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IGS QSA KSA Northd Fus Wounded

£445.00

IGS 1854, bar Hazara 1888, QSA, 3 bars, KSA, 2 bars, 1392 Pte David Evans, Northd Fus, Severely Wounded at Elandslaagte Ysterspruit in an ambush on 25th Feb 1902. Sgt Welsh Regt WW1.

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Origin: United Kingdom
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India General Service Medal 1854, bar Hazara 1888, Renamed, Queen’s South Africa, 3 bars, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, King’s South Africa, 2 bars, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, 1392 Private David Evans, 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, Severely Wounded at Elandslaagte aka Ysterspruit in an ambush on 25th Feb 1902. 

 

Sergeant David Evans, was a Welshman who went from the local mines to the battlefield, becoming a Soldier in the 2nd Bn Northumberland Fusiliers, he went out to India and fought in the Black Mountain Expedition during 1888, 12 years later he would fight in the Boer War with the same regiment, now in the 1st Battalion, he fought through the war, including being severely wounded in De La Rey’s Ambush on his Convoy at Ysterspruit on 25th February 1902.

 

Naturally the old soldier was quick to re-enlist during World War 1, having returned back home to Porthcawl in Wales, he signed on with his local Welsh Regiment in October 1914 and served through to September 1918, leaving with the rank of Sergeant.

 

In civil times he took great interest in the local affairs of Porthcawl, having many local appointments, although a humble colliery man and soldier, he was very well spoken noted as a “plain blunt speaker, but meant every word he said” and held various local appointments, Chairman and Treasurer of the Discharged Sailors and Soldiers Committee (British Legion), President of the Porthcawl District of Miners, Vice Chairman of the Porthcawl Trades and Labour Council, he ran for various county council positions and was a Councillor for the Food Control Committee.

 

During the 1918 Elections, David Evans was a keen champion of Mr T.G. Jones, who he backed as the best representative for the Discharged Seamen and Soldier (aka the British Legion as it was later known as), sadly he lost by a tiny margin with 49% of the votes.

 

The Ex Sergeant was Chairman at the Parliamentary Election meeting at the crowded Coliseum where he makes the following stirring speech:

 

 

“The Chairman in his opening remarks states that it was unnecessary to give out the purpose of the meeting. Mr T.G. Jones would arrive in a few minutes to address them.

 

Those who were on the platform that evening were there for the purpose of supporting the candidature of Mr T.G. Jones (applause). 

They were going to fight a clean fight, Their candidate stood by the Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, and had done more good for them than anyone else he knew, and he claimed that Mr T.G. Jones was the proper kind of candidate to represent them in Parliament. Ex servicemen should have a voice in the political movement in the future, and they were trying to enlist the sympathy of the general public for the purpose of helping them to return to Westminster the man who would look after their interests. That was the reason why he personally supported Mr T.G. Jones (applause). 

 

We want business men to be returned to Parliament to deal with the reconstruction problems. we want a man who is broadminded, and who is not tied to any political party. Mr T.G. Jones has made a success of his own department and we think that the is a fit man to represent us. 

 

People talk about revolution. We believe in revolution, but it must be a bloodless one. The people who are calling for bloodthirsty revolution are those who shirked service with the colours. 

We want men with wisdom and foresight. One grain of wisdom is worth all the fiery talk of revolution. Take David Lloyd George, if it were not for him, the Germans would have been here. For the last twenty years he (The Chairman) had been a strong supporter of Labour, but he now strongly supports Mr T.G. Jones, as there is not better Labour man than Mr T.G. Jones (applause). He hoped that the public would bury all prejudice during this election.”

 

 

 

IGS renamed, being neatly erased and engraved in running script: “1392 Pte D. Evans. 2nd Batt. North’d Fusiliers.”

QSA officially impressed: “1392 Pte D. Evans. North’d Fus:”

KSA officially impressed: “1392 Pte D. Evans. North’d Fus:”

 

All medals confirmed on the rolls, the QSA and KSA pair correct as issued, he is entitled to the Hazara Clasped IGS but looks to have lost it at some time making this old unofficial replacement, the engraving is well executed script engraving done by hand, he spent many years afterwards with the British Legion etc, so looks to be done during his life for wear.

 

A good account of the battle known as “Ysterspruit” can be found on battletoursza.com here:

Ysterspruit

 

The battle, where De La Rey led a masterful ambush on the British Convoy, the 1500 strong Commando force overwhelmed the British Convoy with almost 3 times their number, it was recorded in Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Great Boer War

 

“It has been stated above that on February 23rd Von Donop sent in an empty convoy from Wolmaranstad to Klerksdorp, a distance of about fifty miles. Nothing had been heard for some time of De la Rey, but he had called together his men and was waiting to bring off some coup. The convoy gave him the very opportunity for which he sought.

