BOER WAR D.C.M. GROUP OF MEDALS TO C.S. MJR. J. BARFIELD, R. WAR. REGT./NO.1 MALTA COY. 9TH BN. M.I./NOTTS & DERBY R.

Name: BOER WAR D.C.M. GROUP OF MEDALS TO C.S. MJR. J. BARFIELD, R. WAR. REGT./NO.1 MALTA COY. 9TH BN. M.I./NOTTS & DERBY R.
SKU: WAR1010eu
Price: 2750 GBP
Availability: InStock

** NEW ** Distinguished Conduct Medal Edward VII to 5572 Serjt J. Barfield, R. Warwick Regt. India Medal with Punjab Frontier 1897-98 clasp to 2780 Lce. Corpl. J. Barfield, 2nd Bn. Derby. Regt. Regt.; Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal clasps to 5573 Cpl. J. Barfield, Rl. Warwick. Regt.; King's South Africa Medal with South Africa 1901 & 1902 clasps to 5573 Serjt. J. Barfield, Rl. Warwick. Regt.; 1914-15 Star to 6438 C.S. Mjr. J. Barfield, Notts. & Derby. R.; WWI War & Victory Medals to 6438 W.O.Cl.1 J. Barfield, Notts. & Derby. R.; Long Service & Good Conduct Medal George VI to 122021 C.S. Mjr. J. Barfield, Lab. C. Heavy contact marks to first four, these worn, therefore good fine, the Great War awards good very fine. Provenance: Mike Minton Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, December 1994; Dix Noonan Webb, February 2019, when sold with an officially renamed Victory Medal but now reunited and sold with the original Victory Medal together with the renamed example.

NOW£2,750.00

Description

Distinguished Conduct Medal Gazetted 31 Oct 1902.

M.I.D. Gazetted 9 July 1901, General Tucker's Despatch of 9 Apr 1901:
"Near Vet River, Orange River Colony, on 7th April 1901, with only a native scout, pursued six armed Boers and rode down one, and shot him when he refused to surrender. He behaved with great dash."

M.I.D.Gazetted 18 July 1902:
"For several acts of gallantry in action, and especially for single-handed capture of Boers on 20th April 1902."

John Barfield was born in Leicester in 1871 and attested for the Derbyshire Regiment on 17 April 1890, having erved in the Regiment’s 5th (Militia) Battalion. Posted to the 2nd Battalion, he served with the Regiment in India from 11 Nov 1891 to 23 Mar 1898, and took part in the Tirah Campaign, included the action at Dargai on 20 Oct 1897, in which the Battalion was awarded a Victoria Cross and two Distinguished Conduct Medals. Appointed Lance-Corporal on 9 Oct 1897, Barfield then transferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 28 Mar 1898 and promoted to Corporal on 1 July 1898, serving with the 3rd Battalion in Malta, before proceeding to South Africa as a member of the Warwickshires’ section in the Malta Horse for service during the Boer War on 20 Feb1900.

Disembarking at East London on 1 April 1900, the Malta Horse was employed principally on duties as advance guards, flank patrols, and scouts, as well as night-time forays and intelligence gathering activities. Most of their operations took place in the Orange Free State. They suffered their first casualties on 15 Apr 1900 when advance guard in the relief of Wepener.

The Warwickshires’ section of the Malta Horse were moved to the Vet River on 16 Jan 1901, by which time they had been reduced to just 15 men by means of casualties, illness, and reassignments. They remained at this location for just over four months, and were particularly active in numerous scouting expeditions, forays, and skirmishes along the Boers’ line of communications. It was during this period that Barfield, having been promoted to Sergeant on 5 February 1901, received his first Mention in Despatches.

Moving to the Kroonstad district in the latter part of 1901, after having performed several successful night excursions from Winberg, they continued to be employed on night expeditions. Their last action took place on 20 Apr 1902, when they were attached to the 9th Battalion, Mounted Infantry. The Battalion attacked a group of about 80 Boers of Nigil’s Commando at the town of Scotland West, and for his gallantry in this action Barfield was again Mentioned in Despatches- unable to re-load his rifle, he was ‘singularly successful with the butt-end of his rifle. Five Boers were killed and 20 taken prisoner.’

For his services in South Africa, Barfield was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, almost certainly as a result of the gallantry that he had shown on the two occasions when he was Mentioned in Despatches.

Having been discharged on 21 Aug 1902, Barfield re-enlisted at Derby in the Royal Garrison Regiment on 10 Mar 1903, and saw further service in Malta and South Africa. He was discharged at Bloemfontein on 15 Apr 1905, with the stated intention of joining the South African Constabulary. Attesting for the South African Constabulary 29 Apr of that year, he was posted to ‘G’ Troop, and served in the Ladybrand District. he was discharged on the reduction of the establishment on 29 Feb 1908, and returned to England.

Following the outbreak of WWI, Barfield re-enlisted in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment at Derby on 2 September 1914. Promoted Company Sergeant-Major on 5 Oct 1914, he served during the Great War on the 14 July 1915, appointed Warrant Officer Class I on 4 Aug 1916. Transferring to the 17th Labour Battalion, Labour Corps, as Acting Regimental Sergeant Major in Aug 1916, he was elevated to the same position at Headquarters, 12th Labour Group, on 14 May 1917. He returned to England on 9 Sep 1918, and was discharged as ‘being no longer physically fit for war service’ on 6 Febr 1919. He was awarded his Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, together with a gratuity of £5, on 3 Feb 1920.