Auction Catalogue

20 August 2020

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The Jack Webb Collection of Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 533

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20 August 2020

Hammer Price:
£1,500

The Q.S.A. awarded to Private F. J. P. Pickman, 13th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps and City of London Imperial Volunteers, whose Boer War diary was later published under the title ‘Pickman’s Progress in the City Imperial Volunteers in South Africa - 1900’

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill (1130 F. J. Pickman, C.I.V.) nearly extremely fine £600-£800

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

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Frederick James Percival Pickman was born in Croydon, Surrey on 29 June 1874, the son of Arthur and Medina Pickman. A furrier by trade, he joined the 13th Middlesex (Queen’s Westminster) Volunteer Rifles in November 1891, serving in the Cyclist Section and later served with their detachment in South Africa during the Boer War as part of “F” Company of the Infantry Battalion, City Imperial Volunteers.

Private Pickman kept a diary of the South African campaign which was published in 1980, by Geoffrey Moore as ‘
Pickman’s Progress in the City Imperial Volunteers in South Africa - 1900. Based on the diary of Cyclist Fred James Pickman (13th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps).’ Running to 68 pages, the published version of the diary also contains interpolations, many derived from Major-General Mackinnon’s ‘Journal of the C.I.V. in South Africa’.

The diary opens on 4 January 1900 with a chapter entitled ‘C.I.V. formed and embarked’, the first entry being:
‘Sworn in at Guildhall & received the proverbial ‘bob’. Orderly at Mansion House for remainder of day.’

Continuing with chapters through each stage of the campaign, namely; ii) Cape Town Reached; iii) Advance on Johannesburg; iv) Into the Transvaal; v) Battle of Diamond Hill; vi) Re-joins at last; Epilogue. In addition, six appendices contain lists of officers and men broken down by unit, alphabetically with parent unit, by trade or profession &c.

Notable entries include:
At Orange River:
‘Wednesday 14 March 14: Rifle practice. Fired mine for the first time’

The Battle of Doornkop:
‘Tuesday 29 May: Reveille at 4 o/c & off at 6 o/c. C.I.V. leading the firing line. Heavy artillery fire going on all round & shells just burst among Camerons after passing over our heads, killing 2 and wounding three. We then advanced to take kopjes on right and left, being subjected to severe cross-fire from Mausers & pom-poms. Poor Archie Drummond & Budd wounded and our company had some marvellous escapes. G. Coy charged hill on left and Boers dispersed in all directions. We then made for One Tree Hill, Dornkopand camped for the night, minus blankets, coats or grub. C.I.V. lost eleven wounded & Capt. Berekeley in jaw and tongue. (Capt. C. W. Berkeley O.C. “B” Coy). Camerons had 1 killed and 5 wounded; Gordons had 70 killed & wounded, 20 miles.’ [This was also the qualifying day for the “Johannesburg” clasp on the Queen’s South Africa Medal].

The Battle of Diamond Hill:
‘Tuesday 12 June: Off at daybreak to resume attack against the Boer positions, who had retired during the night to the next range of hills, where they were very strongly entrenched. We drove them from three ranges and terribly hilly & rough they were at the last kopje. We had to lay down for over four hours, subjected to a pretty stiff shell fire during which Jim Barrett (13th Middlesex R.V.) got hit. Lieut. Alt killed & 18 wounded amongst the C.I.V. The Brigade lost 60 killed and wounded. The Boers retreated during the night as usual. This engagement was called Diamond Hill’, adding, presumably later, ‘a bar is given for it.’

Sold together with Pickman’s original diary, crimson padded boards, 24cm x 18cm, containing, in addition to the daily hand written entries, 4 newspaper cuttings (one of which relates to a duel and suggests Pickman was of aristocratic Spanish origin); 3 contemporary photographs of Pretoria; and other ephemera; together with a copy of the published version of the diary ‘
Pickman’s Progress in the City Imperial Volunteers in South Africa - 1900. Based on the diary of Cyclist Fred James Pickman (13th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps)’ edited by Geoffrey Moore.