The Queen’s South Africa Medal awarded to Captain W. G. King Peirce, Manchester Regiment, who was killed in action near Festubert on 26 October 1914

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen, South Africa 1901, unofficial rivets between third and fourth clasps (Lieut: W. G. K. Peirce. Manch: Regt.) good very fine £300-£400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Robert Barltrop Collection of Medals to the Manchester Regiment.

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William Gabriel King Peirce was born at Kensington, London, on 5 July 1875, the family later moving to Laggan House, Cookham, Berkshire, and was educated at Bradfield College and Merton College, Oxford. He served in the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment and was later commissioned into 2nd Battalion the Manchester Regiment. In January 1900 he sailed with his battalion for mobilised service in South Africa, taking part in the actions at Biddulphsberg and Wittebergen. He was ordered to return to the U.K. in June 1901 to take up a training role with 3rd Battalion at Aldershot, returning to South Africa with the 3rd Battalion in December 1902. He rejoined the 2nd Battalion in May 1903 and then served until he resigned his commission on 4 November 1911.

Peirce was mobilised from the Special Reserve on the outbreak of the Great War, rejoining the 2nd Battalion, before disembarking in France in mid-September 1914 and joining his battalion at Chivres Wood, near Soisson. On 26 October 1914, one mile east of Festubert, the Germans tried to rush the battalion’s forward trench. Captain W. G. King Peirce, who was in the command trench, was killed whilst leading his troops in repelling the attack. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial, France.

Sold with extensive copied research, including a group photographic image of the officers of the regiment taken in 1900, in which the recipient is identified.