About the product

QSA Railway Pioneer Regt from Kent

Queen’s South Africa Medal, bar Transvaal, 2661 Private Montague Guest, 4th Bn Railway Pioneer Regiment. A young Ironmonger from Sevenoaks, Kent.

Out of stock

SKU: J7867 Category:
Origin: United Kingdom
Nearly Extremely Fine

Description

Queen’s South Africa Medal, bar Transvaal, 2661 Private Montague Guest, 4th Bn Railway Pioneer Regiment. A young Ironmonger from Sevenoaks, Kent

 

Officially impressed: “2661 Pte M. Guest. Rly: Pnr: Regt” In excellent condition due to his premature death.

 

Confirmed on the medal roll, which also records the issue of a SA 1901/SA 1902 pair of bars, but as he was already dead they were issued as loose to his brother during 1910.

 

Montague Guest, was born during 1882 in Sevenoaks, Kent.

 

Born into a massive family, one of about 8 siblings.

 

He was born to George and Grace, his father being the highly respected local Ironmonger and Blacksmith on the High Street in Sevenoaks.

 

Taking after his father, Montague naturally also became an Ironmonger. This connection is likely what brought him to the service of the Railway Pioneer Regiment, who saw service as a fighting force on the railways during the war, earning high praise.

 

His arrival in South Africa coincides with the unfortunate death of his father, circa 1899 having injured himself in a fall and unable to work, he died that year when Montague was about 17.

 

As a young man now in South Africa, he signed up aged 19 with the Railway Pioneer Regiment, 4th Battalion, serving from 25th March 1901 until 10th March 1902.

 

Not long after the end of the war, he was working as an Ironmonger and living at the Waterkant Charitable Mission for Men in Cape Town, when he died in the City Hospital on 24th September 1909.