QSA + 5 to King City of London Yeomanry - Rough Riders – Died Kimberley 1902

Queens South Africa Medal awarded for service in the second Anglo-Boar War 1899-1902, correctly named to 30813 Tpr. A. G. King. 86th Coy Imp Yeo. With clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902.
Trooper Aubrey George King was born around 1881 in Ely Cambridgeshire. Before the war he was employed as a Draper at Ponting Brothers, Kensington. His father George was a Miller working in the little village East Rudham, Norfolk at the local Mill & bakeries. Obviously, Aubrey King wanted a little more and the excitement of a big city was calling, so he moved to London around 1898.
Following the defeats during Black Week in early December 1899, the British government realised that it would need additional troops to help the Regular army fight the Second Boer War. In December, the decision was made to allow volunteer forces to serve in the field, so the the Imperial Yeomanry was officially created. The force was organised as county service companies of approximately 115 men signed up for one year, and volunteers from existing Yeomanry Cavalry regiments and civilians quickly filled the new force, which was equipped to operate as Mounted infantry.
Aubrey King was part of the Second Contingent of the IY, consisting of 84th, 85th, 86th and 87th (Rough Riders) Companies which was raised in London on 27 March 1901. The 2nd Rough Riders sailed from Southampton aboard the German on 31 March under the command of Lt-Col Hugh Houghton Stewart of the 3rd (Fermanagh Militia) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, with Maj Viscount Dungarvan (lieutenant-colonel of the North Somerset Yeomanry) as his second-in-command. On arrival in South Africa the battalion was joined by 76th and 78th Companies from the First Contingent.
The second contingent saw its first action at Vlakfontein on at the end of May 1901, the yeomanry's inexperience in defence and convoy protection was repeatedly exposed in Boer attacks. At Rustenburg on 30th September, the Boers inflicted nearly twice as many casualties as they sustained and killed or wounded all of the yeomanry's horses.
Sadly, Trooper King Died on the 5th of February 1902 of Enteric fever at Kimberly. Enteric fever, better known as Typhoid, which without antibiotic could be deadly.
Although he was buried at Westend Cemetery Kimberley, he is remembered with honour on the grave of his Grandfather William Bowers at St Martin's Churchyard, Fincham, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk.
This medal is in very good condition most clasps are correctly attached the SA01 and 02 are loose, probably as being awarded posthumously were never riveted.
and comes with various copied paperwork including service documents, medal rolls confirming the five clasps and census information etc.

Code: 30663