Original Items. One-of-a-Kind. The Queen's South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to British and Colonial military personnel, and to civilians employed in an official capacity, who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Altogether twenty-six clasps were awarded, to indicate participation in particular actions and campaigns. This is a tremendous set of both the Queen’s & King’s South Africa Medals identified to Private William Aitken, 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys), who received clasps for Transvaal, Orange Free State, and Cape Colony. On November 3rd, 1914, during the First Battle of Ypres in the Great War, Aitken was killed in action. This is notable given how excrutiatingly early in the war he fell. 

Poor logistics and disease, combined with having to fight against a disciplined and capable enemy of excellent horsemen and marksmen who perfected guerrilla warfare, made this a hard-won medal. In addition to men often having to go without basics such as food and water, enteric fever killed several thousand and was a constant drain on manpower. The published casualty rolls run to over 50,000 names, while studies of contemporary publications and reports put the actual figure for all casualties, including caused by disease, at 97,000.

The Queen's South Africa Medal is a silver disc, 38 millimeters (1.5 inches) in diameter. The bronze medal was awarded to non-combatant Indian troops and other non-combatant men of whatever nationality who drew military pay, although some silver medals were awarded to native troops. The suspender is attached to the medal with a claw mount and a pin through the upper edge of the medal.

The first medals were awarded to Lord Strathcona's Horse and bore the years "1899" and "1900" below Britannia's wreath, with the wreath almost touching the "R" of "AFRICA". Approximately fifty of these medals were awarded. This example is the third version that was struck with a new die with Africa in a lower position.

The rim is engraved 4971 PTE W AITKEN. 2ND DRAGOONS. The clasps include Transvaal, Orange Free State, and Cape Colony.

The King's South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to all British and Colonial military personnel who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa, and who were in the theatre on or after 1 January 1902 and who had completed 18 months service in the conflict prior to 1 June 1902.

This example is rim-engraved 4971 PTE W AITKEN. 2ND DRGNS. The clasps include SOUTH AFRICA 1902 and SOUTH AFRICA 1901.

This is a fantastic set of Boer War medals identified to William Aitken, who was killed in action 12 years later on November 3rd, 1914, during the First Battle of Ypres. Comes ready for further research and display!