SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL

THE EXTREMELY RARE 2/24TH FOOT SOUTH AFRICA 1877-9 MEDAL TO PRIVATE LIEUTENANT POPE’S G COMPANY WHO WAS KILLED AT THE BATTLE OF ISANDHLWANA DURING THE ZULU WAR OF 1879, A LETTER FROM HIM SENT FROM SOUTH AFRICA BEING PUBLISHED IN HIS LOCAL NEWSPAPER AFTER HIS DEATH. OF THE 173 MEDAL TO 2/24TH ISANDHLWANA CASUALTIES, ONLY APPROXIMATELY 80 WERE TO G COMPANY

SOUTH AFRICA 1877-9, CLASP 1877-8-9 ‘2038 PTE S. WALKER 2/24TH FOOT.’

Samuel Walker, aged 19, enlisted into the 2/24th Foot at Sheffield on 23 July 1868. He served with his battalion in India from April 1869 and was based at Secunderabad until December 1873, when the battalion returned to England. Serving at Warley, Aldershot, Dover and Chatham between then and September 1877, he was on a number of occasions committed to the cells for minor offenses. Additionally, between 7 August 1877 and 30 September 1877 he was listed at Wandsworth Prison, though it is not clear if this was for an offense, or he was on duty there. The latter is more likely. In October 1877 he sailed with his battalion for South Africa and served with it throughout the Frontiers War of 1877-8, serving with Lieutenant Pope’s G Company. He was finally stationed in Natal from September 1878 where he spent time in the cells between 22 and 28 of that month.

Walker subsequently took part in the invasion of Zululand in January 1879 and when Lord Chelmsford’s force left Isandhlwana on the morning of 22 January, he was left at the camp along with G company, the only company of the 2/24th to be left behind……………….

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MEDALS TO 2/24TH FOOT AT ISANDHLWANA

173 Officers and men of the 2/24th were left in the camp at Isandhlwana but only G Company as a whole was left, consisting approximately 80 Officers and men. The balance of 2/24th men were either sick or on other duties that prevented them joining their own companies. It is therefore impossible to know exactly where they were during the battle. However G companies roll in the battle is well documented and therefore medals to confirmed G company men do carry more interest.

As well as being listed as a G Company man in the ‘Noble 24th’, Private Samuel Walker is confirmed as a member of G Company in the letter to his father.

Condition VF, a little polished but no EK’s. Ex Spink 1986, Baldwins 2013 (£10,400). Sold with copy research including transcript of service, rolls, Baldwins receipt etc

An extremely fine and scarce G Company medal but very rare to have any sort of personal documentation to a non Officer Isandhlwana casualty.