Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1877-8-9 (1011. Pte. D. Griffith. 2-24th Foot.) nearly extremely fine £800-1000

David Griffith/Griffiths was born in the Parish of Llanelly, near Brynmawr, Brecknockshire, in 1850. He attested for a term of twelve years with the 25th Brigade at Brynmawr on 29 December 1876, aged 26, a fireman by trade. Shortly afterwards he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot and went with the Battalion to South Africa in February 1878, arriving at the Cape of Good Hope the following month.

It seems probable that Griffiths was part of Lord Chelmsford’s column that moved out of Isandhlwana on 22 January as he is recorded in the 2nd Battalion Orders Book (Rorke’s Drift, January-April 1879) as having transferred from ‘E’ to ‘G’ Company at Rorke’s Drift on 31 January 1879; ‘E’ Company had formed part of Chelmsford’s column on 22 January.

Griffiths departed South Africa on 27 January 1880, and after further service in Gibraltar and India, returned home on 27 January 1883. He was transferred to the Army Reserve on 28 March 1883 and finally discharged at Brecon on 25 January 1889.

Sold with copied discharge papers, medal roll extract, and other research.