Pair: Private B. Barnett, South African Motor Cyclists Corps, who was taken P.O.W. in East Africa in February 1917

British War and Bilingual Victory Medals (Pte. B. Barnett, S.A.M.C.C.), extremely fine (2) £80-100

Benjamin Barnett was taken on the strength of the South African Motor Cyclists Corps (S.A.M.C.C.) in May 1916. The Corps had been formed a few months earlier, under Colonel James Fairweather, and was equipped with B.S.A. motor cycles, with leather ‘gun buckets’ mounted on the forks for carrying rifles, Lewis guns and signalling equipment.

Barnett was embarked for East Africa in August 1916 and, as verified by his service record, was taken prisoner near Malangala in February 1917, thus around the time that Colonel Fairweather was killed in action on the 18th, after advancing towards Rupira and coming under attack from an enemy force numbering 500 or 600 men. It is possible that Barnett was one of the 16 S.A.M.C.C. prisoners who the Germans invited to attend the Colonel’s funeral. A Guard of Honour was provided by Askaris but no salute was fired in consequence of the close proximity of British forces.

Barnett was repatriated from Nyasaland in January 1918 and, having been admitted to hospital suffering from Malaria, was discharged in April 1919; sold with copied service record.