Orders, Decorations and Medals

British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Rhodesia 1896, 1 clasp, Mashonaland 1897 (8202 Pte. P. Rhodes, 4/K.R.R. Corps), extremely fine and scarce £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of British South Africa Company 1890-97 Medals.

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Percy Rhodes was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire in 1873 and enlisted in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps in July 1893, aged 19 years, direct from the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment.

Having then attended the Mounted Infantry Course at Aldershot in February 1896, he was embarked for South Africa, and thence for Rhodesia, where he served as a member of No. 2 Section, 4th Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, under Lieutenant C. Eustace. His section was actively engaged after joining Colonel Alderson’s Column in October, Lieutenant Eustace being severely wounded in the foot during the attack on Mashingombe’s Kraal on the 10th, and two fellow Private soldiers in the attack on Chena’s Kraal on the 12th - 32 men from the 4th Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps were subsequently awarded the Medal for Rhodesia.

In December 1896, Rhodes was among 21 K.R.R.C. men who purchased their discharge on the offer of favourable terms from the British South Africa Police - a fee of £18 which most probably was paid for by the British South Africa Company. Subsequently qualifying for the “Mashonaland 1897” clasp, Rhodes died of enteric fever at Salisbury in September 1898; sold with research.