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Auction: 18002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 222

(x) The 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment

The Regiment disembarked at East London on 17 December 1851, where it was quickly given instruction on the principles of bush fighting; it had taken a long time for the lesson to be learned that shining brasses, pipe clay and parade ground drills would not help to subdue their enemies.

Seeing early service in the field, five companies joined with the 73rd upon a raid into the Amatolas on 27 January; ambushed in a pass near Baillies Grove, Surgeon Davidson was killed. Further casualties would follow whilst scouring the forests of Fullers Hoek and Hermann's Kloof, and in a brisk fight prompted by a cattle raid near Mount MacThomas, where Captain Gore was felled. Interestingly, despite a growing list of casualties from skirmishes, perhaps the greatest loss to the Battalion in a single event was caused not by the warriors of Sandili, but by an extraordinary thunderstorm which struck camp at Keiskamma Hoek; lightning exploded an ammunition store killing two men and injuring nineteen. The 43rd stayed on in the Cape after the close of the Third War, before embarking for Madras and for service in the Mutiny.

South Africa 1834-53 (T. Roberts. 43rd. Regt.), contact marks and polished, thus good fine

Thomas Roberts is recorded on the roll as having served in the Third War.

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Sold for
£280