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Auction: 4004 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 175

An Interesting 'D.C.M.' Group of Seven to Sergeant Major J.W. Thomson, Cape Medical Staff Corps, Late Bechuanaland Border Police and Royal Engineers 'Distinguished Conduct Medal' (No.1142 Sapper J.W Thomson 29th Co. R.E.); renamed and skilfully 'manufactured' from a Victorian Long Service Medal; Afghanistan 1878-80, two clasps, Kabul, Kandahar, renamed as previous medal; India General Service 1854-95, one clasp, Burma 1885-7 (Corpl.), renamed; British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, for Matabeleland 1893 (1348 Trooper B.B. Police); Queen's South Africa, seven clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Relief of Kimberley, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 (Pte. C.M.S.C.), some copy clasps; King's South Africa, two clasps (39 D. Co. C.M.S. Corps), renamed; Royal Humane Society Medal, small, successful, bronze (1142 Corpl. J.W. Thomson 29th Co. R.E.), renamed, the 'group' mounted as worn, very fine or better (7) Estimate £ 600-700 Sergeant Major J.W. Thomson, born Edinburgh, Scotland; served an apprenticeship as a stone-cutter; enlisted Royal Engineers 1878; February 1878 Mentioned in Despatches (D.C.M.); after nine years of continuous service he returned to England before shortly setting out to Australia, 1887, to cut stone on the Parliament buildings, Adelaide, with the later Prime Minister Tom Price; on the return voyage to England aboard the 'Himalaya', Thomson saved the life of a Seven year old girl, who fell overboard for which he received the Royal Humane Society Medal; enlisted Beachuana Border Police 1893 and served throughout the Rebellion; was working in Bulawayo at the outbreak of the Boer War and joined Cape Mounted Scouts; moved to Canada 1906. The above information is taken from a Canadian newspaper article headed 'A General Union Hero'. The same article begins 'The rugged countenance pictured here is that of Sergeant-Major J.W. Thomson of ottawa, Can., a detailed description of whose thrilling life would rival that of many a national celebrity.' Later it continues '...such is a rapid sketch of the varied career of this warrior stone-cutter, whose experiences and reminiscences rival those of a Monte Cristo. "Staff Sergeant Thompson has seen much active service. He marched with Lord Roberts from Cabul to Candahar. He was present at the Relief of Kimberley. From October 1899 to June 1902, he was one of the Boer's most daring foes, and a ten barred war medal speaks eloquently of his activity during that period." It would appear that the only two genuinely named medals in the group are the B.S.A. Company Medal and the Queen's South Africa Medal. One can only speculate as to how many times Sergeant Thomson was fêted over the years by unsuspecting admirers.

Sold for
£600