Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (1723 Dmr: W. S. Ward. York & Lanc: Regt.) edge bruising, otherwise nearly extremely fine £180-220

W. S. Ward, a drummer with the 3rd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, was killed at Klip Drift, during the Battle of Tweebosch, 7 March 1902, when a 2,000 strong Boer commando led by Koos de la Rey defeated a British Column of 1,250 men under the command of Lieutenant-General Lord Methuen, in what was the last major British reverse of the Boer War. British losses amounted to 68 officers and men killed, and 121 wounded. In addition, over 200 officers and men, including General Methuen, and all 6 guns were captured by the Boers- this was the only occasion during the entire War that a British general was captured.