Orders, Decorations and Medals

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Diamond Hill, Belfast (72 Pte. G. Kingston, Victoria M.R.) clasps loose as issued, dark toned, nearly extremely fine £350-400

Private George Kingstone served with the first contingent Victoria Mounted Infantry Company which, together with contingents from South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, were amalgamated into the First Australian Regiment at Cape Town on 26 November 1899. This unit served until April 1900, when it was broken up and the 1st Victorians were placed under Colonel Price, who had the 2nd Victorians, and they formed part of the 4th Mounted Infantry Corps.

Private Kingston was taken prisoner during the operations on 29 May, 1900, when the Victorians were engaged at the Black Reef Mine, Witwatersrand, where they were met with a heavy rifle fire, and subsequently shell fire when endeavouring to turn the enemy’s flank. During the day a company was detached, under Lieutenant Kirby to assist a mixed party of Lumsden’s Horse and Imperial Mounted Infantry, who were hard-pressed at the railway station, close to Germiston Junction. Lieutenant Kirby pushed in, and, after a fairly sharp struggle, captured several engines, a considerable amount of rolling stock, and an ambulance train that was going out. For this he received the D.S.O. Private Kingston was re-captured on 6 June at the occupation of Pretoria, when the Victorians, owing to the formation of the march, were the first to enter.