely successful Anglo-Boer War Anniversary Catalogue - at that time very much a 'first' in terms of style and research for this Department. Almost twenty years later, we are returning to highlight the Anglo-Boer War in a similar breadth and quality.

The Anglo-Boer War remains a fascinating conflict but one that was rapidly overshadowed some twelve years after its end. The events of the Great War of 1914-1918 are known well by most, but innovations such as trenches, Guerrilla warfare and concentration camps apart, the common vein of soldiery runs through the Boer War as in any other armed struggle. In this collection are some emotive testaments to courage, fear and duty. It wasn't only soldiers who were involved, for this conflict saw the largest recorded participation by civilians, men, women and boys, in British military history. Above all else, this collection shows communities rallying, defending their homes, businesses and loved ones, and serving the Crown.

It has been a privilege to research this collection and I hope that you enjoy reading the individual stories, not least the fascinating life of James Douglas Logan, Laird of Matjiesfontein (Lot 486), a pivotal character in South African cricket, who rose from relative poverty to considerable wealth and respect, his leadership and drive an inspiration to us all.

Iain Goodman
June 2019.

THE DISTRICT MOUNTED TROOPS

The rural Cape was not initially in the firing line when the Second Anglo-Boer War commenced on 11 October 1899. It was only when the first phase of the war had come to an end with the surrender of the Boer capitals of Bloemfontein and Pretoria that the enemy resorted to guerrilla tactics in an effort to keep their war effort going and any hope of victory alive. Boer commandos and raiding parties infiltrated the Eastern and Southern Cape in a concerted way to find a way to the sea and, while en route, did all they could to enlist the support of any Boer sympathisers they met along the way.

Such tactics roused the sleepy locals from their torpor and led to the creation of a raft of Town Guards and District Mounted Troops (D.M.T.) in the region. The former were brought into being to do exactly as their title implied - to protect the good citizens of the town and their property from any marauding Boers who might come their way. The D.M.T. on the other hand, as mounted units, were more adventurous with the scope to patrol outside of the towns. As such, they were more likely to encounter Boer foraging parties.




Aberdeen District Mounted Troop

Approximately 95 Medals were awarded to the unit.

Pair: Trooper F. Smit, Aberdeen District Mounted Troop

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (43 Tpr: F. Smit. Aberdeen D.M.T.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Burg. F. H. Smit. 7DE Z.A.I.), severe edge bruising to first, otherwise very fine (2)

Frederick Hendrick Smit was born in 1879 and resided at Main Street, Aberdeen, South Africa, working as a fence wirer. Following service in the Aberdeen D.M.T. in the Second Anglo-Boer War, Smit attested for the 7th South African Infantry on 2 May 1917 but was convicted by Court Martial shortly thereafter for deserting His Majesty's Service. He was sentenced to 42 days' detention at Potchefstroom with forfeiture of pay. However, Smit's service papers note that he challenged this conviction, which was later quashed by the Army Council, who directed that 'all record of conviction should be erased from the documents of the accused who should be relieved from all consequences of this trial'. Smit was later discharged permanently unfit for tropical service and temporarily unfit for non-tropical service on 22 November 1917; sold with copied roll entry and research.

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