Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Boer War D.C.M. group of three awarded Trooper M. J. Blades, Loch’s Horse

Distinguished Conduct Medal, E.VII.R. (Tpr: J. Blades. Loch’s Horse); British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Mashonaland 1897 (436 Troopr M. J. Blades. B.S.A. Police.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg (196 Tpr: M. J. Blades, Loch’s Horse) light contact marks, otherwise good very fine (3) £2000-2400

D.C.M. London Gazette 27 September 1901.

Matthew James Blades was a farmer by trade and a native of West Bank, Hawes, Yorkshire. He attested for the British South Africa Police, 28 April 1897, and served with the Mashonaland Division. Having left the British South Africa Police after a year’s service he attested for Loch’s Horse, aged 34, on 15 March 1900.

Loch’s Horse was raised by Lord Loch in February 1900. With a combined strength of 220, during their 12 months’ service ‘they shared in the advance from Bloemfontein to the Transvaal as part of the 8th Corps of Mounted Infantry commanded by Colonel Ross of the Durham Light Infantry, the Brigadier being Colonel Henry. The 8th Corps were part of the advance guard or screen to the centre of Lord Roberts’ army, and had a lot of scouting skirmishing in the northward march. Colonel Henry’s men, including the 1st and 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles, South Australians, Tasmanians, Lumsden’s Horse, Loch’s Horse, and the 4th Mounted Infantry Regulars, were among the first to cross the Vaal, and had very stiff fighting before the infantry got up, particularly at the mines in the neighbourhood of Vereeniging, about Elandsfontein, and outside Pretoria. Their work was highly praised by the Generals and by the correspondents.’ (The Colonials in South Africa, refers)

Over the course of the Regiment’s 12 months of active service it suffered eleven men lost to wounds and disease, and in each case the widow or next of kin was paid the sum of £50, the amount for which the life of each officer and man was insured by the Committee.

1 of 3 D.C.M.’s gazetted for the Regiment, one of which was subsequently cancelled, another upgraded to a Commission and the award of a D.S.O., and the final one awarded to Trooper Blades. Therefore it is likely that this is the only D.C.M. in existence to the Regiment.