Three: Private G. Tomkin, Royal Sussex Regiment, killed in action at Abraham’s Kraal in January 1902

India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (3488 Pte. G. Tomlin, 2d Bn. Ryl. Suss. Regt.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen (3488 Pte. G. Tomlin, 1st Rl. Sussex Regt.); King‘s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (3488 Pte. G. Tomlin, Rl. Sussex Regt.) extremely fine (3) £550-650

Private G. Tomkin was killed in action at Abraham’s Kraal on 28 January 1902.

Early in 1901 Bt-Lieut-Colonel L. E. Du Moulin, Royal Sussex Regiment, was put in command of a small column, including his own battalion. This column operated in the Orange River Colony, chiefly to the west of the Bloemfontein railway. On 28 January 1902, the column was bivouacked behind a small kopje on the south of the Riet, near Abraham’s Kraal. At 1 a.m. the picquet holding the kopje was rushed. Colonel Du Moulin, as he hurried out to repel the enemy, was killed, but Major Gilbert taking command, the kopje was recaptured and successfully held against a second attack. The Sussex lost, in addition to their colonel, 10 men killed and 6 wounded. Speaking of the colonel’s death, Lord Kitchener used the words, “Whose loss to the army as a leader of promise I greatly deplore.”

Sold with medal roll confirmation, further details of the action and colour photographs of the Royal Sussex Boer War Memorial.