Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (131898 S.B-Stwd: J. Kelly, H:M:S: Forte) impressed naming, edge bruise, very fine and scarce £400-£500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Queen’s South Africa Medals for the Relief of Ladysmith.

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Provenance: Captain W. A. Tinlin Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, March 2007.

Joseph Kelly was born in London on 15 August 1866 and joined the Royal Navy as a Sick Berth Attendant on 29 April 1895. He was advanced Sick Berth Steward on 1 November 1897, and joined H.M.S. Forte on 20 April 1899. He served during the Boer War as part of the Naval Brigade contingent from H.M.S. Forte, and is included in a group photograph of officers and men from this contingent reproduced in Afloat and Ashore - The R.N. during the Boer War, by Peter Singlehurst, which also states that 16 medals were issued with 5 clasps to the Forte. He was discharged on 15 December 1904.