Orders, Decorations and Medals

A rare Matabeleland 1893 casualty’s British South Africa Company’s Medal awarded to Trooper W. A. Cary, Salisbury Horse, who died of wounds received in action at Imbembezi

British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Matabeleland 1893, no clasp (Troopr. W. A. Cary, Salisbury Horse), edge bruise, nearly extremely fine £1000-1200

William Arthur Cary was born in 1872, the fourth son of Colonel Francis Cary, and accompanied his father to South Africa in 1888, when the latter commanded the 1st Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment. Completing his education at the Diocesan College, Rondebosch, Capetown, where he gained a reputation for being an excellent shot - as a Sergeant-Major in the School Corps he won a challenge cup for rifle shooting with the highest score ever made at that time - young William enlisted in the British South Africa Police on the same day as his brother, Trooper C. W. Cary, in May 1891. Still a member of the Company’s Police after it had been re-titled the Mashonaland Mounted Police in the following year, he volunteered to serve in the Matabele War in 1893, when he was appointed a Trooper in Captain Heany’s Troop in the Salisbury Horse.

Cary was dangerously wounded in the engagement at Imbembezi on 1 November 1893, being shot through the head and never regaining consciousness - he died about five miles from Thabas Induna on the 3rd, and was buried that morning alongside Trooper Julius Siebert who had been similarly wounded in the same action. His Commanding Officer wrote:

‘He was a general favourite, an adept at all field sports, and a clever lad all round; and his death is sincerely regretted by his comrades. He was generally anxious - being a wonderfully good shot - to make good shooting at Imbembezi, and it was in eagerly exposing himself with that object that he was hit in the head with a Martini bullet.’