Description
Queen’s South Africa, 6 bars, Belmont, Modder River, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast, King’s South Africa, 2 bars, SA 1901, SA 1902 8951 Corporal Thomas Transfield, Coldstream Guards.
QSA officially impressed: “8951 Corl: T. Transfield, Scots Gds:”
A nice early issue with visible ghost dates and large style of impressing.
KSA officially impressed: “8951 Pte T. Transfield. Scots Guards.”
All confirmed on the medal roll for the medals and clasps.
Particularly good preserved condition, a classic “6 Battle Bars” combinations to the Guards Brigade who saw much fighting in the early stage of the war.
Thomas Transfield, was a Londoner, born there in Poplar, London, Middlesex, during 1870
The son of local Harness Maker, Thomas Transfield, and Emliy nee Cornwell.
While working as a Labourer he would also see service with the local militia the “1st Essex Volunteers”.
Aged 21, he signed on for full time service with the Scots Guards on 8th April 1891.
At first he saw out his period of service at home, during that time he was advanced up the ranks to Lance Corporal quickly on 6th September 1892, followed by Corporal on 9th March 1895, then Lance Sergant on 12th February 1896, before reverting to Corporal on 16th July 1896.
Having fulfilled his contract of 7 years of active service, all at home, he transferred over to the Army Reserve on 8th April 1896.
However not before long was he “recalled to Army Service under Special Army Order of the 7th October 1898” and returned to the fold to serve in war time.
He would see active service in South Africa with the Scots Guard as part of the Guards Brigade from 21st October 1899 – 21st July 1902.
Following the end of the war he returned home, and soon after finished off his 12 year contract, to be discharged fully on 7th April 1903.
Altogether he was a decent soldier, initially he saw many promotions but when he returned for the Boer War, he saw his first court martial.
During the middle of the Boer War, he was on 9th March 1900, “Tried and Convicted by Regimental Court Martial: ‘When on active service using insubordinate language to his superior officer’ – sentenced to be reduced to the ranks – Private”.
As such, having fought in the early stage of the war to earn his enviable 6 bar QSA as a “Corporal”, his KSA would be issued as “Private”.
By the time of his discharge his conduct was simply noted as “Fair”.
His papers have a letter written by him during October 1914 sent from his home in Clapton Park, London where he writes to the Officer Commanding 6th Batn Scots Guards:
“Sir, will you please let me know the pay I should receive to come as an NCO, I served through the South African War Medal with 6 clasps, King’s Medal with 2 clasps, aged 45, my drill certificate is enclosed.
Your faithfully, T. Transfield.”
He did not appear to see active service or receive any further medals.
Some time after leaving the Army, he worked with London, Midland & Scottish Railways. In 1921 he was a Railway Goods Checker with London North Western Railway, then shown on the 1939 Census as a “Good Checker, L.M.S. Retired”
He died in Hackney during October 1857.
