Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Kaffir War medal awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel H. A. Harrisson, 1/24th Foot

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1877-8 (Capt. H. A. Harrisson. 1-24th Foot.) small official correction to last three letters of surname, toned, extremely fine £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to Welsh Regiments formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord.

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Henry Albert Harrisson was born on 10 April 1841, at Tolthorpe Hall, a fine Elizabethan Manor-house in County Rutland, near the town of Stamford. He was commissioned as Ensign in the 24th Foot on 1 April 1859; Lieutenant, 29 July 1861; Captain 8 March 1867; Major, 7 July 1880; Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel retired, 7 July 1880.

Harrisson, whose name is frequently misspelt with a single ‘s’, served in South Africa from 28 March 1874 to 2 October 1879, including the Kaffir War of 1877-78, in command of “H” Company at St John’s River throughout the war.

The regimental history states: ‘On 17th August, 1878, Captain Harrison (sic) and Lieutenants Spring and Roche, with “B” company 1st battalion 24th, consisting of four sergeants, five corporals, two drummers, and seventy-four privates, marched from King William’s Town to the mouth of St John’s, or Umzinvarboo, river, in Pondoland, where a settlement had been purchased from the Pondo chief, N’quaci. The British flag was hoisted there for the first time by Lieutenant-General the Honble. T. A. Thesiger, C.B., on the 24th August, 1878, and an earthwork, to which the name of Fort Harrison was given, was thrown up by the detachment. “B” (since “H”) company remained at St John’s river mouth throughout the period of the subsequent Zulu War.’ Sold with copied research.