Other Properties - Australian Singles

Lot 4934    SESSION 18 (2.30PM FRIDAY 28 JULY)    Other Properties - Australian Singles

Estimate $1,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $2,000

QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL 1899, (type 2 reverse with ghost dates), - two clasps - Cape Colony, Orange Free State. 63 Pte A.J.Lathey, Tasmanian M.R. Impressed. Edge nick and scratch behind Queen's head, otherwise extremely fine.

Arthur James Lathey, born 05Feb1878, address at Devonport, Tasmania; Enl.15Oct1899 at Hobart, Tas and to camp at Claremont; Emb.27Oct1899 with 1st Tasmanian Mounted Infantry Contingent on Transport 'Medic'; Disemb.26Nov1899 at Cape Town and then train to De Aaar followed by ops in Cape Colony near Colesberg, then to Orange River Colony and the advance to Pretoria; Invalided home with rheumatic fever via SS Gothic; Disemb.17Aug1900 at Hobart for Disch. Medal and clasps entitlement confirmed.



In a letter from Maitland Camp, South Africa on 19 June 1900, Trooper Lathey wrote to his father, 'Since I last wrote to you at Norval's Point I have seen some ups and downs. After knocking about in the Free State without tents for a month in the wet and cold, on one occasion being nearly captured by the Boers, and with a good many others, losing my blankets and some of my kit, I got an attack of quinsy, which after a week turned to rheumatism in my arms and shoulders. After passing through two hospitals I found myself in East London. I am the only member of the Tasmanian contingent who has yet reached that point. On June 2, with several other invalids, I was shipped to Capetown. On landing I went to Green Cape Convalescent Hospital and after being there three days was discharged and came here to the Australian Depot. There are four other Tasmanians in the hospital there. I think you may soon expect us home, as the war is practically over.'



On his return home invalided, Trooper Lathey was one of the soldiers interviewed by a reporter from the Examiner, Launceston, Tasmania, Saturday 18 August 1900, page 10. The report reads,

'Lathey was chiefly engaged in patrol work and skirmishing, his first contact with the enemy being at Smithfield near Bloemfontein. In January he was seized with rheumatic fever and taken to De Aar and then to Winburg Hospital. At the end of February he was sent back to Norval's Pont with a number of Australians. From There he went to Springfontein, and after 14 days was sent to Bethulie on the border of the Free State. While on patrol at Smithfield they lost a wagon. In May he was seized with malarial fever and was sent to Sterkbloom, and thence to East London where he had a relapse of rheumatic fever and was sent to the hospital ship Prince of Wales at Green Point. After a few days he joined the Australian depot at Maitland and was invalided home on July 28.'



Trooper Lathey stated that he was not very enamoured of South Africa and would be very loath to accept the farms offering with a view to settling there. There is also an indicator that he was not a person to be messed with. This is evidenced by a case which he, now a carpenter, took to the Commissioner of the Court of Requests in Hobart in June 1922 where he sued the Electrolytic Zinc Company to recover the difference in wages between an agreement by the Zinc Company and the Builders and Painters' award. He was successful and the decision was also beneficial to about 50 other employees.



With research and photos.