Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Captain J. W. ‘Jack’ Barry, South African Forces, one of the last surviving members of the 1890 Pioneer Corps

British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse undated, 2 clasps, Mashonaland 1890, Matabeleland 1893 (Tpr. Barry, J. W. Pioneers.) the second clasp a cast copy; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Relief of Mafeking, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (Capt. J. W. Barry, Imp: Lt: Horse); King's South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Capt. J. W. Barry. Imp. L.H.); 1914-15 Star (Capt. J. W. Barry Staff.); British War and Bilingual Victory Medals (Capt. J. W. Barry.) light contact marks, otherwise very fine and better (6) £2800-3200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals Relating to Rhodesia and South Africa.

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Provenance: Clive Nowell Collection, D.N.W. June 2009.

Only 11 medals issued with these two clasps, including 6 to the Pioneers. Just 30 Matabeleland 1893 clasps were issued in total.

The following report on the death of Captain Barry was published in The African World in November 1935:

‘Captain J. W. Barry, one of the eight remaining members of the 1890 Pioneer Corps resident in Southern Rhodesia, died in Salisbury Hospital a few weeks ago. Captain Barry was one of the 22 early pioneers who were presented with the freedom of the city at the last Occupation Day ceremony on September 12.

Jack Barry was born at Swellendam, Cape Province, on August 10, 1863, he was for some years in the service of the Standard Bank. He went to Barberton in 1885 and afterwards to Johannesburg. On leaving the bank in 1886 he joined the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and was one of the pioneers of the Witwatersrand.

When volunteers were called for Rhodes’ Pioneer Corps Captain Barry, with 12 men from the Rand, joined the expedition on May 22, 1890, at Mafeking. He accompanied the column to Salisbury and was present at the hoisting of the Union Jack at Fort Salisbury, signifying the formal occupation of Mashonaland. After the disbandment of the column Captain Barry began prospecting for gold in a party in which were the Hon. Lionel Cripps and Messrs. Charles and Harry Lovemore. They worked in Mazoe Valley, where Captain Barry found ancient workings and pegged them.

Serving with the Imperial Light Horse in the Anglo-Boer War Captain Barry was at the relief of Ladysmith and the relief of Mafeking. In the Great War he served in the South-West African Campaign [with the Cape Peninsular Rifles in Botha’s Army, 1 October 1914 to 13 August 1916] and afterwards went to France with the 1st Cape Native Labour Corps.

In 1928 Captain Barry was appointed first Curator of the Victoria Falls. With the well-known sculptor, Reid Dick, he was responsible for the selection of the site for the David Livingstone Memorial at Devil’s Cataract.’

Sold with a file of research which includes a copy photograph of John William Barry in later life.