Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Lot 5179    Session 19 (4:30pm Friday)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Estimate $4,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,600

GROUP OF FIVE: Queen's South Africa Medal 1899, (type 2 reverse with very faint ghost dates), - four clasps - Cape Colony, Rhodesia, Orange Free State, Transvaal; King's South Africa Medal 1902, - two clasps - South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-18; Coronation Medal 1902 in bronze. 184 Trpr. G.C.Horton, Queensland M.R. on first medal, 666 Pte G.C.Horton, Qnslnd: I.B. on second medal, 2697 Pte G.C.Horton 9/Bn. A.I.F. on third medal, 2697 L/Sjt G.C.Horton. 9Bn. A.I.F. on fourth medal, last medal unnamed as issued. All named medals impressed. Court mounted, very fine - extremely fine.

Ex Spink Auctions in November 1983 (lot 306).

Entitled to Victory Medal.

Confirmed in 1902 Coronation Contingent with Doyle's Australian Scouts.

WWI: George Cooper Horton, carpenter, age 42, born at Queensland; Enl.02Jul1915 at Brisbane, Qld, with 2.5 years service in Qld Mounted Infantry during Boer War; Emb.16Aug1915; to L/Cpl 13Sep1916; to Cpl 01Feb1917; to L/Sgt 07Jul1917; RTA 05Apr1919; Disch.24Jul1919.

Details of letters written by George Horton to his wife were published in the Darling Downs Gazette on 12Jul1918 as follows,

Sergeant George Cooper Horton, left Australia with the 8th Reinforcements of the 9th Battalion, in August, 1915. A short time later he transferred to the 49th Battalion. He also served in the Boer war. Writing to his wife under date France 23/4/18, Sergeant Horton says: 'I got quite a big mail this week- three letters from you, one from mother, one from H. Hatton, one from Beaumont's, and also two parcels. Just at present there doesn't seem much prospect of getting a spell as it takes every one of us now to keep the Germans back. We are out just now but only behind the lines for three days in order to get strengthened up a bit as we have got knocked about these last three weeks. If they would only send us some more men from Australia so as to give us a chance of having a rest. But no, it seems that the dirty cowards are going to let us fight on until we will be too weak to carry on. There, must be thousands of men who could come over and help us. I believe the King has conferred special honor on my division. Thank God our lads know how to fight and how to die.'

In a second letter, dated 28/4/'18, he writes: We have been in action again since I wrote you last week and I have lost all my mates again. Only three of us were left in the Pioneers. My good luck seems to hang on to me. I'll just give you a brief account of what happened. We were going in to the line and sat down for a rest before going up a hill. There were 18 of us sitting together when a big shell burst just in front of us. It got 11 of us - two killed; and nine wounded. I was very lucky as two lads who were sitting one on each side of me were badly wounded. One had his left foot blown off and the other both his knees blown away. All I got was the shoulder blown off my coat. Of course I got a shock and my nerves are all out again, but I had to get to work and bury the dead. Then I only had two men left and I was told to go back to the transport, about four miles behind the lines, so I was lucky to get out of it, as our battalion had a "hell" of a time of it. Quite a lot of the boys got gassed. I often wonder how it is going to end. I wish it was all over and I was back again.'

With copy of WWI Service File.