British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Corporal R. Valpy, 18th Hussars

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (4497 Corpl. R. Valpy, 18th Hussars); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (4497 Corpl. R. Valpy, 18th Hussars), generally good very fine (2) £500-600

Sold with the recipient’s original Boer War period pocket diary, entries largely comprising poems and verses, but also several pages dedicated to Talana and other operations leading up to the siege of Ladysmith (September to October 1899), including nominal rolls, from which the following entry for 20 October has been taken:

‘At 5 a.m. the enemy shells began falling into camp. All had to clear out, marched in a southerly direction. My Troop narrowly escaped a bursting shell in a nullah, and charged 30 Boers whom we captured. Afterwards when in the rear of Rifles M.I., we were rushed by 300 Boers and had to retire 800 yards in rear and successfully held ridge. Corporal Franklin shot through the neck and carried him in 12 miles. Mr. McLaghlin shot though the leg, also came with us.’

And by way of confirming his part in Franklin’s rescue, the front cover and one page of the pocket diary are stained with his blood - Valpy’s accompanying inscriptions refer. Both McLaghlin and Franklin appear to have survived, though the former’s wounds were described as ‘severe’ and the latter’s as ‘dangerous’.