Lot Archive

Lot

№ 646

.

2 April 2004

Hammer Price:
£290

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Transvaal, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek (4895 Cpl. C. Childs, 2nd Hampshire Regt.) clasps mounted in order stated and require confirmation £140-160

C. Child was killed in a railway accident near Barberton on 30 March 1902, whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment.

The following is extracted from the Hampshire Regimental History. ‘At the end of March the battalion at last got away from Barberton, moving to Johannesburg on relief by the 1st Welch. The move was marked by a bad railway accident, 42 men being killed and 38 more injured when a driver lost control of his engine on a steep incline near Barberton, the train running off the line at a sharp curve. The men behaved admirably; no panic insued and all worked admirably to rescue the wounded and clear the line...’