An emotive Four Clasp
QUEEN'S & KING'S SOUTH AFRICA MEDALS
Johannesburg, Paardeberg, Modder River, Belmont. & S.A. 01 & 02
with
1914 Star & Bar Trio.
75th & 39th ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY.
To:
20300. Pte,Cpl & Bmbr W.H.CLACK R.F.A.
( A CLASSIC OLD CONTEMPTIBLE SOLDIER )
(SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SLEEPING ON DUTY DURING THE BOER WAR)
FULL SERVICE & PENSION PAPERS.
(These are some of the most complete and comprehensive records we've ever encountered for a private soldier...ABOUT 30 PAGES !!).
**These papers demonstrate just how much information was originally held on each man and and how much has been lost during and since the London Blitz fire of 1940.) 
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(The QSA is initialled as J.W. CLACK owing to a scrip error on the roll (copy roll included) which is then seen as having been amended by the clerk to W.H.)
The service numbers are however constant as '20300' on all medals in the group.)
HISTORY
William Henry Clack was from Marylebone, London and served with the RA from 31st May 1897, age 18 years & 7 months, until his discharge on 13th February 1919. During his very extensive career in two major wars he had a very checkered life both personally and militarily.
He first married in Brighton in December 1904 and produced a son, William, who was born in Preston, Lancs in 1906.
During the Boer War he was wounded in the eye in 1899 he appears in the 'defaulters book' no less than five times for various minor crimes, but was later in SERIOUS TROUBLE having been caught 'SLEEPING ON DUTY' and was 'SENTENCED TO DEATH' by Court Marshall in January 1902. As in many cases this was reduced to 3 months imprisonment with No1 Field Punishment......A close call, as this offence carried an automatic death sentence unless commuted.
He was transferred to the 1st Class Army Reserve on 13th February 1904 and was then living in Hove, Brighton.
He divorced in 1918 due to his first wife Annie's infidelity while he was away fighting in a France.(He clearly received a classic 'Dear John' letter and received one months special leave in August 1918 when he returned home to arrange new accommodation for his child.)
His son, also William, went to live with Mrs Clack senior, his grandmother, in London.
Clack subsequently married his second wife Daisy, with whom he lived until he died, age 82, on 15th May 1961,in hospital in Hastings. He had previously worked as a night telegraphist.........A long and eventful life!
UNIT HISTORICAL BACKGROUND (BOER WAR)
(Royal Field Artillery - 75th Battery)
At Modder River the 75th had 2 killed and 12 wounded. Three officers gained mention by Lord Methuen, 2 of whom were wounded. In the latter part of 1900 the battery was employed about Commando Nek and other places north-west of Pretoria (Lord Roberts' despatch of 10th October 1900, para 41). On 3rd December 1900 two guns were with a convoy on the Rustenburg road when attacked by a strong force. The slender escort took up a position on a kopje covering the road, and the enemy were eventually driven off. Lord Kitchener said the escort fought with great gallantry, the enemy, who were also brave, coming close to the guns and being killed with case-shot at 50 yards. Three men were mentioned in Lord Kitchener's despatch of 8th March 1901 and 1 in the despatch of 8th August. In 1901 a section of the battery was in the column of Major McMicking on the Pietersburg line.
The battery sailed for India on 25th November 1901. The 75th Sailed on the Zibenghla before war was declared, and had anything but a prosperous voyage, the machinery breaking down frequently and the water running short. Along with the 18th was the only artillery Lord Methuen had in the actions of Belmont, 23rd November 1899 (see 3rd Grenadiers), and Enslin, 25th November, and up untill late in the afternoon these were the only batteries at Modder River, 28th November. At Belmont the artillery horses, not yet hardened up, were utterly unable to pursue at the close of the day—"dead-beat", Lord Methuen said. At Enslin it was much the same, but the artillery did very good work both before and during the action. At Modder River they were invaluable. In his despatch of 1st December 1899 Lord Methuen said: "During the entire action the 75th and 18th Batteries had vied with one another in showing gallantry and proficiency. I dare not write more than Colonel Hall has written, his modest account scarcely doing justice to the splendid conduct of our gunners. The 62nd Battery, marching from Belmont, came straight into action and were of great service". The 18th, 62nd, and 75th did excellent work at Magersfontein.
Major General Marshall told the War Commission that the rounds expended were—by the 18th, 1012; the 62nd, 1003; and by the 75th, 924. In the eastern advance these batteries were attached to Tucker's division, and at Paardeberg fired hard from the south bank. 75th & 18th At Karee Siding, 29th March 1900 (see 2nd Norfolk), these three batteries were the field artillery present. They accompanied Tucker's division in the advance to Pretoria, and were present in numerous other engagements. From June 1900 to March 1901 the 18th Battery had its headquarters at Pretoria, sections being frequently detached on outpost duty in that vicinity and about Pienaar's River. In March 1901 the battery, along with a section of "pom-poms", formed the artillery of General Plumer's column in his advance to Pietersburg. Two guns remained at Pietersburg utill the battery left South Africa, the remaining four guns operating under General Plumer in the Transvaal, the Orange River Colony, and on the Natal border. The 18th Battery represented the Field Artillery at the ceremony of proclaiming the annexation in Pretoria on 25th October 1900. The battery sailed for India before the close of 1901.
THE TIMES (75th Battery RFA) The Times Wednesday, Dec 06, 1899; pg. 5; Issue 36005; col A entitled: The War. Western Frontier., The Battle At Modder River. (News) includes: “A farmhouse in which one of the enemy’s guns was posted was razed to ground by the 75th Battery”
THE TIMES, Thursday, Dec 14, 1899; pg. 5; Issue 36012; col A entitled: The War. Great Battle Near The Modder., Heavy British Losses., General Wauchope Killed. (News) includes: “British Camp, North of Modder River Dec 11 ….. Meanwhile, the Naval gun at Modder River, a howitzer, and the 75th, 62nd, and 18th Field Batteries, and G Battery of the Horse Artillery opened a terrific fire on the Boer position, enfilading their trenches and searching every portion of the ground. The enemy’s guns remained entirely silent. The Boers then came into open ground on our direct front, and moved for the purpose of making a flanking attack on the British force, but were arrested by the Guards and artillery.”
AN EXCELLENT & WELL DOCUMENTED GROUP
£ SOLD