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QSA 4 Bars The Buffs, Bravery

Queen’s South Africa Medal, 4 bars, 2995 Pte R. Bendell, East Kent Regiment. Mentioned for bravery at Brugspruit 26th June 1901 when the Buffs held off an attack by Gen Viljoen’s Commando.

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Origin: United Kingdom
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Queen’s South Africa Medal, 4 bars, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Transvaal, 2995 Pte Richard Bendell, East Kent Regiment.

 

Pte Richard Bendell was mentioned in the Regimental History, “With ‘The Buffs’ In South Africa”, on page 96 he was specially mentioned as one of 7 who were “Men mentioned as deserving of recognition in the affair of the 26th.”

 

The Battle of Brugspruit, where about 21 of the Buffs repulsed an attack by the Boers:

 

“At 9pm on 26th June, General Ben Viljoen’s Commando attempted to cross the railway line near Brugspruit by simultaneously attacking the blockhouses at Kilo 370 1/2 and Kilo 372. The attack on the Kilo 370 1/2 Blockhouse, which was defended by 14 men of ‘The Buffs’, was repulsed after a hotly contested half-hour engagement.
However, the Kilo 372 blockhouse, garrisoned by 7 men of ‘The Buffs’ was taken by the Boers.
Viljoen in his memoirs, states that his Field Cornet Myburgh was killed by a shot that went off as the surrendering soldiers threw out their rifles. Viljoen then proceeded to pass across his main body, guns and convoy under a heavy fire. The operation was barely half completed when an armoured train appeared on the scene.

 

Turning on it’s searchlights, it then wreaked havoc among the Boers with shrapnel and Maxim bullets, thereby ending the crossing attempt. Eventually Viljoen, with half of the Commando, ended up north of the line and his 2 Commandants south of the line with the other half of the Command.”

 

Additionally entitled to the King’s South Africa Medal and India General Service Medal 1895, bar Relief of Chitral.

 

The I.G.S. medal formed part of the collection of the Buffs Regimental Museum and is now in the collection of the National Army Museum, code 2001-08-605.

 

Richard Arthur Pain Bendell was born during 1869 in Ipswich, Suffolk, He attested for service with the Buffs on 3rd December 1889.

 

He was the son of another Richard Arthur Bendell, his grandfather was also Richard Bendell. He would later pass the name onto his son Richard Arthur Payne Bendell, born during 1903.

 

He saw the following service:

 

Home: 2nd Dec 1889 – 24th Feb 1891
India: 25th Feb 1891 – 1st Apr 1895
Chitral: 2nd April 1895 – 18th Sept 1895
India: 19th Sept 1895 – 9th Feb 1897
Home: 10th Feb 1897 – 21st Dec 1899
South Africa: 22nd Dec 1899 – 26th August 1902
Home: 27th August 1902 – 27th Aug 1902

 

Total service of 12 years 269 days, he was discharged from service on 27th August 1902.

 

He died during 1955 in Maldon, Essex.