War Medals

3495 PRIVATE WALTER GENT, 1ST.BN. DEVONSHIRE REGIMENT :

India Medal 1895, bars,'Punjab Frontier 1897-98', 'Tirah 1897-98', correct style of running script engraved naming - 3495 Pte. W. GENT, 1st. Bn.Devon Regt.; Queen's South Africa Medal, bars, 'Elandslaagte', 'Defence of Ladysmith', officially impressed naming - 3495 Pte. W. GENT, Devon Regt. : (WALTER GENT - Born around 1873 at Chorley, Lancashire, was a labourer by trade and a serving member of the 3rd.Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, when on 11 April 1892 at Exeter he attested for the Regulary Army : Posted to Devonshire Regiment Depot and subsequently joined 2nd Battalion of the Regiment : Served at home until 26 September 1894 when he was posted to India where he joined the 1st.Battalion from 19 October 1894 : Served on the North West Frontier during the disturbances and with the Tirah Expeditionary Force during 1897-98 : Posted to South Africa f from 21 September 1899 for service in the Second Boer War and took part in the Battle of Elandslaagte on 21 October 1899 : The Battalion subsequently withdrew into Ladysmith where on 3 November 1899 it became besieged : On 6 January 1900 the Boers began to attack positions around Ladysmith, commencing with an attempt to take Wagon Hill. The Boers succeeded in capturing the front crest of the hill but their attempt to take Wagon Hill itself failed. Reinforcements were sent to assist the King's Royal Rifle Corps and Sappers defending the hill, and at about 3.30pm. three Companies of the Devonshire Regiment received orders to proceed to Wagon Hill as help to repel the Boers was urgently required : The Devons arrived at 4.45pm and discovered that a party of some fifty Boers were still in possession of the hill approximately one hundred yards infront of the ridge held by the Imperial Light Horse from where all day, they had been inflicting great loss : The Devons were tasked with dislodging these Boers from their stronghold : The three Compaies were formed up in column with bayonets fixed and magazines charged and the order was given to advance in quick time : When they reached the top of the ridge the Devons charged the position occupied by the Boers : The charge itself took place in a blinding hail storm and on reaching the top of the hill the Devons had to cover some 130 yards of open ground, under fire from three sides : The Boers waited until the charging Devons were within fifteen yards, before they turned and ran to a ridge of rocks from where they again opened fire :The strength of the Devons was 5 Officers and 184 Non-Commissioned Officers and men, of whom 3 Officers and 14 Other Ranks were killed, with 1 Officer and 34 Other Ranks wounded (Lieutenant James Edward Ignatius Masterson of the 1st. Devonshire Regiment was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry during the action at Wagon Hill.) : The recipient returned home from South Africa on 8 June 1900 and was transferred to Army Reserve on 24 January 1903 : He was Discharged on 10 April 1908 then having completing sixteen years service.) : Sold with verification and copy Service Record : Some slight edge bruising to Queen's South Africa Medal but naming not affected : Pair Generally VF- GVF - £1095