Four: Private A. F. Richardson, 1st Tower Hamlets Rifle Volunteer Brigade and City of London Imperial Volunteers, later Army Service Corps

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, unofficial rivets between state and date clasps (D91 Pte. A. F. Richardson C.I.V.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (MS-2985 Pte. A. F. Richardson. A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals (MS-2985 Pte. A. F. Richardson. A.S.C.) contact marks and minor edge bruising, nearly very fine (4) £200-£240

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

View
Collection

Alfred Frederick Richardson was born in Blackwall, Middlesex in 1880. A volunteer in the 1st Tower Hamlets Rifles, he served with their detachment of eleven men in the draft of reinforcements for the Infantry Battalion of the City Imperial Volunteers which sailed for South Africa in July 1900.

Returning home from South Africa, and following the disbandment of the C.I.V. on 30 November 1900, Richardson attested on 19 February 1901, at Penton Street, London, for the 96th Company (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles), 24th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry and served once more in the South African Campaign, attached to the 1st Provisional Battalion, from 12 April 1901 to 23 November 1901. He was discharged medically unfit for further service on 24 January 1902.

On 5 August 1914, the day following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany, Richardson attested for the Army Service Corps at Avonmouth, and served with them on the Western Front, at No. 3 Ammunition Park, from 14 August 1914. Richardson’s service record also shows home service with 179th Company (Mechanised Transport) from 5 February 1915 and with the British Expeditionary Force overseas from 21 July 1915 until 1 October 1916 (excepting the period 25 June 1916 to 20 August 1916) after which he continued to serve at Home Depots.

Sold with copied C.I.V. and Imperial Yeomanry attestation papers - his C.I.V. papers are thought to be one of just two surviving examples.