Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 24111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 434

The superb and well documented Victorian campaign pair awarded to Private A. Nay, Middlesex Regiment, who kept a rare diary of his service in South Africa and was later killed in action during the Great War on 25 April 1915 at Zonnebeke

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing's Nek, Cape Colony (3111 Pte A. Nay. Middlesex Regt); King's South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (3111 Pte A. Nay. Middlesex Regt), unofficial rivet to the top clasp on the first, light contact marks, otherwise very fine (2)

Alfred Nay was born at Bethnal Green, London and listed service in the Militia with the 4th Middlesex Regiment. Attesting with the Middlesex Regiment on 7 January 1891 he was posted to Gibraltar between 20 September 1892-30 March 1894, before returning home. Transferring to the Army Reserve on 4 June 1896 he was remobilised under Special A.O. of 11 November 1899 on 13 November 1899.

Posted to South Africa on 2 December 1899 the Battalion saw heavy fighting at Spion Kop on 24 January 1900. They were again in action at Alleman's Nek where they saw significantly less losses, storming the hill to the right of the Nek. One extract from Nay's diary, written in January 1900 gives a good account of the kind of fighting they faced, stating:

'All at once we heard a shout for reinforcements away to our right, we immediately went to the rescue & found a large force of Boers had got very near to the top of the hill where it was not very steep, they had some splendid cover, & as our firing didn't have much effect our captain gave the order to fix bayonets, which the troops heartily responded to & when all was ready he gave the order to charge, with a cheer we dashed forward our Captain being about the first to get shot, getting hit in the neck, but there was no stopping us though we were under a heavy fire, which was doing considerable damage, untill [SIC] we had completely routed the Boers, so getting a bit of our own back, we then got behind cover where we found our Captain, looking a bit dazed, he had lost a lot of blood, & we persuaded him to see the doctor, but he said he was going to see the thing through & standing up, was going to look through his glasses, when he was immediately shot dead, with a second bullet in his head, we had scarcely laid him at one side when a party of Boers were seen coming towards us, without their rifles, & holding their hands above their heads, when they got to within hearing distance, they asked us to lay down our rifles, & they would surrender, some of our men done so, quite forgetting their treachery, but no sooner had they laid down their rifles, when the party of Boers dropped down, & a strong force sprang up from behind out of some carefully concealed trenches, & before all the troops could recover their arms, they were upon us, but we fought hard, until we were reinforced, which made the Boers, retire in a hurry, it was quite a treat to help them along with our bits of steel, we lost a lot of men, but the Boers suffered worse, we then retired behind cover, as the shots started flying pretty thick, but it was heart rendering to hear the wounded crying out for water & having none ourselves could not help them.'

Returning to Britain on 26 August 1902 Nay was discharged on 6 January 1903. With the outbreak of the Great War he again attested at Brentford with the Middlesex Regiment on 31 August 1914, being first posted to Gibraltar on 10 September 1914, returning to Britain on 15 February 1915. Embarking on the S.S. Empress Queen at Southampton on 8 March 1915, he entered the war in France on 9 March 1915 and the same day he was promoted to Corporal in the field.

Nay was killed in action on 25 April 1915 at Zonnebeke during the Second Battle of Ypres, the Battalion War Diary States:

'Enemy begin shelling about 10am. B in new support trench began to suffer from shrapnel fumes about 11am but H[...] to General Orders circulated previous day men were kept fit by cold water douches. About 11.30 a direct shrapnel burst in the trench practically wiped out No.6 platoon and made the trench an absolute shambles. About noon the shrapnel suddenly ceased and whilst we were still bring with wounded news came that the enemy had walked into the firing trench through the parts blown to pieces by trench mortar and where Surreys stupefied by shrapnel fumes 'B' Coy was immediately ordered along the communication trench, A Coy sent for & C.O. Surreys at dug out notified by messenger. On arrival B at end of communication trench it was found the whole of the left [...] No 25 was occupied by Germans who emerged into the open to begin to envelope our left at the same time Germans were seen on the right it was realised we were almost surrounded. At this point about 1pm A Coy arrived and reinforced B right to surround the open.'

Nay is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial as well as the 1914-1919 War Memorial, St.Lawrence's Church, New Brentford.

Sold together with a rare hand written account of his Boer War service written after the war and taken from original transcripts of the time. This begins from him receiving orders to mobilise on the evening of the 13 November 1899 and leaving for South Africa on 2 November 1899. It details various skirmishes, lack of food and general circumstances with some detail surrounding the conflict. It concludes on the 3 July 1902 noting him waiting to return to England.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£700

Starting price
£240