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Auction: 26001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 84

The Queen's South Africa Medal awarded to Private G. G. Steed, Royal Marines, who was present with the Bluejackets of Doris at Graspan when Midshipman Huddart won his C.S.C.; and latterly when the men of that ship captured their 'Paardeberg Gun'

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 7 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast (8902 Pte G. C. Steed, R.M. H.M.S. Doris), suspension a little slack, slight edge bruise, very fine and rare

33 Medals & 7 clasps were awarded to the Naval Brigade of H.M.S. Doris.

George Cornelious Steed was born at St. Paul's, Canterbury, Kent on 31 October 1878, he enlisted on 26 January 1897 and was posted to the Portsmouth Division. Posted first to Monarch he transferred from her to Doris in 1898 and was still with her on the Cape of Good Hope Station the following year.

The outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War saw the deployment of Naval Brigades from most of the ships on the station to bolster the flagging regular troops in the region. Doris provided her share led by Captain Prothero, RN, and Captain Marchant, RM, including Steed. They joined Lord Methuen's Column advancing on Kimberley and met the Boer forces under Koos de la Rey at Belmont, driving them from the heights before continuing to advance towards the Modder River.

As they moved along the railway line they found the Boers again emplaced in defensive positions in the Hills. This time they had taken to the heights above Enslin Station, the Graspan Hills, requiring the British to again attack uphill into a storm of fire. The Naval Brigade was stationed of the British right and, led by Major Plumbe, they attacked staunchly into the teeth of Boer fire.

Plumbe was killed along with many of the senior officers whilst Prothero of Doris was wounded, at the head of her contingent was Midshipman Huddart who was twice wounded. In spite of his injuries he continued to lead the men of Doris up the hill until he was struck by a third, mortal, round and in the words of the First Lord of the Admiralty 'at last fell mortally hurt in the moment of victory'. This bravery saw him awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross and additionally made him one of the first Australians killed during the war.

Doubtless a witness to Huddart's actions, Steed survived the battle and went on to serve at Paardeberg. During that engagement the men of Doris' Naval Brigade captured a Boer Pom Pom gun, dragging it some 800 miles back to their ship as a trophy. This same gun was mounted to serve as a memorial to the men of the ship's Naval Brigade who fell during the Boer War, it can still be found in Plymouth.

Steed was deployed again in South Africa during the Defence of Mussel Bay on 24 January 1901. He continued to serve for some ten years before transferring to the Royal Navy as an Officer's Steward Class II on 26 March 1909. Serving in that role for another two years he was finally discharged on 24 March 1911; sold together with copied medal rolls and service papers.

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Estimate
£600 to £800

Starting price
£480