Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Chief Motor Mechanic A. Benson, Motor Boat Section, R.N.V.R., late Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen, South Africa 1901 (12199 Pte. A. Benson, 66th Coy. Impl: Yeo:); British War and Victory Medals (M.B.681 A. Benson. C.M.M. R.N.V.R.); A Tribute from Yorkshire, 66 Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry, South Africa 1900-1901 (12199 A. Benson); Yorkshire Field Firing Competition, silver star (Priv. A. Benson 1st V.B. W.Y.R. 1898) the last very fine, otherwise good very fine or better (5) £300-400

Arthur Benson was born in the Parish of Fellskirk, Yorkshire, on 25 April 1978. He was a horse breaker by trade when he volunteered for the Imperial Yeomanry at Harrogate on 11 January 1900, having previous service with the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment. He served in South Africa with the 66th Company Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry from March 1900 to April 1901, seeing action at Reits Spruit and Bethlehem. He was discharged ‘at his own request from further service in connection with the war in South Africa’ on 5 June 1901.

Now qualified as a motor mechanic, he enlisted for service during the 1st World War, joining the Motor Boat section of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 29 August 1916. He served aboard M.L. 504 throughout the remainder of the war, being promoted to Chief Motor Mechanic on 1 September 1917, and ‘shore demobilized’ on 17 June 1919. Sold with copied discharge papers and Great War record of service.