Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Boer War D.C.M. group of four awarded to Private W. R. Bradley, Seaforth Highlanders, who was wounded at Paardeberg

Distinguished Conduct Medal, E.VII.R. (3642 Pte. W. R. Bradley, Seaforth Hdrs.); Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (3642 Pte. W. Bradley, 1/Sea. Hrs.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg (3642 Pte. W. R. Bradley, 2 Sea. Highrs.); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 2 clasps, The Atbara, Khartoum ( (3642 Pte. W. Bradley, 1st Sea. Highrs.) some edge bruising, very fine (4) £2000-2500

D.C.M. London Gazette 31 October 1902. Approximately 14 D.C.M.'s awarded to men of the Seaforth Highlanders, for the South African War.

M.I.D, London Gazette 10 September 1901

William Robert Bradley was born in Brompton, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, c. 1871. Sometime prior to 1898, he enlisted into the Seaforth Highlanders and took part in the 'Reconquest of the Sudan Campaign' with the 1st battalion of that regiment. 
Following the outbreak of the South African War, Bradley, by then a 'Reservist' was recalled to 'The Colours' and posted to "D" Company, 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, with which unit served in South Africa, the regiment forming part of the Highland Brigade.

Fortuitously, his local newspaper The Yorkshire Herald published several articles pertaining to Private Bradley (and his brother who served in another regiment, the King's Own Scottish Borderers). The first, published on 12 February 1900, ‘A Lucky Highlander’: Battle of Magersfontein,’ is based on a letter that Bradley had written home to a relative in Middlesbrough, in which he described his experiences at the bloody battle of Magersfontein (2/Seaforth casualties were approximately 58 killed or died of wounds, and some 143 wounded in action on that fateful day):

‘From Orange River to Modder River was a five days’ march, and they had covered four of these marches. When on the fifth day they were on the move the order was given to go back two marches, as the Boers had got round on the flank of the advancing force, and attacked a small station named Hensley. They had just time to get bullie [sic] beef and biscuits served out, and they all fell in with a biscuit in one hand and a lump of bullied beef in the other. The fight had been going on ten hours when they arrived on the scene, and found 200 Britishers keeping about 900 Boers at bay. 

The enemy made for the hills on the arrival of reinforcements. Returning to Modder River on December 10th [1899], the Highland Brigade was told off to advance, and started at 2.30 a.m., little anticipating the warm reception awaiting them on the following morning. The writer refers to the shelling of the Boer trenches at Magersfontein, and to the advance made on the 11th. He says; 

‘We were told to advance, and away we went, not knowing that we were going to get some of Kruger’s pills as soon as daylight broke. Before we knew what was coming we got a shower of bullets. The brigade was in quarter column, and we all dropped on the ground like one man. Someone gave an order to fix bayonets and charge, and at the same time an order was given to extend to the right and get cover. The Boers kept firing all the time, and bullets came like a shower of hailstones. Men were shot like rabbits, and those who went to the right got the worst. As for myself, there was a hill close by, and there I took cover. When I looked round I could see nothing but dead. In trying to get back again I was lucky, for as soon as I made a move bullets came whizzing round me. When things qui[e]ted down a bit and when sick of lying down, I got up and made my way back to the artillery, 1400 yards distant. I afterwards found that two bullets had passed through my kilt, and I must have been a lucky man to escape. There were some pitiful sights – some men with heads and others with legs and arms blown off. It was cruel to see them, and amongst the dead I picked out my chum in Egypt. The troops are all anxious for another advance. The Highland Brigade could not get it much hotter than they did.’

Private Bradley then fought at the Battle of Paardeberg in February 1900 and was wounded. He was subsequently invalided home from South Africa on 6 June 1900, with the following account appearing in the same local newspaper:

‘On Thursday night [5 July 1900] Private W.R. Bradley, of 2nd Seaforth Highlanders, who was wounded in South Africa, at Pietermaritzburg, arrived at his home at Brompton, near Northallerton.

On the arrival of the train at 7.40 p.m. Bradley was met by his brother and sister, and other friends, and received a very hearty greeting. A trap was in waiting, and he was drawn by willing hands to the Shop End, where a trolley did duty as a platform, and here Bradley, who was loudly cheered, was presented by the school children, who had accompanied him from the railway station, with a purse of gold. Messrs. J.P. Yeoman’s workmen (with whom Bradley worked prior to going to South Africa) also presented him with a purse of gold, which was handed to him by Mr. Rd. Brown. Master Wilson gave Bradley the purse on behalf of the children.

Bradley, who looked well, returned thanks, and said he had come home on furlough, and hoped soon to be well. He was pleased to return back to his friends and comrades at Brompton. Bradley has been in three engagements in South Africa, and has been wounded in the hip. He also went through the Chitral and Soudan campaigns.’

Contrary to the above journalistic mis-information, Private Bradley was not wounded at Pietermaritzburg, but at 'Paardeberg'. Further he did not, qualify or receive any medal and clasp for the 'Chitral' campaign in India during 1895.

The medal roll for the Queen's South Africa medal show that Private Bradley was 'Invalided' to the United Kingdom (sources confirm 6 June 1900) - and would have taken his final discharge sometime in 1900. He is recorded to have married locally in 1901, and to have died at Northallerton sometime during the first quarter of 1925. With copied research.