PRIVATE W.A. BARROW, 4TH BATTALION RAILWAY PIONEER REGIMENT (LATE LANCE CORPORAL, IMPERIAL LIGHT INFANTRY). Queen’s South Africa Medal, 4 clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek

THE QUEEN’S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL TO PRIVATE W.A. BARROW, 4TH BATTALION RAILWAY PIONEER REGIMENT (LATE LANCE CORPORAL, IMPERIAL LIGHT INFANTRY), WHO SAW SERVICE WITH THE IMPERIAL LIGHT INFANTRY DURING THE RELIEF OF LADYSMITH, DURING WHICH OPERATIONS THE I.L.I. PLAYED A PROMINENT PART IN THE BATTLE OF SPION KOP AND THE CAPTURE OF HART’S HILL, SUSTAINING HEAVY CASUALTIES DURING BOTH ACTIONS.. Queen’s South Africa Medal, 4 clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (officially named, impressed in plain block capitals: 2604 Pte. W.A. BARROW. RLY. PNR. REGt.). Disc of medal plugged at 12 o’clock above queen’s head and suspender re-attached, with additional attempted piercing to left of suspender (probably a failed first attempt at piercing the disc), scattered light surface contact marks and edge nicks, polished, Good Fine.

Medal accompanied by copied extracts QSA Medal rolls (2, Imperial Light Infantry and 4th Battalion Railway Pioneer Regiment) and KSA Medal roll (4th Battalion Railway Pioneer Regiment), confirming service initially with the Imperial Light Infantry and subsequently with the 4th Battalion Railway Pioneer Regiment, along with copied extracts from John Stirling’s “The Colonials in South Africa” regarding the services of the Imperial Light Infantry and the Railway PioneerRegiment during the Boer War.

The Imperial Light Infantry QSA Medal roll confirms the award of the Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith and Laing’s Nek clasps for service with that regiment. The 4th Battalion Railway Pioneer Regiment QSA Medal roll confirms Transvaal clasp for service with the RPR, and also confirms Barrow had been previously awarded the Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith and Laing’s Nek clasps for service with the Imperial Light Infantry. Barrow was also entitled to the King’s South Africa Medal with 2 clasps for service with the 4th Battalion Railway Pioneer Regiment.

The Imperial Light Infantry Regiment was raised in Natal following the outbreak of the Boer War, its recruits largely being “Uitlanders” who had been forced to leave the Transvaal as a result of rising tensions between the Transvaal and the UK in the lead up to the outbreak of the Boer War. The regiment was ready for front line duty by the end of December 1899 and saw extensive service during the Relief of Ladysmith, during which it was frequently in the thick of the fighting, seeing action at the battle of Spion Kop, January 1900, where it had two officers and 29 other ranks killed and 3 officers and 110 other ranks wounded, along with 19 other ranks recorded as missing (most of whom were later found to have been killed or wounded). Later, following the battle of Colenso, the regiment took part in the capture of Hart’s Hill, where the regiment sustained further heavy losses, with 19 other ranks killed and 1 officer and 105 men wounded. The regiment was eventually disbanded in June 1901, its officers and men transferring to other units.

The Railway Pioneer Regiment was originally raised in December 1899, its early recruits consisting almost entirely of civilian refugees from the Transvaal, mostly mechanics from Johannesburg. By the end of the war the regiment’s strength had increased to four battalions, with many of its later recruits, like William Barrow, coming from other units that were disbanded during the course of the war.