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Auction: 24113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 188

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (H. Neville.), good very fine

Approximately 14 Medals issued to Army Scripture Readers (OMRS Journal Winter 1988, p251 refers).

H. Neville served during the Boer War in South Africa as an Army Scripture Reader. The unit still exists today as The Soldiers' and Aviators' Scripture Readers Association and gives more detail into its formation:

'The first definite reference of the organisation we know today as SASRA is from the 7th Annual Report of The Soldiers Friend Society 1845, becoming known as The Soldiers Friend and Army Scripture Readers Society by the end of the Crimean War, so dating the work back to 1838. It does seem certain though that the work began earlier than this and of course other Christian agencies had their own agendas for mission to those in the armed forces.

The objects of the Soldiers’ Friend Society as originally constituted were, briefly—the propagation of the Gospel throughout the army by the distribution of tracts and devotional books; the establishment of Reading Rooms and Libraries; and prayer meetings amongst the men, both inside and outside barracks; without in any way interfering with the denominational liberty of the troops, in fact, the sole object was “to bring our soldiers to a saving knowledge of Christ.'

In 1856 the British Army Scripture Readers Society was formed under a War Office Charter, with Royal Patronage being granted in 1913 by King George V. SASRA HQ today is at Havelock House, Barrack Road, Aldershot.

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Sold for
£170

Starting price
£100