Orders, Decorations & Medals - Other Properties - Aus

Lot 3680    SESSION 13 (2.30PM THURSDAY 2ND APRIL)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Other Properties - Aust.

Estimate $2,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $2,200

QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL 1899, (type 2 reverse with faint trace of ghost dates), - four clasps - Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill. 103 Pte F.Best, Tasmanian. M.R. Impressed. Hairlines, otherwise extremely fine.

103 Private Frank Best confirmed on nominal roll.

The following are extracts from a letter, one of many, written by Private Frank Best, of the second Tasmanian contingent, to his mother at Westbury and reported in the Examiner (Launceston, Tasmania) on Tuesday 3 April 1900, p6.

CAPETOWN, Feb. 24, 1900
"We have just been ordered to the front after being here for nine weeks. There does not seem much to do up here, as the Boers are being beaten everywhere, especially where we are going. They have Cronje surrounded. We are all busy packing up. I have enjoyed myself very much, and every one of us is eager to get to the front. We have met several Tasmanians, so have been treated well. We had plenty of time to look over the town. The people are mostly blacks. Our camp is close to the hospital, so we see the wounded as they are brought down. Several hundred Boer prisoners passed yesterday, and they all seemed glad they were in the hands of the British.

It is likely we shall go to England after the war, which will soon be finished. We are all to be mounted on little ponies used to climbing hills, as they are said to be better than the big horses at the work. We will stop at a place about 120 miles up to get them, and will stay for two days to give those who cannot ride a chance of learning. They are schooled on an old mule bareback, so we will have plenty of fun. Fruit is very cheap here, and a ton of juicy grapes are sent to the front every day for the soldiers.

Close to our tent there is a big tin house called the soldiers' home, where they sell tea, cocoa, cake, etc., very cheaply, and every evening there is a concert and refreshments free, and we are treated splendidly. We marched through the town on Wednesday with about 6000 troops. This was done to impress the Dutch living there. The Tassies got special mention in the papers.

There were sports held yesterday to welcome us, but I could not get away until 4 o'clock, so I could only run in the 880 yards flat race. I was the only Australian who won a prize, a grand pipe. They cheered me, and cried, 'Well done, Tassie.' I feel proud to think I was the only successful Australian, beating men from England, Scotland, Wales, Canada, Cape Colony, etc. We have with us some of every regiment of the English army. The bugle has just sounded 'pack tents', so I must finish. The Gordon Highlanders are all coming round to say good-by (sic). They think a lot of our chaps, as they were with our other boys at the front."

On 21 September 1900 the residents of Westbury extended an enthusiastic welcome to Private Frank Best who had been invalided home from South Africa. The gathering was held in the library hall. After several speeches of welcome, the Chairman, Mr C.W. Allen on behalf of residents presented Private Best with a gold medal bearing the inscription, 'Memento presented by the residents of Westbury to Private F.Best, second contingent, South African war, 21/9/1900'. Private Best was also the recipient from Mr J.B.Stewart, an old Ashanti campaigner, of a handsome blackwood walking stick.