Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Captain R. G. Stirling, King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Lieut. R. G. Stirling. K.R.R.C.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieut. R. G. Stirling. K.R.R.C.) good very fine (2) £500-600

Reginald Gilbert Stirling was born on 30 December 1878, son of Major G. Stirling, of Melton Mowbray. He was educated at Harrow School 1892-94 and joined the King’s Royal Rifle Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant on 25 January 1899, becoming Lieutenant on 7 January 1900. He served in South Africa 1899-1902, being present at the battle of Talana Hill, the Defence of Ladysmith and the battle of Wagon Hill.

An extensive and lucid account of the battle of Talana by Lieutenant Stirling was published in The Times of 8 December 1899:

‘When I got half-way up the hill I found myself next to Hambro, who had been wounded twice; we lay down under the rocks as the firing was very heavy. Hambro and I had to retire. I had my helmet knocked off with a piece of rock the shell hit. When I went up the hill a second time, Hambro was lying almost dead, with his legs reduced to pulp. Too terrible!... Colonel Sherston was dying, his groans were awful. Then an awful part happened - our artillery mistaking us for Boers, began firing on us. Colonel Gunning, who was just below me, stood up and yelled out, “Stop that Firing!” These were the last words I heard him speak, but I believe his last words were, “Remember you are Riflemen.’... When we got over the wall the scene was terrible. Three of our officers shot within five yards of one another, Pechell and Taylor dead, Boulthee wounded in the groin...’

The Times History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902 records: ‘Colonel Gunning, who had so gallantly led the attack, was killed as he reached the crest. Among the other officers it is hard to single out names where all distinguished themselves, but Captain Nugent and Lieutenant Stirling of the Rifles, Captain Connor (mortally wounded) and Captain Pike of the Irish Fusiliers, and Captain Dibley of the Dublins may be mentioned as among the first to reach the crest of the hill.’

Captain Stirling was later extra-regimentally employed with the King’s African Rifles in Uganda 1902-03 (no medal). He retired from the army in 1905. During the Great War he was in the Reserve of Officers and served at home as Military Secretary, Southern Command.