Orders, Decorations and Medals

Family group:

Six: Major & Quartermaster E. G. Smith, South African Medical Corps
Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Wittebergen, South Africa 1901 (33 Q.M. Sjt., C.M.S.C.); 1914-15 Star (Capt., 1st F. Amb. S.A.M.C.); British War Medal 1914-20 (T/Mjr.); Bilingual Victory Medal 1914-19, unnamed; Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration, G.V.R., reverse inscribed, ‘Major & Qr. Mr. E. G. Smith, Cit. Force Sect. S.A.M.C.’, hallmarks for London 1918, lacking brooch bar; Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service, G.V.R. (Hon. Lieut., C. Medical Corps)

Three: Acting Corporal H. S. B. Smith, 2nd South African Infantry, late South African Medical Corps
1914-15 Star (Pte., 1st F. Amb. S.A.M.C.); British War and Bilingual Victory Medals (A/Cpl., 2nd S.A.I.) good very fine (9) £600-700

Medals to father and son:

Edward George Smith was born on 8 January 1871. Served as Bugler in the Cape Medical Corps, January 1891-March 1893 and Quartermaster and Hon. Lieutenant in that unit, July 1894-May 1912. Promoted to Captain and Quartermaster in July 1913. Served as Temporary Major, April 1918-August 1919. Promoted to Major in the Supernumerary List, Citizen Force Section, S.A.M.C. with effect from 13 December 1920.

As a Captain and Quartermaster in the 1st Field Ambulance S.A.M.C., Smith actively served in German S.W. Africa, October 1914-June 1915 and was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 7 March 1918), and in German East Africa, December 1915-September 1919, where he was in charge of advance medical stores and was again mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 5 June 1919). Hon. Captain & Quartermaster Smith, S.A.M.C.(E.A.) was released from service on demobilisation on 1 September 1919. Awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration in 1921.

Major & Quartermaster E. G. Smith, Supernumerary List, Citizen Force Section, S.A.M.C. was transferred to the Reserve of Officers in 1922. He was placed on the Retired List of the Union Defence Forces upon reaching the age limit in January 1931. At this time he was living on Mary Street, Kingwilliamstown, Cape Province. With copied roll extracts and a quantity of copied service papers and correspondence.

Harold Seymour Berry Smith, son of the above, served in the 1st Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, S.A.M.C., August 1914-June 1915. Served in the 2nd South African Infantry in France from October 1917. Was slightly wounded in action, 22 March 1918, receiving a gunshot wound to the left buttock; received a slight gunshot wound on 11 May 1918; a slight wound to the neck on 10 October 1918, and again on 17 October 1918 when he was slightly wounded in the right leg. Discharged on 24 February 1919. With copied service papers.