Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Boer War D.C.M. group of three awarded to Private T. Roberts, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, Mentioned in Despatches for his gallantry at Spion Kop, 24 January 1900

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (3308 Pte. T. Roberts. Rl: Lanc: Regt.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (3308 Pte. T. Roberts, R. Lanc: Regt.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (3308 Pte. T. Roberts. Rl: Lanc: Regt.) very fine (3) £2000-2400

D.C.M. London Gazette 27 September 1901.

M.I.D. London Gazette 8 February 1901:

‘3308 Private Roberts moved about bandaging wounded men under heavy fire, and saved at least one man’s life.’

Thomas Roberts was born in Manchester, and attested for the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment at Lancaster in September 1891. He served with the Regiment during the Second Boer War, and with particular distinction at Spion Kop, 24 January 1900 and at Vryheid, 11 December 1900.

Whilst Roberts was definitively M.I.D. for Spion Kop, Abbots’ Recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal 1855-1909 and Rudolph’s Campaign Histories of the Infantry Regiments of the British Army both give Roberts as being awarded the D.C.M. for gallantry at Vryheid. This is in contrast to Cowper’s regimental history, The King’s Own, The Story of A Royal Regiment which states the award was for Spion Kop.

Rudolph gives the following for D.C.M.s to the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment , and for the action at Vryheid:

‘Private G. [sic] Roberts - Gallantry at Vryheid, 11 December, 1900....

At Vryheid six companies and headquarters were left to hold the town and the hill which commands it. The remainder of the garrison consisted of two naval 12-pounders and one company Mounted Infantry. The position was large and the work of defence laborious, in addition to heavy outpost duty. On 7th October the enemy made an attack which was easily beaten off. On the night of 10th-11th December at 2.20am the Boers made a determined attempt to take the hill. They rushed the lower plateau where the mounted infantry were encamped, but, though they kept up a heavy fire till dark on the 11th and even succeeded in getting within 50 yards of the naval 12-pounder at the south end of the hill, the coolness and steadiness of the men, combined with the good defences prepared, enabled them to hold their position, and the enemy never made another attempt to take the position during the rest of the war. The casualties were 3 officers killed, including Lieut.-Colonel Gawne, commanding; 5 men wounded. The enemy’s loss was heavy.’

Cowper gives the following for the Regiment at Spion Kop:

‘So great were the casualties at Spion Kop that the arrangements for evacuation of the wounded completely broke down. Private Collins of the King’s Own, who was wounded in the arm towards the end of the day, describes how he ran to the doctor who was already dealing with more cases than he could manage. No field-dressings had up to then been issued, and a man called Roberts saved Collin’s life by tearing a band off his haversack to make a tourniquet. Roberts was afterwards awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bandaging wounded men under a heavy fire. No stretchers were available, and Collins was carried down the hill to the Field Dressing Station, whence he was evacuated by bullock wagon to Spearman’s Camp.’

Roberts was discharged 1 September 1903, having served 12 years with the Colours.