A Most Desirable 'Scots' Old Contemptible's Queen's South Africa (5 clasps) & 1914 Star & Bar Trio "An Early Casualty"

To:
6904 Pte.W.SWANSON 2nd K.O.S.B.
(Deserted 6 times in 1901)
KILLED IN ACTION 28th OCTOBER 1914.
(1st Battle of Ypres)


QSA: 6904 J. SWANSON. K.O.S.B.
SA 01, SA 02, Transvaal, Orange Free State, Cape Colony
TRIO: 6904 W. SWANSON. K.O.SCO: BORD.

(* Initial "J" differs on QSA) but number & unit consistent throughout)

[BIOGRAPHY]
Walter Swanson was born in Edge Hill, Liverpool in August 1881. Prior to enlisting he had been a "Sugar Boiler" (Clearly working for Tate & Lyle sugar refiners in Liverpool). He joined up on 8th January 1900.

His widow at the time of his medal claim was living in Scotland at 71 John Knox Street, Glasgow. (The address still exists)
An amazing group with some thirty pages of rarely surviving service papers which unlike 80% of the other 'burnt records" survived the record office burning during the London Blitz of World War Two.

[IN "VERY BIG" TROUBLE WITH THE ARMY]
Walter Swanson was clearly a bit of a character during his earlier days in the army. He obviously had a severe discipline problem, (probably caused by strong drink) because from just 11 weeks after his enlistment in January 1900 to early 1901 he deserted no less than six times. On each occasion he's found guilty of the desertion & of losing all his kit & army property with various punishments being levied. He had a fairly mundane medical history except for constant trouble with his teeth, probably caused by a high sugar (golden syrup) intake during his employment at Tate & Lyle.

[TO FRANCE]
Walter & his comrades of the 2nd K.O.S.B's arrived in France as part of the very early BEF on 15th August 1914 just eleven days after the declaration of war. From the ferry they marched to Mons, ironically fighting Germans among the coal heaps of that area.
The BEF were then told to retreat from Mons, with Walter & his unit fighting at Le Cateau where they saw the dead piled shoulder high on the battlefield. From there they moved to near the River Aisne. On the night of the 28th October 1914 Walter was killed during the first Battle of the Ypres, he was 33 years old.

A REALLY EXCELLENT & "CLASSIC" OLD CONTEMPTIBLE BOER WAR / WW1 EARY B.E.F. CASUALTY GROUP TO A HIGHLY COLLECTABLE REGIMENT.

All medals are superb EF+ WW1 trio with original ribbons. With MIC & about thirty pages of rarely surviving attestation,service & medical papers.

£895