British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private J. Phillips, Grenadier Guards

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast (7504 Pte. J. Phillips, Gren. Gds.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (7504 Pte. J. Phillips, Grenadier Guards), mounted as worn, the last with minor official correction to unit, polished, nearly very fine (2) £350-400

John Phillips was born in Neath and enlisted in the Grenadier Guards in June 1898, aged 21 years, direct from the Glamorgan Artillery Volunteers. He subsequently witnessed active service out in South Africa, in the course of which he qualified for the above described Medals and clasps, and kept a pocket diary covering the period November 1899 until June 1900 - thus coverage of operations at Belmont, Modder River and Graspan in November 1899, relevant entries on the 24th and 25th stating:

24th: ‘Sent search parties out to pick the dead up (after a loss of 23 killed and 80 wounded the previous day), and marched 16 miles towards Graspan.’

25th: ‘Marched off at 4 a.m. Our Brigade engaged the enemy at Graspan. Our Naval guns shelling the Boer positions before the Infantry attacked, driving them from their position with heavy loss after 6 hours’ fighting - took over Boer camp 6 miles from where the battle was. Water scarce; famishing for 8 hours after the battle, our transport not coming up to the camp until next morning. No food.’

Having then been discharged in June 1914, Phillips was quickly recalled by his old regiment on the outbreak of hostilities that August, accompanying research confirming that he was wounded while serving as a Lance-Sergeant in the 4th Battalion in early 1917, and evacuated to the U.K.

Sold with the recipient’s original pocket diary, as quoted above, damaged leather spine and front cover, and an original Boer War commemorative card, with the 3rd Battalion’s battle honours on scrolls to left and right, and central ink inscription, ‘No. 7504 Pte. J. Phillips’, signed by the unit’s C.O., Colonel Crabb.