Medal group , Boer War & WW1 , Sgt William J Upton, for further research. QSA has 2 clasps, Orange Free State and Cape Colony, (also eligable SA 01) confirmed on medal roll, unconfirmed KSA has SA 01 & SA 02 (clasps are tailors copies on KSA), both have same contemporary engraved same style capital letters, renamed probably due to change of rank from Private to Corporal, “5897 CPL W UPTON E KENTS”. (this medal requires further research, could be interesting story). Boer War & WW1 Meritorious Service Medal group Sgt Upton East Kent & Essex Regt. Boer War KSA QSA WWI MSM medal group Sgt W J Upton East Kent & Essex Regiment. Medal group for further research, QSA & KSA named in matching contemporary engraved lettering to “5897 CPL W UPTON E KENTS” (renamed probably for change of rank to Corporal) comes with QSA medal roll confirming clasps Orange Free State, Cape Clony and eligable South Africa 1901 (early version with faint ghost dates below wreath pointing to letter “R” in Africa), KSA unconfirmed and SA 1901 & SA 1902 clasps are taylors copies. World War I trio with Meritorious Service medal for bravery in the field requires further research, should be an interesting story as could possibly have earned award 1st day of Somme? All officially impressed name. MSM renamed possibly for change of rank and medal roll states Star officially had rank changed to Sgt, probably promoted after the Somme/receiving MSM? The 1st Battalion saw action in the Anglo-Egyptian War and the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Battalion, 1st Volunteer (Militia) Battalion and 2nd Volunteer (Weald of Kent) Battalion all saw action during the 2nd Boer War with Captain Naunton Henry Vertue of the 2nd Battalion serving as brigade major to the 11th infantry Brigade under Major General Edward Woodgate. At the Battle of Spion Kop where he was mortally wounded in January 1900. Poster calling on the men of Essex to volunteer for Kitchener’s Army. During WW1, the Essex Regiment provided 30 infantry battalions to the British Army. The 3rd (Special Reserve) (formerly Militia) battalion was mobilised to supply drafts to the two Regular battalions. On the outbreak of war, the Territorial battalions 4th-7th, and 8th (Cyclist) battalions, all formed second line (2/4-2/8th) and eventually third line (3/4th-3/8th) battalions. Three service battalions (9th, 10th and 11th) and one reserve battalion (12th), were formed from volunteers in 1914 as part of Kitchener’s Army. A further service battalion 13th (West Ham), was raised by the Mayor and Borough of Westham. Reserve battalions were created as the war progressed, including the 14th (from the depot companies of the 13th), the 15th, 16th and 17th (from provisional battalions), the 18th (Home Service) and 1st and 2nd Garrison Battalions. After serving in home defence, the Essex Brigade containing the 1/4th, 1/5th, 1/6th and 1/7th battalions and now numbered the 161st and 54th landed at Sulva in August 1915 in an attempt to restart the stalled Gallipoli Campaign. The four Essex battalions saw some hard fighting, but lost even more men to sickness. They were withdrawn to Egypt in December before the Gallipoli Peninsula was finally abandoned. Battle of the Somme. The 1st Battalion took part in the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916. It was delayed by heavy enemy fire and congestion in the communication trenches. The Newfoundland Regiment advancing to the left of the Essex battalion was almost entirely wiped out as it advanced towards the German lines. The companies came under heavy artillery and machine gun fire almost as soon as they appeared over the parapet, causing heavy losses. The attack became bogged down in NO MAN’S LAND. The survivors of the battalion received orders to hold their position along the line of’Mary Redan”New Trench”Regent Street’. The worst day in British army History for losses. The names of 959 members of the Essex Regiment are recorded on the Thiepval memorial, commemorating the officers and men of the regiment who died on the Somme and have no known grave. Auctiva gets you noticed! Track Page Views With. Auctiva’s FREE Counter. The item “Boer War & WW1 Meritorious Service Medal group Sgt Upton East Kent & Essex Regt” is in sale since Sunday, June 10, 2018. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\Boer War (1899-1902)”. The seller is “theonlineauctionsale” and is located in England. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom
- Country/ Organization: Great Britain
- Issued/ Not-Issued: Issued
- Type: Medals & Ribbons
- Conflict: Boer War (1899-1902)
- Service: Army
- Era: 1914-1945