 

The escort of the convoy consisted of the 5th Imperial Yeomanry, sixty of Paget’s Horse, three companies of the ubiquitous Northumberland Fusiliers, two guns of the 4th R.F.A., and a pom-pom, amounting in all to 630 men. Colonel Anderson was in command. On the morning of Tuesday, February 25th, the convoy was within ten miles of its destination, and the sentries on the kopjes round the town could see the gleam of the long line of white-tilted wagons. Their hazardous voyage was nearly over, and yet they were destined to most complete and fatal wreck within sight of port. So confident were they that the detachment of Paget’s Horse was permitted to ride on the night before into the town. It was as well, for such a handful would have shared and could not have averted the disaster.

 

The night had been dark and wet, and the Boers under cover of it had crept between the sleeping convoy and the town. Some bushes which afford excellent cover lie within a few hundred yards of the road, and here the main ambush was laid. In the first grey of the morning the long line of the convoy, 130 wagons in all, came trailing past–guns and Yeomanry in front, Fusiliers upon the flanks and rear. Suddenly the black bank of scrub was outlined in flame, and a furious rifle fire was opened upon the head of the column. The troops behaved admirably under most difficult circumstances. A counter-attack by the Fusiliers and some of the Yeomanry, under cover of shrapnel from the guns, drove the enemy out of the scrub and silenced his fire at this point. It was evident, however, that he was present in force, for firing soon broke out along the whole left flank, and the rearguard found itself as warmly attacked as the van. Again, however, the assailants were driven off. It was now broad daylight, and the wagons, which had got into great confusion in the first turmoil of battle, had been remarshalled and arranged. It was Colonel Anderson’s hope that he might be able to send them on into safety while he with the escort covered their retreat. His plan was certainly the best one, and if it did not succeed it was due to nothing which he could avert, but to the nature of the ground and the gallantry of the enemy.

 

The physical obstacle consisted in a very deep and difficult spruit, the Jagd Spruit, which forms an ugly passage in times of peace, but which when crowded and choked with stampeding mules and splintering wagons, under their terrified conductors, soon became impassable. Here the head of the column was clubbed and the whole line came to a stand. Meanwhile the enemy, adopting their new tactics, came galloping in on the left flank and on the rear. The first attack was repelled by the steady fire of the Fusiliers, but on the second occasion the horsemen got up to the wagons, and galloping down them were able to overwhelm in detail the little knots of soldiers who were scattered along the flank. 

 

The British, who were outnumbered by at least three to one, made a stout resistance, and it was not until seven o’clock that the last shot was fired. 

The result was a complete success to the burghers, but one which leaves no shadow of discredit on any officer or man among those who were engaged. 

 

Eleven officers and 176 men fell out of about 550 actually engaged. The two guns were taken. The convoy was no use to the Boers, so the teams were shot and the wagons burned before they withdrew. The prisoners too, they were unable to retain, and their sole permanent trophies consisted of the two guns, the rifles, and the ammunition. Their own losses amounted to about fifty killed and wounded.

 

A small force sallied out from Klerksdorp in the hope of helping Anderson, but on reaching the Jagd Drift it was found that the fighting was over and that the field was in possession of the Boers. De la Rey was seen in person among the burghers, and it is pleasant to add that he made himself conspicuous by his humanity to the wounded. His force drew off in the course of the morning, and was soon out of reach of immediate pursuit, though this was attempted by Kekewich, Von Donop, and Grenfell.”

 

 

David Evans was born in 1865, he joined the regiment on 1st April 1886, shortly after joining the Northumberland Fusiliers, he saw his first overseas posting, embarking on 24th September 1886 for service in India.

 

Whilst on service in India he became first involved in the Third Black Mountain Expedition aka “Hazara” in 1888 with the 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.

 

Following the Boer War, David would return to service in World War 1, although he was now closing in on his 50th Birthday, he would see further service as Sergeant in the Welsh Regiment with service number 18847.

 

David was living at Van Ryn New Road in Porthcawl, Wales, when he enlisted on 26th October 1914, and rose to Sergeant, he was later discharged on 12th September 1918.

 

Of note, in 1919 he was made a member of the local Food Control Committee for the Porthcawl Council, and also during 1924, he stood in the East Ward as candidate for the Porthcawl Municipal Elections.

 

He involved himself in local matters around Porthcawl during his life, standing in various elections and council committees, he was President of the Ratepayers Association.

 

Shortly after the war it was noted in the local Porthcawl News, 5th December 1918 his appointment as Chairman of the Discharged Sailors and Soldiers Federation.

 

“Mr David Evans (Porthcawl) was unanimously elected as Chairman. In his opening remarks the Chairman referred to the objects of the meeting and to the cause they were out for. He told his hearers that he was until a few weeks ago, a Labour man, but having the interests of his association at heart, he was going to do all he could for the support of their own adopted candidates.

…Mr RB Harrison of Aberavon in a fine speech said they wanted more men of the calendar of Mr David Evans (Porthcawl) their Chiarman, who was a plain blunt speaker, but meant every word he said. He would like to see more district meetings like they had that evening. Mr Evans suitably responded.”

 

Following this he can later be seen on the 1939 Register aged about 74 recorded as a “Collier Repairer below ground, Unemployed” still living at Van Ryn New Road in Porthcawl, Glamorgan.