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Auction: 22103 - Orders, Decorations and Medals VII - e-Auction
Lot: 121

(x) A tragic Queen's South Africa Medal awarded to Lieutenant A. Lascelles, 'T' Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, an Old Marlburian and the grandson of the 2nd Earl of Harewood who died on enteric fever on 16 May 1900 after surviving heavy fighting at Paardeburg and Dreifontein

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Relief of Kimberly, Paardeberg, Driefontein (Lieut. A. Lascelles. T. Bty: R.H.A.), suspension loose, minor contact wear, very fine

Alfred Lascelles was born on 1 September 1873, the fourth son of Ellen and Colonel Walter Lascelles of Norley Bank, Chester. Educated at Marlborough (Mitre House), from September 1887 to December 1890. Entering the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich on 20 March 1891 with the rank of Gentleman Cadet Lascelles was commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on 1 April 1896. Posted to the 77th Field Battery at Coventry the next year in July 1897 he remained here until August 1898 when he joined 'T' Battery, Royal Horse Artillery at Aldershot.

Embarking for South Africa in December 1899 'T' Battery was posted to General French's army in its push to relieve Kimberly. This they did on 15 February 1900 and later in the month brought General Conje's army to bay at Paardeberg. With the Boers surrounded in a defensive laager the artillery played a major role in forcing their surrender, hammering at them with a heavy artillery bombardment. After Conje's surrender 'T' Battery found itself in action again at Dreifontien and with the Boers in retreat they were soon in the Free State Capital of Bleomfontein.

Lascelles however was not to see the end of the war. He fell ill at Bleomfontein with enteric fever and died on 16 May 1900. He is commemorated upon the Royal Artillery Memorial, London and the South African War Memorial in the Marlborough College Chapel; sold together with copied research including medal rolls, census data and an extract from The "Last Post" along with a photograph of the Marlborough College memorial, a former auction listing and several articles on the Lascelles family.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£580

Starting price
£140