World War Two Medals awarded to Frederik Wilhelm Wagner. Great Britain, Military Cross, silver, measures 43.72mm (w) x 48.10mm (h – inclusive of integral loop), reverse of 6 o’clock arm engraved 1945, on original ribbon, reverse bears small spot of wear, reverse of ribbon bears glue residue, very fine condition; Great Britain 1939-45 Star, bronze gilt, measures 38.33mm (w) x 50.48mm (h – inclusive of integral ring), reverse impressed 115502 F.W WAGNER, on original ribbon, reverse bears patch of gilt wear and residue, reverse of ribbon bears glue and paper residue, near very fine condition; Great Britain Africa Star, bronze gilt, measures 38.25mm (w) x 51.20mm (h – inclusive of integral ring), reverse impressed 115502 F.W WAGNER, on original ribbon, reverse bears patch of gilt wear and residue, ribbon is discoloured and lightly soiled, reverse of ribbon bears glue and paper residue, near very fine condition; Great Britain Italy Star, bronze gilt, measures 38.52mm (w) x 50.60mm (h – inclusive of integral ring), reverse impressed 115502 F.W WAGNER, on original ribbon, reverse bears patch of gilt wear and residue, ribbon lightly soiled, reverse of ribbon bears glue and paper residue, near very fine condition; South African Medal, silver, measures 36.50mm in diameter, rim impressed 115502 F.W. WAGNER, on original ribbon, dark patina, reverse bears patch in center presenting wear and residue, light edge bruising, reverse of ribbon bears glue and paper residue, near very fine condition; Great Britain War Medal 1939-45, cupro-nickel, measures 36.47mm in diameter, rim impressed 115502 F.W. WAGNER, on original ribbon, reverse bears a stain in the center, reverse of ribbon bears glue and paper residue, very fine condition; Great Britain Defence Medal, cupro-nickel, measures 36.13mm in diameter, on replacement ribbon, not original to Wagner group, very fine condition.
Miniature World War Two Medals including Great Britain, Miniature Military Cross, silver, measures 21.30mm (w) x 23.70mm (h – inclusive of integral ring), on original ribbon, glue residue on reverse, near very fine condition; Great Britain, Miniature 1939-45 star, bronze gilt, measures 19.10mm (w) x 25.38mm (h – inclusive of integral ring), on original ribbon, glue reside on reverse of medal and ribbon, near very fine condition; Great Britain, Miniature Africa Star, bronze gilt, measures 19.15mm (w) x 25.32mm (h – inclusive of integral ring), on original ribbon, glue residue on reverse of medal and ribbon, near very fine condition; Great Britain, Miniature Italy Star, bronze gilt, measures 19.11mm (w) x 25.40mm (h – inclusive of integral ring), on original ribbon, glue residue on reverse of medal and ribbon, near very fine condition; Great Britain, Miniature Defence medal, silver measures 18.5mm in diameter, on original ribbon, dark patina, wear and stain on reverse of medal, glue residue on reverse of ribbon, very fine condition. A ribbon bar containing the Military Cross, 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star and South African Service Medal, measures 170mm (w) x 11.21mm (h), ribbons all lightly soiled, small gap between the Africa Star and the Italy Star, reverse in covered with glue residue, fine condition.
A Second World War Artillery Compass carried by F.W Wagner. Composed of a non-magnetic metal alloy and brass, measuring 73.33mm (w) x 82.94mm (l – including hinges) x 34.71mm (d), weighs 234.4grams, lid engraved COOKE, TROUGHTON & SIMMS LTD LONDON, YORK, CAPE TOWN & JOHANNESBURGH, interior of lid presents a mirror with axis line and sighting window at base near hinge, the base portrays a glass covered compass with needle, clinometer level and scale, needle locking pin is located along the left corner, the rear sighting arm is attached at 6 o’clock via hinge with peep window at the end on a separate hinge, the interior of the arm has a small 3 engraved near the hinge, bottom has a circular round nut attached to base along right side, and a small dial to adjust the clinometer, hinges, compass and level in working order, slight residue around edge of mirror, marks of wear around exterior, very fine condition. Carried in an oval light brown leather case with light stitching and a burgundy velvet interior, measures 90.46mm (w) x 96.98mm (h) x 47.74mm (d), exterior side marked H.J.S.V.D.M [?] S.W.A, leather strap to close the cap is broken, shows wear along edges, fine condition.
Accompanied by numerous documents and photographs. Regarding Nicolaas Wagner: original photographs of N. Wagner from 1915, an original photograph of General Botha, letters from General Botha dated 1919 and 1920, and copies of photographs from South Africa during the First World War; Regarding Fritz Wagner: numerous primary sources including original letters from Fritz Wagner to his parents, newspaper clippings, black and white photographs, correspondence between F. Wagner and historical researchers, photocopies of the excerpt regarding F. Wagner’s escape in Ian Reid’s book, excerpts from other narratives, Francis L. Coleman’s “The Kaffrarian Rifles 1876-1986” book, 327 pages, inscribed by Captain F. Wagner on the front page.
Footnote: Captain Nicolaas Jacobas Wagner, born in 1888 in the Netherlands. He served in the First World War as an Aide de Camp to General Botha during the South African Campaign. At the time of his death in 1946, he was Chief of Lands in Petoria, South Africa. N.J Wagner is the father of Military Cross recipient Fredrick (Fritz) Wilhelm Wagner.
