Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen (1489 Dvr: H. Savage, C.I.V.) edge bruising, nearly very fine £140-£180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Jack Webb Collection of Medals and Militaria.

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H. Savage, a Driver in the A Sub-division of the Battery, was one of just 9 men from the 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers to serve with the City of London Imperial Volunteers during the Boer War. Savage served under Sergeant W. Dixon and was therefore very likely present at the action on Barkin Kop where Dixon and Sergeant P. S. Taylor (see lot 402) fought their guns ‘trail to trail’ to repel a Boer Commando attack, both men being awarded the D.C.M. In a letter to the City Press published on 5 September 1900, regarding the action at Barkin Kop on 3 July 1900, Dixon wrote ‘A splinter hit my Head-Driver on the left hip. I just managed to grab him before he made up his mind to fall between his pair.’

Colonel Boxall was appointed Depot Commandant of the C.I.V. on 6 February 1900. The C.I.V. was recruited from London Volunteer Regiments; however, since Colonel Boxall had been an officer of the Sussex Artillery Volunteers since April 1873, he asked for nine or ten volunteers from his old regiment to join the C.I.V. for active service in South Africa. Savage was one of those volunteers.