Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Rhodesia, Orange Free State (12144 Shg: Sth: H. Brazier. 65th. Coy. 17th. Impl: Yeo:) edge bruising, good very fine £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Queen’s South Africa Medals to the Imperial Yeomanry.

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Provenance: Trevor Harris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, September 2005.

No. 65 (Leicester) Company, 17th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry.

Henry Brazier was born in Droitwich, Worcestershire, in 1879 and attested for the Imperial Yeomanry in February 1900. He served as a Shoeing Smith with the 65th (Leicestershire) Company, 17th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa during the Boer War, and was killed in action at Driekoppen on 21 February 1901, an incident recalled by Sharrad H. Gilbert in Rhodesia & After:
‘It was during the chase of De Wet that Shoeing-Smith H. Brazier of the 65th met his death. For a time the columns had lost touch with the flying Boers, and on 21 February were marching by Driekoppen, with their scouts feeling in all directions for the enemy. Brazier, the outside left flanker, rode to Elsie Vlaakte farm and suddenly found himself in the midst of five of the enemy, who sprang from their concealment not ten yards from the horse’s head, with pointed rifles and a peremptory summons to “Hands up.” Brazier was riding a favourite horse “Marmalade”, an animal of which he was very proud. Indeed before starting on this, his last ride, he had patted the neck of his steed saying, “I shan’t be captured whilst I have you under me.” Trusting in the fleetness of his horse, when suddenly confronted by the Boers, he sharply wheeled round, and putting in his spurs, rode for his life. But the attempt was a hopeless one with the distance so short. One of the enemy put up his weapon and shot him through the heart before his steed had taken half-a-dozen strides ... ’