The Jack Webb Collection of Medals and Militaria

A Boer War D.S.O. group of seven awarded to Captain A. Reid, 1st Volunteer Battalion Middlesex Regiment and City of London Imperial Volunteers, later Lieutenant-Colonel, Lancashire Fusiliers and Cheshire Regiment, who as the senior officer of his volunteer unit serving in South Africa during the Boer War, was decorated for his services as Commanding Officer of “A” Company, Infantry Battalion, C.I.V.

Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar, obverse central medallion depressed; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill (Capt. A. Reid. C.I.V.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lt. Col. A. Reid.); Coronation 1902, silver; Volunteer Officers’ Decoration, E.VII.R., silver and silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1905, with integral top riband bar; Volunteer Force Long Service Medal, V.R. (Captain. A. Reid. 1/V.B. Middx. Rgt.); together with a hallmarked silver identity disc on a leather wrist-strap inscribed ‘Lt. Col. A. Reid D.S.O. V.D. C.O. 18th Cheshire Regt. C. of E.’, very fine and better (7) £2,400-£2,800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Jack Webb Collection of Medals and Militaria.

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D.S.O. London Gazette 27 September 1901:
‘In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.’

Alexander Reid was born on 2 October 1863, the son of Thomas Reid of Hampstead, and was educated at Highgate School. ‘In 1880 he joined the Hampstead Detachment of the 3rd Middlesex Rifles, as the 7th Battalion Middlesex Regiment was then called, just after Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Joseph Warner had effected the consolidation of the Battalion. After serving six and a half years in the ranks, he was appointed a Second Lieutenant in 1887, was promoted Lieutenant in 1889, Captain in 1892, Major in 1902, and was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in 1905, resigning his commission the following year. In 1902, on the occasion of the Coronation of his late Majesty King Edward VII, he commanded the representative contingent of the Battalion and received the Coronation Medal. His total service in the battalion was 26 years and three months, and he commanded the Hampstead Detachment from 1893 to 1904. The Volunteer Officer’s Decoration was conferred upon him in 1905 (London Gazette 27 April 1906).

On the outbreak of the South African War in 1899, Captain Reid, as he then was, at once volunteered for active service, and on 3 January 1900 was selected to command “A” Company of the City Imperial Volunteers, and was the senior Captain in that regiments. He sailed for South Africa on the Kinfauns Castle on 20 January, and shared in the operations in Cape Colony, south of Orange River, from February to April. His regiment took part in Lord Roberts’ march on Pretoria, being included in Major-General Bruce Hamilton’s 21st Brigade, and Captain Reid was engaged in the operations in the Orange Free State April and May 1900, including the action at Zand River on 10 May, and in the operations in the Transvaal in May and June, including the actions near Johannesburg on 29 May, Pretoria on 4 June, and Diamond Hill on 11-12 June. He was subsequently engaged in the operation in the Transvaal, west of Pretoria, from July to October 1900, including the relief of Colonel Hore’s garrison at Eland’s River on 16 August, returning to England with his regiment on 28 October. In all these engagements he had greatly distinguished himself, and his commanding officer, Colonel Henry Mackinnon, in a personal letter to Colonel Sir Reginald Hennell, then commanding what is now the 7th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, spoke of his services in the following terms:

“I must write you a line to tell you of Reid’s good work with the C.I.V. He has not only done exceedingly well during all that time when we were not in contact with the enemy, but in action he showed exceptional ability and bravery. I especially mentioned him in my report to the Field Marshal.”

On the disbandment of the City Imperial Volunteers, Captain Reid was granted the honorary rank of Captain in the Army. In recognition of his services he was Mention in Despatches for gallant and distinguished services in the field (London Gazette 10 September 1901), and was gazetted a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order on 27 September of the same year.

During the European War, Lieutenant-Colonel Reid was granted a temporary commission in the New Armies, and on 9 March 1916 was appointed to the command of the 18th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. On 13 April 1917 he was transferred to the newly-formed Labour Corps, and served on the Western Front for over three years in command of a Labour Group. He was again Mentioned in Despatches for his services (London Gazette 10 July 1919), and finally retired in 1920. He died on 25 February 1927.

Always a keen soldier, Lieutenant-Colonel Reid did much in his time to improve the musketry of his battalion, and was for many years by far the finest shot amongst its officers. One of the kindest and most genial of men, he endeared himself to all with whom he came in contact, and his name will ever be remembered with pride in the 7th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, as the first of its officers to gain distinction on the field of battle.’ (The recipient’s obituary in The Die Hards, the Regimental Journal of the Middlesex Regiment, February 1927 refers).

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