Badge
Category
Coins and medals
Date
1900 - 1902
Materials
Textile
Measurements
770 mm (Length)23 mm (Diameter)
Order this imageCollection
Royal Military Canal, Kent
NT 1295321
Summary
Tricolour ribbon with 23 badges portraying members of the British monarchy and the British Army involved in the Second Boer War (also known as the South African War).
Full description
Each figure portrayed on the badges played a part in the Second Boer War (also known as the South African War), which took place from October 1899 to May 1902 in South Africa between the British and the two Boer Republics of the Transvaal and Orange Free State. Likely to have been made in Britain in support of the war effort, other badges in the series survive in other collections. Research has revealed similar portrait used in cigarette cards of the period. The badges are part of the Royal Military Canal collection, presented to the National Trust by Dorothy Johnston (1880-1962), who is known to have visited South Africa before 1913, as is evidenced by her ‘Candidate for Election Certificate’ held at the archives of the Royal Geographical Society, where she applied for a fellowship. Starting with the badge of Queen Victoria at the top of the ribbon, the following people are depicted: 1. Queen Victoria. b. 1819, d. 1901. Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India (1837-1901). 2. King Edward VII. b. 1841, d. 1910. King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India (1901-1910). 3. Frederick Sleigh Roberts, Earl of Kandahar, Pretoria and Waterford. b. 1832, d. 1942. Commander-in-Chief in South Africa (December 1899-November 1900), succeeding Redvers Buller (see below). 4. Horatio Herbert Kitchener, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum. b. 1850, d. 1916. Commander-in-Chief in South Africa (November 1900-1902). 5. Sir Redvers Henry Buller. b. 1839, d. 1908. Commander-in-Chief in South Africa (October-December 1899). 6. Douglas Mackinnon Baillie Cochrane, Twelfth Earl of Dundonald. b. 1825, d. 1935. Commander of the Mounted Brigade(s) (November 1899-October 1900). 7. Sir Charles Warren. b. 1840, d. 1927. Commander of the 5th Division in South Africa (November 1899-August 1900). 8. Sir Thomas Kelly-Kenny. b. 1840, d. 1914. Commander of the 6th Division in South Africa (December 1899-November 1900). 9. Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, First Baron of Baden-Powell. b. 1857, d. 1941. Major-General (October 1899-May 1902). 10. Andrew Gilbert Wauchope. b. 1846, d. 1899. Commander of the 3rd (Highland) Brigade (October 1899-December 1899). 11. Sir Henry John Thoroton Hildyard. b. 1846, d. 1916. Lieutenant-General, Commander of the 5th Division in South Africa (October 1899-September 1901). 12. Sir Archibald Hunter. b. 1856, d. 1936. Commander of the columns in north-eastern Orange Free State (October 1899-January 1901). 13. Sir Herbert Charles Chermside. b. 1850, d. 1929. Commander of the Curragh, the 14th Brigade, 7th Division in South Africa (October 1899-March 1902). 14. Sir (Henry Macleod) Leslie Rundle. b. 1856, d. 1934. Commander of the 8th Division in South Africa (1900-1902). 15. Sir Geoffrey Barton. b. 1844, d.1922. Commander of the 6th (Fusiliers) Brigade in the South Natal Field Force (1889-1902). 16. Sir Frederick Carrington. b. 1844, d. 1913. Lieutenant-General (1988-1902). 17. Sir Edward Yewd Brabant. b. 1839, d. 1914. Brigadier-General of Cape Colonial Forces (1900-1902). 18. Yet to be identified. 19. Sir William Forbes Gatacre. b. 1843, d. 1906. Commander of the 3rd Division in South Africa (October 1899-April 1900). 20. Yet to be identified. 21. Yet to be identified. 22. Yet to be identified. 23. John Francis Dunne. b. 1884, d. 1950. Bugler for the 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers (October 1899-December 1899). Source: Helena Rutkowska, 'Curatorial Research Micro-Internship with the University of Oxford and the National Trust. The Royal Military Canal', 2021, Scotney Castle Regional Archive.
Provenance
Presented to the National Trust by Dorothy Johnston, 1947.