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Auction: 21103 - Orders, Decorations and Medals e-Auction 4
Lot: 38

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Laing's Nek, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (2443 Pte. J. Foster. L'Pool: Regt.), top clasp loose upon riband, good very fine

John Foster was born at Liverpool in 1870 and was a painter upon his enlistment on 26 April 1888. Having been discharged to the Reserve in September 1894, he was recalled and served in South Africa during the Boer War from 24 March 1900-9 April 1901.

He was captured at Helvetia on 29 December, 1900, (Gazetteer refers), a postal agency and hotel in the South African Republic (Waterval Boven district; Mpumalanga),16 km north of Machadodorp. This was an important coaching station at the then cross-roads of the Lydenburg - (Lake Chrissie) and Pretoria (De Kaap) roads. Helvetia Kopjes (used in HMGIV). The post, based on four koppies, was well entrenched and defended by a mixed force of 344 officers and men with a 4.7-in gun under the command of Major S.L. Cotton, The King's (Liverpool) Regiment. Müller and Viljoen attacked the post on 29 December 1900 with 700 burghers drawn from the Boksburg and Johannesburg commandos and the Johannesburg Police. Immediately Gun Hill was taken and the defenders of two of the other koppies, Middle and South Hills, surrendered. Those holding the fourth koppie, King's Kopje, 47 men of the 1st The King's (Liverpool) Regiment under Lieutenant F. A. Wilkinson defended stoutly and the Boers were forced to withdraw. Two D.C.M.'s were subsequently awarded.

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Sold for
£240

Starting price
£130