RHODESIA 1896 MATABELE & BOER WAR MEDALS: TROOPER 1333 DUNCAN PRINCE ALFRED GUARDS

Offered is a British South Africa Company (1890-97), reverse RHODESIA 1896, period engraved named TROOPR W.C. DUNCAN. M.R.F.; Queens South Africa Medal (1899 – 1902) 1 clasp CAPE COLONY, impressed named 1333 P^TE W W DUNCAN. PRINCE ALF: VOL: GD:; Kings South Africa Medal (1902), 2 clasps SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902, impressed named 1333 P^TE W.C. DUNCAN. P.A.V.G. Court Mounted for display. Comes with copy medal rolls and basic research.

Trooper W.C Duncan was a South African who served as a Trooper during the Matabele War of 1896, as part of the Matabeleland Relief Force. The Matabeleland Relief Force was commanded by Colonel Plumer (Field Marshal Herbert Charles Onslow Plumer, 1st Viscount Plumer, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE) and it consisted of 750 white men and 200 Cape Boys.

The main relief force was the ‘Matabeleland Relief Force’, comprised of paid volunteers and some regular army units commanded by Colonel Plumer. Recruited in South Africa it took until May 14 to arrive in Bulawayo. A second column from Salisbury consisted of 150 mounted men under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Beal of the Rhodesia Volunteer Horse. The column set out on the 18th April having been delayed by the difficulty in finding oxen for the wagons due to the rinderpest outbreak. After engagements with the Matabele the column relieved Gwelo on May 1 and continued to join up with the Matabeleland Relief Force eventually reaching Bulawayo on June 2nd. Once the situation had been stabilised the volunteer forces were disbanded, at Bulawayo on July 4 1896.

An excellent book “With Plumer in Matabeleland” is available for free download on the internet. It is strongly recommended that the winning bidder views this book.

During the Boer War he served in the First City (Grahamstown) Volunteers (service number 539) and the Prince Alfred’s Volunteer Guard (service number 1333).