Frederik (Fritz) Wilhelm Wagner was born June 4 1921 in Windhoek, South West Africa (now Namibia) to Nicolaas Jacobas Wagner and Elizabeth Gilchrist Eadie. He was baptised on December 11, 1922. Wagner was educated at Windhoek High School and later Christian Brother’s College in Kimberley. He won the Empire prize for literature and excelled in sports, including rugby, swimming and boxing. At the age of 19 he joined the Special Service Battalion prior to attending the South African Military College as a cadet in September 1940.
In August 1941, Wagner was attached to C Company of the Kaffrarian Rifles (now known as the Buffalo Volunteer Rifles), and by January of 1942, he was leading the unit during the Battle of Bardia. The Battle of Bardia was part of the Libyan Campaign against Rommel’s Afrika Corp. The battle took place from November 1941 to January 1942, and resulted in a decisive South African Victory. Charged with capturing a well-defended pillbox, Wagner described his experience in colourful detail in a letter to his parents, “we entered the perimeter with another battalion under cover of a creeping barrage set up by our artillery, we did this by east states till we reached the wire fences. Every time we took cover one could hear the whine of our own shells overhead. You get that feeling that every one of them is meant for you. Our engineers blew a gap through the barbed wire and through we ran as fast as our legs could carry us… One machine -gun nest was giving us a bit of trouble so myself and two of my lads tracked him down and we captured 2 machine guns and 16 prisoners, quite a stroke of luck!” For his gallant actions, Wagner was considered for a Military Cross however a document from the Union of South Africa notes that “many gallant actus must inevitably go unrewarded” and this award was not yet awarded.
On June 21, 1942, Lieutenant Wagner, along with rest of the division troops, was captured at the Battle of Tobruck. He was sent to Camp 47, an Italian POW camp in Modena, mostly used for New Zealand Officers. Wagner’s story is told in detail in Ian Reid’s book “Prisoner at Large” describing the daring escape attempts, such as tunnelling through sewers, and hiding amongst mattress and rubbish to avoid the train to Germany. After one year and two months, on September 12, 1943, Wagner “cut the wire in the full blaze of searchlights under the German Machine Gun Post. He then climbed over and cut the second wire outside the wall.” He found his way to Switzerland and stayed with a family there until November 12. According to Thomas Larson’s Book “The Great Adventure” Wagner enjoyed the freedom of living in Switzerland, however “one day his conscious got the better of him. So he left his Swiss lover woman and headed back to Italy to join a guerilla band.” Near the end of 1944, he returned to the Union and reported for duty at Potchefstroom, joining the Botha-Steyn Regiment.
Capt Wagner was officially released from service on July 27, 1945. Returned to Windhoek following the war and was provided with a settler’s block of farmland for his efforts. In 1986, Wagner was located in Glencairn, South Africa.
The citation for his Military Cross is as follows:
“London Gazette, July 26 1945
115502 Lieutenant Wagner, Frederik Willem
Kaffrarian Rifles
Lieutenant Wagner was captured at Tobruck on 21 June 1942, and was, at the time of the Italian Armistice in Camp 47 (Modena).
On August 1 1942 Lieutenant Wagner tried to escape from the train in which he was being transported from Bari to Chieti, but was prevented from doing so by a senior officer.
When the Germans took over Camp 47 on 9 September 1943, Lieutenant Wagner organised a tunnel scheme: this had to be abandoned owing to the unhealthy conditions of the sewer.
The main body of the P/W left Camp 47 early on 12 September 1943, and Lieutenant Wagner and to others hid in a double door; they escaped detection and finally joined the remaining members of the camp. That night Lieutenant Wagner cut the wire in the full blaze of searchlights under the German Machine Gun Post. He then climbed over and cut the second wire outside the wall; he was followed by his two companies, but the last to leave was recaptured.
After remaining in the area for a week, Lieutenant Wagner met some members of a Partisan Organisation. He decided to with them to join the Partisans and they took him to the village of Spilamberto. Here he lived with an Italian family until 12 November 1943.
Lieutenant Wagner was taken by bicycle to Castel Franco, where he was given a railway ticket to Varese. On reaching Milan he bought a ticket to Como, where he arrived late in the evening. After narrowly avoiding arrest in Chiasso Lieutenant Wagner evaded the Germans and walked back through Como to Cernobbio. From here he turned North into the mountains and finally crossed into Switzerland at noon on 14 November 1943.
Recommended for the award of the Military Cross.
Accompanied by First World War Medals award to Nicolaas Wagner, father of F.W Wagner. South African Victory Medal, bronze gilt, measures 36.22mm in diameter, rim impressed KAPT. N.J. WAGNER, worn on original ribbon, reverse bears wear and loss of gilt in center, ribbon is lightly soiled and worn, reverse presents glue and paper residue, fine condition; Great Britain War Medal, silver, measures 36.28mm in diameter, rim impressed KAPT. N.J. WAGNER, worn on original ribbon attached by scroll suspension, dark patina, tarnishing and glue residue on reverse, ribbon lightly soiled with glue and paper residue on reverse, fine condition; Great Britain 1914-15 Star, bronze gilt, measures 44.20mm (w) x 52.25mm (h- inclusive of integral crown suspension), reverse impressed Lt. N.G. WAGNER STAFF, worn on original ribbon, reverse stained with gilt wear in center, reverse of ribbon bears glue and paper residue, near very fine condition; Great Britain 1937 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Coronation Medal, silver, measures 31.91mm in diameter, worn on original ribbon, dark patina, wear around relief work with stains and glue residue on reverse, ribbon has glue and paper residue on reverse, fine condition.