Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private J. S. Sawford, Imperial Yeomanry Hospital Staff and London Fire Brigade

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Cape Colony (Pte. J. S. Sawford. I.Y. Hp. Staff.) officially impressed naming; National Fire Brigades’ Union (Ambulance Department) Medal for South Africa 1899-1902, silver (James S. Sawford, Fire Brigde, Earl’s Court, London S.W.) naming engraved in reverse field, contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine and rare (2) £1,000-£1,400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Boer War Medals to Medical Services, the Church and the Press.

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Collection

Ref: Hibbard J5.

It is believed that approximately 42 National Fire Brigades’ Union Medals were awarded - issued to volunteers from the organisation who went to South Africa attached to the Medical Corps - working in hospitals, dressing stations etc. At the end of their service, the volunteers returned home and were presented with their medals by H.M. Queen Alexandra, Patroness of the N.F.B.U., at Earls Court in 1902. Refer Boer War Tribute Medals by Hibbard who lists all 42 recipients with some brief details. As of 2012 just eight N.F.B.U. Medals for South Africa have been recorded.

See Dix Noonan Webb auction of 23 September 2011 for a similar pair.

Sold with copied medal roll for Imperial Yeomanry Hospital Staff and detailed research on the N.F.B.U. medal for South Africa with full roll of awards.