Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Boer War D.C.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant-Major W. Smith, 3rd Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (64 Serjt:-Maj: W. Smith. 3rd. K.O. Scot: Bord:); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Chin-Lushai 1889-90 (64 Sergt. W. Smith. 1st Bn. K.O. Sco. Bord.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (64 Serjt:-Major W. Smith. K.O. Scot: Bord:); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (64 Serjt:-Maj: W. Smith. K.O. Scot: Bord:) contact marks, nearly very fine and better (4) £2,000-£2,400

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, June 2012.

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

M.I.D. London Gazette 10 September 1901.

William Smith was born in Duns, Berwickshire. A Saddler by occupation and a member of the 1st Battalion Berwick Volunteers, he attested for the King’s Own Scottish Borderers at Berwick on 3 January 1882, aged 19 years, 4 months. He served overseas in Gibraltar, February-June 1886 and India and Burma, February 1889-February 1991. In the East Indies he took part in the Chin-Lushai Expedition of 1889-90, serving with the Gangaw Column. He then served in the Second Boer War, March 1900-May 1902. As a Sergeant-Major with the regiment he was mentioned in Lord Robert’s despatches and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. On his discharge in 1903 he settled in Edinburgh and was again employed as a Saddler. With the onset of the Great War he attested for the Army Reserve (Special Reserve) at Leeds in September 1914 - then aged 51 years. He served as a Sergeant-Major with the West Yorkshire Regiment based in England, September 1914-April 1916. Sergeant-Major Smith died at Calstock, Cornwall on 6 August 1928.

Sold with a quantity of copied research, a modern K.O.S.B. cap badge; and a photographic image of the recipient.