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Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 384

(x) Pair: Acting Quartermaster Sergeant W. Mills, Coldstream Guards

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Driefontein (9648 Sejt. W. Mills, Cldstm: Gds:); Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (B/9648 Sjt. A.C.Q.M.Sjt. - W. Mills. C. Gds.), the first lightly polished and pitted, nearly very fine, the second good very fine (2)

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Driefontein (9648 Sejt. W. Mills, Cldstm: Gds:); Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (B/9648 Sjt. A.C.Q.M.Sjt. - W. Mills. C. Gds.), the first lightly polished and pitted, nearly very fine, the second good very fine (2)



M.S.M. London Gazette 3 June 1919:

'In recognition of valuable Service rendered in connection with the War.'

Walter Mills was born at Westminster in 1871. He enlisted into the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards on 11 November 1893, advancing to Lance-Corporal on 2 October 1894 and Sergeant on 1 December 1898. Stationed at Gibraltar from 10 March 1899, the Battalion embarked for service in South Africa on 27 October that year, arriving at Cape Town on 16 November. Led by Lieutenant-Colonel Codrington, it formed part of Major-General Colvile's 1st Guards Brigade. On 23 November, the Brigade attacked entrenched Boer positions at Belmont (Medal & clasp), assaulting a feature called 'Mount Blanc'. Colvile's subsequent report stated:

'The Battalion came under fire from 'Mount Blanc' at about 800 yards, and Lieutenant-Colonel Codrington, swinging his left round to meet this, became committed to a frontal attack on 'Mount Blanc', which his Battalion accomplished in a very brilliant manner with remarkably little loss. The Battalion's losses were 7 men killed and 1 officer and about 20 men wounded.'

At Modder River (clasp) five days later, the Battalion lay under heavy fire and suffered a further 20 men wounded. It saw heavy fighting at Magersfontein on 11 December, before returning to Cape Town. The Battalion then took part in Lord Roberts' great 'Flank March' into the Boer territory of Orange Free State, which started on 11 February 1900. After liberating Kimberley on 15 February, Roberts turned his attention to Bloemfontein, the Boer capital. A strong Boer force under Christiaan de Wet tried to stop Roberts' advance at Driefontein (clasp) on 10 March. The Boer defence held for several hours before finally breaking. The British force lost 82 killed and 342 wounded. The Battalion spent the rest of the war on garrison duty at Naauwpoort and De Aar.

Mills was discharged at Pirbright Camp on 24 July 1908, his papers describing him as 'a well educated, steady, sober and reliable man.' They also note his tattoos, namely a 'serpent-woman' on his right arm and a 'lighthouse' on his left. He settled at 19 Knoll Road, East Hill, Wandsworth, gaining civilian employment as a Porter. At the outbreak of the Great War, he attested for the 4th Battalion, Coldstream Guards at Windsor on 4 September 1914, becoming Company Quartermaster Sergeant at the Battalion's Depot on 15 March 1915. He transferred to the Reserve Household Battalion on 20 February 1917, and was demobilised on 6 March 1919; sold with copied roll confirmation and discharge papers.




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Sold for
£400

Starting price
£210