Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

South Africa 1834-53 (Thos. Argent 2nd Regt.) fitted with replacement claw and suspension, this slack, edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise fine £220-£260

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The John Nicholson Collection of medals to men who fought in the Kaffir Wars of 1834-53.

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Thomas Argent was born in the Parish of Toppesfield, Halstead, Essex, and attested for the 2nd Queen’s Regiment at Harsham Hall, Essex, on 25 June 1846, aged 22 years 3 months, a labourer by trade. He served at the Cape of Good Hope for 16 years, 2 years of this time with the 2nd Queen’s during the Kaffir War of 1850-53, before he transferred to the Cape Mounted Rifles on 1 November 1853. He served a further 14 years in the Cape Mounted Rifles and claimed his discharge, Free to Pension, at Fort Beaufort on 27 July 1867, and confirmed at Horse Guards on 31 December 1867. Sold with a 2nd Foot pewter tunic button salvaged from the wreck of the Birkenhead, copied discharge papers and other research.