Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Acting Staff-Sergeant A. Hawes, Military Provost Staff Corps, late Somerset Light Infantry, who was mentioned in despatches in the Boer War

India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (3385 Pte., 1st Bn. Som. Lt. Infy.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (3385 Corl., Somerset Lt. Infy.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (3385 Serjt., Somerset L.I.); 1914-15 Star (W-1724 Sjt., M.P.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals (W-1724 Sjt., M.P.S.C.) the first two officially corrected and the earlier awards with contact marks and edge bruising, good fine, the remainder generally very fine (6) £250-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 13th Regiment and Somerset Light Infantry.

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Hawes, who enlisted in the Somerset Light Infantry in December 1893, aged 20 years, witnessed active service with the 1st Battalion in the Mohmand operations on the Punjab Frontier in 1897, and with the 2nd Battalion in the Boer War.

Hawes was among those to distinguish themselves in the Boer attack on one of our convoys near Mooifontein, south of Bethel, on 25 May 1901, winning advancement to Corporal for rescuing a wounded comrade, with another N.C.O., within 400 yards of the enemy who were ‘firing hotly’; the rescued soldier may well have been a Private Sparks (see Lot 345).

Discharged in the interim, Hawes rejoined the Colours in January 1915 and served as a Sergeant in the Military Provost Staff Corps (M.P.S.C.) out in Egypt. He was demobbed in March 1919.