Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Queen’s South Africa Medal awarded to Private A. Rumball, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, who was killed in the famous ‘Cornish Charge’ at the Battle of Paardeberg on 18 February 1900

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg (4142 Pte. A. Rumball, 2nd. D. of C. Lt. Infy.) initial officially corrected (see footnote), otherwise extremely fine £240-£280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 46th Foot and its Successor Units.

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Arthur Rumball was born in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1876 and attested for the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry in London on 17 July 1893. Posted to the 2nd Battalion, he served with them in South Africa during the Boer War, and was killed in action during the famous ‘Cornish Charge’ at the Battle of Paardeberg on 18 February 1900; on this occasion the Battalion suffered 28 fatal casualties, including their Commanding Officer, Colonel W. Aldworth, D.S.O., who led the Charge, and whose final words were: ‘We will make the name of the Cornwalls ring in the ears of the world boys... go on men and finish it.’

Rumball is commemorated on the Regiment’s Paardeberg Memorial at Bodmin, where his initial is given as ‘T’ - presumably that is how his Queen’s South Africa Medal was originally named before his initial was corrected to ‘A’.

Sold with copied research.