The Collection of Medals Formed by The Late John Hillard
506
An interesting Defence of O’okiep Medal awarded to Private A.
Cameron, Namaqualand Town Guard, son of one of the first white
settlers in that region
CAPE COPPER COMPANY MEDAL FOR THE DEFENCE OF O’OKIEP, bronze issue (R.
Cameron), light scratching over naming, otherwise good very fine
£1000-1200
In discussing the background to the relevant award in the introduction to his
definitive history O’okiep, Brian Kieran cites the following story by way of
illustrating how some of the recipients received their Medals:
‘An old Cape coloured man who had been employed as a miner during the siege,
said he was given the O’okiep Medal with his pay packet when he collected it at
the pay office. This coloured man had been living near Cape Town and was a
patient of that doyen of South African medal collectors, the late Dr. Frank
Mitchell. He had been working in the mine during the day but at night, together
with others, he took up his rifle and 120 rounds of ammunition and did guard
duty on the perimeter. His medal is named to “R. Cameron” because his father
had been one of the first whites in Namaqualand and when asked about his
mother he replied in colloquial Afrikaans: “My ma? Nee, my ma was sommer ‘n
gewone ou Hotnot!” ......’
507
ANGLO-BOER WAR MEDAL 1899-1902 (Burgher P. J. J. Botha), together with
a Z.A.R. cap badge, good very fine (2)
£80-100
Petrus Johannes Jacobus Botha served in the Pretoria Commando under General
Louis Botha from October 1899 until August 1901, when he was captured and
sent to St. Helena as a P.O.W. He had earlier seen action at Ladysmith, Laing’s
Nek and Kameel-poort. On his return from St. Helena in 1902, he settled in
Pretoria North and was issued with his Anglo-Boer War Medal on 2 August 1941
- accompanying letter from South African Defence Forces H.Q. refers.
508
The Boxer Rebellion Medal awarded to Private W. Turner, Royal
Marine Light Infantry, who was commended for his services at the
defence of the Legations
CHINA 1900, 1 clasp, Defence of Legations (Pvte. W. Turner, R.M.L.I.),
with old silver riband buckle and brass ‘R.M.L.I.’ badge, cleaned and
lacquered, edge bruising and contact marks, good fine or better
£6000-8000
William Turner was born in Bexley, Kent and enlisted in the Royal Marine Light
Infantry in May 1890.
Embarked for China in H.M.S. Centurion in March 1899, he subsequently formed
one of the guard at the famous defence of the British Legation at Pekin during
June-August 1900. During the siege the Royal Marine contingent, under Captain
L. S. T. Halliday, sustained casualties of around 30 killed or wounded, the
Captain being among the latter as a result of his magnificent V.C.-winning
exploits during the determined Boxer attack of 24 June, on which occasion
another 20 or 30 Marines were present with him. And it is worth speculating that
Turner was one of them given the subsequent letter of commendation he
received from the Admiralty (A.L.N. 15219 of 6 December 1900 refers). Be that
as it may, his Medal and “Defence of Legations” clasp was one of only around 80
issued to the Royal Marine Guard, his own award being sent to him on 14 June
1905 (ADM 171/55 refers).
Turner returned to the U.K. in August 1901 and was discharged that November,
his intended place of residence being ‘Rookery Farm, Cobham, Kent.’
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191