A VERY DESIRABLE QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL (Cape Colony)

(With Entitlement to an ALBERT MEDAL (BRONZE-LAND) !

Including a Superb Jewellers Copy of The Albert Medal, the original having never appeared on the market)

QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL (Cape Colony)

Officially Impressed: 7716 PTE D.T. DAVIES. CLDSTM: GDS:


ALBERT MEDAL (Bronze on Land) unnamed.
(A superb jewellers copy)


[CITATION]
LONDON GAZETTE: 23rd December 1890.




“Whitehall, December 20, 1890”
THE Queen has been graciously pleased to confer the “Albert Medal of the Second Class” upon Pioneer David Thomas Davis, 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards, and upon Colour Sergeants Henry Pickersgill and William Wilson, 1st Battalion Scots Guards, in recognition of gallantry displayed by them on the occasion of a fire which took place at the Wellington Barracks, London, on the 12th November last.

Sadly, the two young daughters of Colour Sgt Henry Pickersgill, Elizabeth Ellen aged 4, and Fanny Louise 2, who were both originally rescued by Davis and Pickersgill later died later of burns sustained in the fire. The married quarters block where the families & children lived was on the upper floors above the cook house which clearly caught fire with catastrophic results.

[BIOGRAPHY)
David Thomas Davis was born in 1869 at Morton in Marsh, Stow on The Wold, Gloucestershire. Prior to joining the army on 30th May 1889 at age 19 he had worked as a roof slater. He had previously served for two years in 4th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regt, but had purchased his release. He had initially been discharged from his first period of service on 30th May 1896. He was recalled to Army service with Coldstream guards under special army order of 7th October 1899 for further service in South Africa in the Boer War. He was posted on 11th May 1900 and finally discharged on 15th May 1902 after a total of 12 years 351 days service. His stated planned residence on discharge was 33 Delaford Street, Fulham.

He had a brother, John William Davis serving with 4th Dragoon Guards.

He was 5’9” 154lbs, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes & brown hair. He was Church of England persuasion.

[AWARDED THE ALBERT MEDAL]
He was awarded the Albert Medal on the 23rdDecember 1890 for Gallantry. He with others had gallantly saved the lives of children from the roof of the Soldiers Married Quarters block after a serious fire had engulfed the building at Wellington Barracks, Westminster, London on the 12th November 1890.

He was presented with the Medal while on parade at Wellington Barracks on 30th January 1891.

PLEASE NOTE: The QSA is named “DAVIES” as are the details the QSA Roll, but his Service papers confirm his service No. 7716 and surname spelt DAVIS.

His Single Clasp QSA & Albert Medal are all listed on his papers and including the date of presentation on the 30th January 1891.

The pair comes with colour copy service papers, medal roll, London Gazette & a photo of his unmarked grave location in North Sheen Cemetery – Census & Baptism Registers are included.

As far as we have been able to establish his Albert Medal has never been seen on the market. .....BUT.....Do you know where it is ???

This recipient is one of ONLY 290 people to be awarded the Albert Medal (Bronze Land) and his Albert Medal was one of just 571 medals awarded in all classes during its entire period of issue from 1866 to 1971.

A VERY DESIRABLE PAIR, AND HAD THE ORIGINAL ALBERT MEDAL BEEN PRESENT, THIS PAIR WOULD BE ASKED AT SOMETHING LIKE £12,000.

We seldom, if ever, offer copy medals within groups, but in this instance and as the quality of the Jewellers copy is just superb, we feel that this pair represent a VERY RARE & attractive opportunity to own a genuine campaign medal to an Albert Medal recipient. This will I’m sure appeal to many collectors, so please contact us with some urgency as this pair will not last long.

I’ll guarantee that you’ll never come across anything like this again

(SOLD)