Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Orderly B. Doe, St John Ambulance Brigade, a resident of Willesden who died at Ladysmith

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Natal, loose on ribbon (973 Ordly: B. Doe, St John Amb: Bde:); Willesden Tribute Medal, gold and enamel shield enclosed by a silver oak leaf wreath, at its base a gold and enamel scroll inscribed, ‘Laborare est Orare’ (To work is to pray) and ‘Willesden’; reverse engraved, ‘B. Doe, St John’s Ambulance. Died of dysentery at Ladysmith.’, complete with enamelled brooch bar, ‘1899 / South Africa / 1900’, extremely fine and rare (2) £2500-3000

Ref. Hibbard A 26.

Presented by the Borough of Willesden, Middlesex, to the 53 volunteers from the borough who served in South Africa. Hibbard states that ‘One badge was given to the mother of one of the men who had died on active service.’

Orderly B. Doe died at Ladysmith on 22 June 1900, and is buried in Ladysmith town cemetery.