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Auction: 22101 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 83

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1901 (23715 Pte. A. E. Smith. C.C.C.C.), good very fine

Cape Colony Cyclists Corps

'This corps was raised at the end of December 1900, and in the first week of January 1901, when the enemy were penetrating to within easy distance of Cape Town, they were sent to occupy Pickaneer's Kloof. They just managed to arrive in time. Although fiercely attacked on the 28th, and losing 4 killed and 23 wounded, including Captain Rose, they held on to the positions commanding the pass. This was a most promising beginning, and during the next seven months the corps did much excellent work. By the middle of February the corps was 500 strong, their commander being Major Owen Lewis. They were much split up, sections being attached to many columns, both in Cape Colony and the Orange River Colony. The fine work of those with De Lisle and Bethune, when they were in Western Cape Colony and afterwards in the north-east of the Orange River Colony, was several times spoken of. In a telegram from Calvinia, dated 8th February 1901, the Press Association correspondent who was accompanying Colonel De Lisle said: 'Very valuable assistance was given our force by a section of the Cape Town Cyclist Corps under Captain Rose last week. We were cut off from all telegraphic communication, and Colonel De Lisle relied upon them exclusively for the purpose of despatch riding, a duty which they performed admirably'. And again of the 24th he said: 'The comprehensive manner in which the country has been scouted by Colonel De Lisle is largely due to the mobility and enterprise of the Cyclist Corps, who have done excellent work as scouts and despatch riders' (The Colonials in South Africa 1899-1902, John Stirling, refers).

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Sold for
£95

Starting price
£50