Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: Private W. Swift, Northumberland Fusiliers

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (6908 Pte., North’d. Fus.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (6809 Pte., North’d. Fus.) note different numbers, contact marks, very fine (2) £140-180

6809 Private W. Swift, 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, was captured by the Boers at Nooitgedacht, 13 December 1900 and released two days later.

General Clements' camp at Nooitgedacht was attacked before dawn on 13 December 1900 by a Boer force over 3,000 strong. The combined Boer Commandos of De la Rey and Botha attacked with such swift surprise and purpose that four companies of the Northumberland Fusiliers, who were holding the ridges on the Magaliesberg Mountain overlooking the camp, were completely overwhelmed and captured; some 100 were killed and wounded.