Lot 21
17th Lancers Charge at Ulundi
"Behind The Wire" - Medal and Militaria Sale | M25001
Auction: 17 September 2025 at 14:00 BST
Description
The South Africa Medal awarded to Private John Ostheirner 17th (Duke of Cambridge’s Own) Lancers who Charged at Ulundi comprising South Africa Medal 1877-79 one clasp, 1879, (1793. Pte J. Ostheirner. 17th DCO. Lrs), engraved naming, very fine (1)
Private Ostheirner enlisted into the 17th Lancers in the London recruiting district on the 4th of August 1875, at the age of 22 years. He joined the Regiment at Dublin and papers of their pay lists from the 10th of August. In 1876 he moved with the Regiment to Aldershot and is shown as being on furlough from the 14th of November to the 15th of December 1876. John Ostheirner’s name is to be found in a Court Martial Ledger, charged in January 1878 for 'theft and deceit', for which he is given 308 days Hard Labour. After this poor start to his Army career he seems to have stelled down and was not in serious trouble again.
In February 1879, with the war against the Zulu going badly, the 17th Lancers were ordered to proceed to Natal, the Regiment embarking on the 24th-26th of that month. Ostheirner arrived in Natal with the Regiment in early April and took part with them, as part of the 2nd Division, in the advance into Zululand. He was present at the reconnaissance of the Upoko River, the engagement at Erzuhgayan, the advance up the Umvolosi Valley and the decisive battle of Ulundi fought on the 4th of July 1879. The Charge of the 17th Lancers at Ulundi turned the Zulu defeat into a rout and virtually ended the war.
With the War over, Ostheirner embarked with his regiment at Pinetown near Durban for service in India. The Regiment was stationed at Mhow, and it was hear that Ostheirner died, presumably of disease, on the 7th of August 1883. His name appears on the 17th Lancers Memorial at Mhow “Sacred to the Memory of The Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the 17th Lancers who Died While The Regiment was Quartered at Mhow from 1879 – 1884. Private John Ostheimer 7 Aug 1883”
Sold with Copy Medal Roll, Copy Photogrpah of Memorial in Mhow, Copy Courts Martial Register.
Provenance
Baldwins 1973
CJ & AJ Dixon 2007
