Description
Queen’s South Africa, bar CC, 1914-15 Star Trio, 1939-45 War Medal, Africa Service Medal, all officially named, Sergeant J.H. Broon, W Prov Mounted Rifles, then Rand Rifles through WW1.
QSA officially impressed: “540 Sjt J.H. Boon. W. Prov: M.R.” note suspension neatly re-pinned.
1914-15 Trio all officially impressed: “Sjt J.H. Boon. Rand Rfls.”
WW2 medals both officially impressed: “117772 J.H. Boon”
Swing mounted for wear.
Ex Spink 2012.
An excellent long serving group having been a Sergeant back in the Boer War, a Sergeant in the Rand Rifles during World War 1 and even returning to serve in World War 2 although he was about 70 years by that time.
John Henry Boon was a former Englishman, turned Naturalised South African.
He was born back in 1870 in Stoke Damerel, Devon.
He seems to have come to South Africa as a young man circa 1890s.
During the middle of the Boer War, he married Jessie Eliza Mapp in Mowbray at St Peters Church on 4th June 1901.
At the time his job was “Station Foreman”, they were both residents of Mowbray.
John saw service as a Sergeant in both the Western Province Mounted Rifles and the Cape Garrison Artillery, for his later service in the CGA he is entitled to a loose
Following the Boer War, he re-enlisted during World War 1, serving with the Rand Rifles, likely being deployed to German South West Africa during the 1914-15 period. He apparently also saw service later with the Railway Regiment.
During World War 2, a now 70 year old veteran, he enlisted once more and saw service as a Lance Corporal with the 1st Cape Battalion, 1st Reserve Brigade, Union Defence Force.
When he died on 12th September 1953 he was 83 years old a “Retired Inspector, Operating South African Railways”.
