Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Captain A. V. Gosling, The Rifle Brigade, late Major in the British South Africa Police, and Captain of “G” Troop, Bechuanaland Border Police, on the ill-fated Jameson Raid, for which he afterwards stood trial in London

British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Rhodesia 1896, 1 clasp, Mashonaland 1897 (Major A. V. Gosling. B.S.A.P.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Rhodesia, Orange Free State (Capt. A. V. Gosling, Rifle Bde.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Capt. A. V. Gosling. Rif. Bde.) light contact marks, otherwise nearly extremely fine (3) £1600-1800

Audley Vaughan Gosling was born in 1864, the son of George F. Gosling, a staff officer on half pay. He was commissioned a Lieutenant in the 3rd & 4th battalion of the Worcestersgire Regiment on 3 April 1886, but resigned his commission on 25 May 1889. He went to South Africa where he joined the Bechuanaland Border Police as a Sergeant, and was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant on 13 June 1890.

He served as a Captain with a detachment of the B.B.P. and commanded “G” Troop in the force that was raised by Dr. Leander Starr Jameson for his ill-planned invasion of the Boer Transvaal Republic, and was captured when Jameson’s outnumbered force was compelled to surrender to the Boers on 2 January 1896. Gosling was transported back to England for trial together with Jameson and other senior ‘raiders’ but was acquitted of all charges.

Gosling returned to South Africa that same year and served as a staff officer during the Mashonaland Expedition with the rank of Major in the British South Africa Police. He received a Mention in Despatches from General Martin for his services during that campaign, London Gazette 18 February 1898:

‘Chief Inspector A. V. Gosling. District Staff Officer, acted as second in command and conducted several important patrols with conspicuous success. He commanded the attack on Kunzi’s and took part in all the encounters with the natives, showing the greatest coolness and gallantry under fire.’

From December 1897 to January 1901, Gosling held the position of Commissioner for Mashonaland. Remaining with the British South Africa Police during the Anglo-Boer War Gosling was attached to a considerable number of various units, appearing in no less than 6 different rolls of the Queen’s South Africa Medal. He seems to have held his standing commission with the Mashonaland Division of the B.S.A. Police as a Major and was attached at various times to H Section, Pom Poms, R.H.A. (Major), Bethune’s Mounted Infantry (Major) and finally transferred as a Captain to the 5th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade on 4 December 1901.

Captain A. V. Gosling died on Guernsey on 7 June 1906.

Sold with a large quantity of research including extensive correspondence relating to charges brought against Major Gosling in connection with deficiencies in the accounts of the Band Fund of the 3rd Division, B.S.A.P., on account of which he eventually resigned his commission.