Lot 100
Killed in Action Paarderberg 18th of February 1900 ‡
Clandestine Operations - Inc The D.J. Croll Medal Collection & Other Properties | M26002
Auction: 16 September 2026 at 10.30 BST
Description
The Queen’s South Africa Medal awarded to Private W. Oconnor1st Battalion Welsh Regiment who was Killed in Action at Paarderberg on the 18th of February 1900 comprising, Queen’s South Africa Medal, 1899-1902, 2nd type, ghost dates, two clasps, Relief of Kimberley, Paarderberg, (5584 Pte W. O’Connor, :Welsh Regt), impressed naming very fine (1)
Retiring eastwards with his commandos towards Bloemfontein, Asst Cmdt-Gen P.A. Cronjé‚ hoped to cross to the south bank of the Modder River by Vendutie Drift. The main body of the convoy, hampered by women and children, halted at midnight on 16 February 1900 near Paardeberg Drift and, after a rest of four hours, inspanned and trekked to Vendutie Drift where it again halted for a rest. As the leading waggons inspanned and began to cross the river on the morning of 17 February, Royal Horse Artillery batteries from Maj-Gen J.D.P. French's cavalry division started to shell the drift. The crossing was halted and attacks led by Cmdt J.F. de Beer (Bloemhof commando) and Field Cornet T. van Nieuwoudt (Hoopstad commando) to force French to abandon the artillery position were unsuccessful. Late that afternoon Cronjé‚ decided to laager at the drift and started to entrench around the waggons in the hope that reinforcements would shortly arrive. The British forces under the effective command of Lt-Gen Lord Kitchener now began to assemble at Paardeberg Drift around midnight - Lt-Gen T. Kelly- Kenny's 6th infantry division, Lt-Gen Sir H.E. Colvile's 9th infantry division and Maj-Gen H.L. Smith-Dorrien's 19th infantry brigade. Determined to attack in the expectation of seizing the laager by 10 am on 18 February, Kitchener ordered a frontal assault from the south combined with attacks upstream and downstream. The split of units within larger commands and lack of communication between the three forces, together with determined Boer resistance, frustrated Kitchener's idea of a quick victory. By afternoon, the attacking forces had come to a standstill, and Kitchener issued an order that the laager must be rushed at all costs. In one such unsuccessful attempt from the east, Col O.C. Hannay, leading a charge of mounted infantry, was killed after his horse had been shot from under him and he had reached the Boer lines on foot. In the meantime, Veg-Gen C.R. de Wet had arrived from the south-east with reinforcements and captured Kitchener's Kopje and Osfontein and Stinkfontein farmhouses still held by Kitchener's Horse.
Sold with Copied Medal Roll confirming both clasps and Killed 18-2-00. Not in the Boer War Casualty Roll
