Orders, Decorations and Medals

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (2323 Pte. E. Onslow, K.R.R.C.) contact marks, nearly very fine £80-100

Edward Onslow was born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. A Groom by occupation, he attested for the King’s Royal Rifle Corps at Manchester on 1 December 1899, aged 18 years, 7 months. After completing his basic training he was posted to the 4th Battalion K.R.R.C. in Ireland. In February 1901 a mounted infantry company from the 4th Battalion, consisting of 5 officers and 135 other ranks, including Onslow, embarked at Queenstown on the S.S. Columbine for active service in South Africa. Initially known as the 19th Mounted Infantry Company, they served in various columns in the Eastern Transvaal. Serving in the unit then known as the 25th (Rifles) M.I. Battalion - 4th Company, Onslow is likely to have been present at the battle of Brakenlaagte, 30 October 1901. For his services in the Boer War he was awarded the Queen’s medal with four clasps. He then served in Somaliland, 14 January 1903-9 July 1904, for which he was awarded the A.G.S. Medal with clasps for Somaliland 1902-04 and Jidballi. Returning to England, Onslow was transferred to the Army Reserve on 30 November 1906. He was discharged on 31 October 1914 as ‘no longer physically fit for war services’ - suffering from chronic gastritis. His disability notwithstanding, Onslow attested for the ‘duration of the war’ into the Army Service Corps on 19 April 1915. Aged 33 years at the time of his re-enlistment, he had been living in Higher Broughton, Manchester and employed as a ‘motor lorry driver’. Just two days after joining the colours Onslow embarked at Southampton on the S.S. Munich for France and on 22 April 1915 arrived at Rouen, assigned to serve with the 621 M.T. Company (Base M.T. Depot) A.S.C. One day later he was admitted to hospital suffering from acute gastritis. On 30 April he was invalided to England and then sent to Dublin Castle for treatment. On 12 February 1916 he was discharged from the army as ‘no longer physically fit for war service’. He died on 22 July 1919. Sold with copied service and medical history papers, a detailed service history and other research.