Special Collections
Create new list‘Hearing that a lion had killed a man and a pony, some 20 miles from his Headquarters, Major Ewing, accompanied by another officer, went out to endeavour to shoot the brute. While on their way out, the lion suddenly appeared out of the grass and scrub thicket at a distance of only about twenty yards. Major Ewing’s companion fired but only wounded the beast that came straight on. The two officers who were apparently close together as the lion charged, endeavoured to jump aside as he sprang, by Major Ewing caught his foot on a stump and fell, dropping his rifle, and in a moment the lion was upon him tearing his legs, severing both arteries and otherwise terribly mauling him. His companion fired four shots before finally killing the beast, but too late to save Major Ewing who died five hours later after suffering great agony.’
The Major’s obituary notice in the China Dragon, refers.
A rare Africa campaign service group of four awarded to Major A. W. S. Ewing, North Staffordshire Regiment, who was mauled to death by a lion while on attachment to the Somaliland Field Force in March 1904
East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Sierra Leone 1898-99 (Lieut. A. W. S. Ewing, N. Staff. Regt.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg (Capt. A. W. S. Ewing, N. Staff. Rgt.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Maj. A. W. S. Ewing, N. Staff. Rgt.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Bt.-Maj. A. W. S. Ewing, N. Staff. R.), this last a late issue from the 1930s, the first three with traces of old lacquer, otherwise good very fine (4) £1800-2200
This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the North Staffordshire Regiment.
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Alister William Stewart Ewing was born in Madras, India in November 1872, the son of Colonel John Ewing, later of Stroquhan House, Dunscore, Dumfries.
Educated at Clifton College and the R.M.C. Sandhurst, Alister was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment in March 1894.
Advanced to Lieutenant in January 1897, he gained attachment to the West Africa Field Force and was actively employed in the Protectorate Expedition against rebel natives in Sherboro District in Sierra Leone between August 1898 and October 1899 (Medal & clasp).
With the outbreak of hostilities in South Africa, Ewing returned home and was embarked with the 2nd Battalion. He subsequently served as Commandant at Boksburg and participated in operations in the Orange Free State from February to May 1900, including the actions at Karree Sidings, Vet River and Zand River. He was also employed in operations in the Transvaal in May 1900, including the action near Johannesburg, and in the Mounted Infantry (Queen’s Medal & 3 clasps; King’s Medal & 2 clasps). He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 10 September 1901, refers) and given the Brevet of Major in May 1902.
On returning home to his father’s estate in Scotland, Ewing was presented with an illuminated address enclosed in a silver casket - the address bore the Ewing crest and that of his regiment, together with a portrait photograph; so, too, with a ‘handsome cigar and cigarette box from the servants on the estate.’
Shortly after his return home, Ewing applied for an appointment in the Somaliland Field Force. He was accepted and joined the Force in May 1903, when he was appointed a Section Staff Officer on the line of communication. However, as cited above, he was mauled to death by a lion in Wadamayo District in March 1904.
Owing to the fact Ewing’s name was omitted from the original medal roll, his Africa General Service Medal and ‘Somaliland 1902-04’ clasp was not issued until June 1938, when it was presented by the War Office to his widowed mother who was in her 88th year; sold with an extensive file of copied research, including medal roll verification.
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