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Queen's South Africa Medal (second striking): CM.1422-2009

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Ruler: Victoria (1837-1901)
Artist: Saulles, George W. de
Ruler: Victoria regina et imperatrix (With the title of)

Entities

Categories

Description

During the 1830s and 1840s several Dutch republics had been established outside the British Cape Colony in South Africa, among which were Transvaal and the Orange Free State, all now in modern South Africa. Transvaal was annexed briefly by the British but its independence re-established in the First Boer War.
In the 1880s however the discovery of vast gold reserves in Transvaal brought large numbers of foreign settlers, largely British, across the border, and an attempted coup at the instigation of Cecil Rhodes in 1895. Military escalation followed, negotiations failed and the two Boer republics, convinced that the British intended annexation, declared war in the Cape Colony in October 1899.
Despite initial successes in battle against the British, by mid-1900 the Boers were being driven into retreat by a much-reinforced British opposition. They therefore turned to a dogged campaign of guerilla warfare, and it was May 1902 before the last of the distinct forces operating in the different provinces of the two Boer republics was forced to surrender.
British troops (and sailors) therefore spent the period of 1900-1902 in local clean-up and defence operations, which were awarded bars to the Queen's South Africa Medal according to the provinces in which these operations were carried out. This medal was awarded to Corporal George Aldcroft of the Royal Canadian Artillery, whose service covered both `home' deployments in the Cape Colony and Rhodesia (now parts of South Africa and Zimbabwe respectively) and `foreign' service in the two former Boer Republics (both now subsumed into South Africa). The medal incorrectly gives his first initial as `C.'. Lester Watson acquired the medal at some point before 1928.
The Museum must thank Corporal Aldcroft's grandson for bringing his grandfather's first name and the engraver's mistake to our attention.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, acquired before 1928

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.3 mm
Weight: 49.19 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester

Dating

Production date: AD 1902

Materials used in production

Silver

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Bust of Victoria facing left with veil

  • Text: VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Britannia in foreground facing right holding standard and waving wreath over army marching along shore, with ships offshore in background

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1422-2009
Primary reference Number: 141516
Watson Catalogue: 334
Ordering: M-0305
Previous object number: LW.0305
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 15 January 2024 Last processed: Monday 15 January 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Coins and Medals

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Queen's South Africa Medal (second striking)" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141516 Accessed: 2024-03-28 21:00:55

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141516 |title=Queen's South Africa Medal (second striking) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-03-28 21:00:55|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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