A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker

A rare Boer War pair awarded to Lance-Corporal R. A. Golding, Royal Engineers, ‘a skilled balloonist’ who served in No. 1 Balloon Section

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Belfast (2851, Sapr. R. A. Golding, R.E.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (2851 Sapr. R. A. Golding. R.E.) toned, light contact marks, very fine (2) £460-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker.

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Provenance: DNW, March 2011.

Richard Arthur Golding was born at 31 Litcham Street, Kentish Town, London, in July 1876. He attested for the Royal Engineers at the city of his birth in June 1899. Initially serving as a Driver, he advanced to Sapper and was posted for service with the Royal Engineers ballooning unit, the Balloon Section, in August 1899. Shortly thereafter, he witnessed active service in South Africa, serving in No. 3 Field Troop, R.E. from June 1900, which was formed from No. 2 Balloon Section after the relief of Ladysmith, and in No. 1 Balloon Section, until the end of hostilities.

In the winter of 1903-04, detachments of the 1st and 2nd Balloon Sections under Lieutenants Spaight and Broke-Smith conducted experiments at Gibraltar and Malta respectively. Golding served with the Malta detachment from 10 December 1903 - 19 March 1904. At the time of his transfer to the Army Reserve in March 1905, in the rank of Lance-Corporal, he was described as a ‘skilled balloonist.’

Recalled on the outbreak of hostilities, Golding was embarked for France in early September 1915, but was discharged in June 1916 and awarded the Silver War Badge (entitled 1914-15 Star trio).

Sold with file of copied research.