Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Defence of Ladysmith, Transvaal (97169 Gnr. J. Conway, 10th M.B., R.G.A.) some edge bruising, slight contact marks, about very fine £140-180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals relating to the Boer War formed by two brothers.

View
Collection

Ex Lt. Col. A. M. Macfarlane Collection, D.N.W. 4 July 2001 and D.N.W. 6 July 2004.

John Conway was born in Carrigahole, Co. Clare in June 1873. A Labourer by occupation, he enlisted at Ennis on 8 June 1893. With the 10th Mountain Battery R.G.A. he served in South Africa, June 1894-August 1902.

The Battery was in Ladysmith when war broke out; was present at Rietfontein, 24 October 1899; and on the night of 29 October was sent out as part of the ill-fated column intended to seize Nicholson's Nek. During the action the mules with the ammunition and the screw guns stampeded. Mules with two guns and about 70 men of the battery managed to get back to the camp. In Sir George White's despatch of 23 March 1900, eight non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned. After being rearmed with more useful weapons the battery advanced north with General Buller and was present at Bergendal, 27 August 1900 and other actions. One officer and one non-commissioned officer were mentioned in General Buller's final despatch. In the second phase of the war the battery did much hard and useful work, chiefly in the Eastern Transvaal. It appears from Lord Kitchener's despatch of 8 July 1901 that during a great part of that year the 10th Mountain Battery had one gun with Spens, one with Benson, one with Babington, and one with F. W. Kitchener. All these columns operated in the Eastern Transvaal.

For his services in South Africa, Conway was awarded the Queen’s medal with two clasps and the King’s medal with two. Conway returned to England in August 1902 and was discharged on 7 June 1907. With copied extracts from his service papers and copied research on the action at Nicholson’s Nek.