Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 29

(x) Sold by Order of a Direct Descendant

'About six o'clock we came back towards the Camp and it was dark, so we had to take the Camp ground at any price, but the rascals fled when they heard the main body coming; so we slept that night amongst the dead bodies (black and white), so you might know what it was; and, in the morning, to look at the Camp, what a state! 1,000 white men, and 5,000 black men killed! Waggons broke! Bullocks killed! Tents all gone!

It was the most horrid sight that was ever seen by a soldier, dear brother. We were all jovial in Camp together before this sad affair. It was enough to make your blood run cold to see the white men cut open, worst than ever was done in the Indian Mutiny.'

So wrote Private Farrell, who entered the scene of the Battle at the same moment as Private Baker

The rare and well-documented Zulu War Medal awarded to Private G. Baker, 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot, who was posted with 'H' Company on the day of the day of the Battle of Isandhlwana - by a stroke of sheer luck he escaped almost certain death but would have been first on the scene to the massacre, bringing home a grisly memento of that occasion

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1877-8-9 (2416. Pte. G. Baker. 2/24th Foot.), edge bruise, good very fine

George Albert Baker was born on 9 July 1854 at Ticehurst, Sussex, the illegitimate son of Mary Baker. By 1861 he was living with his mother at Bonnicks Cottage, Burwash, Sussex, where she was housekeeper to John Relf. By 1871 he was a labourer, boarding with William Garton and his family at Chipstead, Surrey.

On 14 May 1872, he enlisted in the 24th Regiment of Foot at Reigate - he was to be with his unit during their famed campaign in South Africa.

When the British force under the command of Lord Chelmsford reached Isandlwana on 19 January 1879 they camped, and in the early hours of the 22 January a substantial force left the camp to seek out the Zulu Army and bring them to battle. Baker and three colleagues from 'G' Company went with this force from 'H' Company, leaving the remainder of the Company on guard. After hearing of the Zulu attack, they returned to the camp and found the scene of a massacre. Little more needs to be said of the events of that day but of the 1,800 or so on the British side, over 1,300 did not survive the day. Baker and his three comrades could surely count themselves lucky, but would live with what they had seen for the rest of their days.

In The Red Soldier, Frank Emery quoted Sergeant W. Morley of 'H' Company, penned on 1 February 1879:

'After we arrived at the place where the enemy were supposed to be, there was nothing to be seen. We continued our march in search of them, when our camp was attacked by the [Zulus] in large force, and after four or five hours our force left in camp was cut off and our camp taken, ammunition, stores, tents and everything in the possession of our column, and not a single man of the 2/24th was left to tell the tale. G Company was on out-post duty, left in camp and all were killed except Colour-Sergeant Ross, Privates Jones, Baker, and Etbridge who were out with us.'

Baker served for seven years and 116 days and was thence transferred to the Reserve. He was discharged at Dover on 13 May 1884. He died on 1 March 1920 and is buried at St Thomas a Beckett Church, Brightling.

Sold together with the following original archive:

(i)
A full-length photograph of the recipient in uniform, 565mm x 565mm, framed and glazed, somewhat enhanced, likely by the photographer's studio, of almost exactly the same style as the image of Private O. Hughes of the same Battalion, who was killed on that day (Medal & archive sold in these Rooms in December 2022 - £16,000 Hammer).

(ii)
Zulu assegai head, broken from the shaft, by family repute a relic taken from the field on the day of the Battle, 330mm x 48mm, a truly remarkable object in its own right.

(iii)
Parchment Discharge Certificate.

(iv)
24th Regiment Memorial Card to those who fell at Rorke's Drift.

(v)
Zulu War booklet, published in 1978 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary, together with an article on the life and times of Baker by renowned Zulu War historian Ian Knight.



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

Sold for
£7,500

Starting price
£4500