Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Rhodesia 1896, no clasp (Staff Capt. P. A. Turner. Natal Troop Vol.) nearly extremely fine £340-380

Percy Alexander Turner was born in October 1868, and educated at Cheltenham College. Commissioned Second Lieutenant, West Riding Regiment, 21 December 1889, he was promoted Lieutenant, 2 March 1891, and served during the operations in Matabeleland 1893-94 as Staff Officer to the Administrator of Mashonaland, and afterwards as Assistant Staff Officer to the Officer Commanding the Mashonaland Field Force. He subsequently served with the Natal Troop Volunteers in Rhodesia in 1896, in the operations against the Shona and Matabele tribes: ‘By the middle of June 1896 the tide of the rebellion was very close to the laager at Salisbury, as evidenced by the murder of four men at the settlement of Ballyhooley only a few miles away. With news of the approaching Natal Volunteers, Judge Vincent in Salisbury despatched Captain St. Hill with a patrol of five men to meet the Natal Troop, who were known to be near, and to hurry them onto Salisbury. The Natal Troop, with their maxims, were resting at Charter when the murders of the 16th June took place, heading for the Salisbury laager when they were met by Captain St. Hill with instructions from Salisbury. The Natal Troop were to be diverted to bring in two outlying groups of settlers, and punish Matshayangombi for two murders of white men at the Beatrice Mine. The troop was to be divided, forty men under Captain Turner to proceed to the Beatrice Mine and investigate the situation there, while the remainder of the troop were to bring in the party at the Jesuit Mission at Chishawasha. This Captain Taylor proceeded to carry out, being fired upon on several occasions and losing one man killed. Captain Turner meanwhile proceeded to the Beatrice Mine on 19 June and the following morning burned Mhlopa’s kraal, near the mine, taking the inhabitants by surprise. Although there were abundant signs of the murders there was no trace of the bodies of the two men. The Natal Troop under the command of Captain Turner then attempted to reach Hartley Hill, but were unable to fight their way through and suffered casualties, Trooper Mitchell fatally wounded. All the men at the Salisbury Reef came in safely, grateful for the rifles and ammunition that had been provided. On the return journey from the Reef to the laager at Salisbury an attack developed in which one driver was killed and two loyal natives were wounded.’

Upon arriving in Salisbury, Turner served as Staff Officer to Judge Vincent, and was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 1 June 1897). After a spell as Adjutant, West Riding Regiment, 1897-1901, he was promoted Major, 16 February 1907, and given command of the 2nd battalion. He served with the West Riding Regiment during the Great War in France from 26 September 1914; was advanced Brigadier-General; Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 22 June 1915); and created a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George. Appointed Colonel of the West Riding Regiment in 1934, he died in Cambridge in September 1940.

Although his service in Rhodesia would suggest that Turner is entitled to a British South Africa Company Medal with reverse for Matabeleland 1893, with clasp for Rhodesia 1896, the latest publish transcript of the medal roll lists him receiving just the medal in this lot.