A Queen’s South Africa Medal, in silver, rim impressed 5009 PTE. F. E. STEVENS, 2ND WILTS: REGT, with clasps WITTEBERGEN, TRANSVAAL, CAPE COLONY, weighs 43.6 grams, visible edge knocks and contact marks, missing ribbon, clasps slightly bent, lovely dark patina, in near very fine condition.
A King’s South Africa Medal, in silver, rim impressed 5009 PTE. F.E. STEVENS. WILTSHIRE REGT, with clasps SOUTH AFRICA 1902 and SOUTH AFRICA 1901, notable contact marks, small edge knocks, clasps slightly bent, dark patina, in very fine condition.
Footnote:
The Wiltshire regiment was formed in 1881 as a line infantry regiment of the British Army. In late 1899 the 2nd Wilts was dispatched to South Africa to take part in the Second Boer War. Arriving in time to take part in Lord Roberts' campaign against the Boers. Upon arrival, the 2nd Wilts was brigaded with the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment, 1st Royal Irish Regiment, and 2nd Worcestershire Regiment to form the 12th Brigade under Major General Clements.
Assigned to garrison an exposed position at the town of Rensburg, the 2nd Wilts lost 14 men killed, 57 wounded, and more than 100 prisoners taken. Eventually, the brigade commander was forced to pull back the Wiltshires to prevent the Boer Commandos from breaking through and threatening other towns. However, in issuing the order to retreat from Rensburg, two companies of the 2nd Wiltshires, assigned to outpost duty, were never given the word of the retreat. When they tried to re-enter what had been the main camp for the battalion, they found it occupied by the Boers. Although they attempted to escape, the Boer commandos soon caught up with the two companies and, after a fight, forced them to surrender. Despite losing almost a third of its strength, once Lord Robert's operations began to succeed, the Boer reaction allowed the 12th Brigade, and the 2nd Wilts, to go back on the offensive against the Boer Republics. After the capture of Bethlehem, the Boer War was moving from its second phase and into the third, guerrilla, phase. The 12th Brigade was broken up and its units sent to other commands. The 2nd Wilts would join Major-General Paget and the West Riding Regiment in patrolling the areas northeast and northwest of Pretoria.
In 1902, the war ended as the last of the Boer commandos surrendered and the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed. With the war over, the 2nd Wiltshires returned to England in 1903.