A very interesting group of 8 miniatures, from Zulu War to WW1.

Please do not use PayPal for this item. A very interesting group of 8 miniatures, from Zulu War to WW1. All contemporary to their period. South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879; Cape of Good Hope General Service 1880-97, 1 clasp, Bechuanaland; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Relief of Mafeking, Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State, Transvaal; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; British War and Victory Medals (note – not bilingual version); Coronation 1902, bronze; Mayor of Kimberley’s Star 1899-1900, an ‘official’ miniature with usual reverse hallmarks with date letter ‘a’, but lacking top riband bar. PROVENANCE – sold in Noonan’s 27th June 2026, associated with the matching full size group as awarded to Pte/Captain James Ball, 99th Regt and Cape Police. James Ball was born in Dublin (on 21st Dec. 1861), according to his attestation papers. Enlisted into the 38th Regt. in Manchester on October 1876 at the age of 14 yrs and 10 months as a Boy and was appointed Drummer. Ball transferred into the 99th (Duke of Edinburgh’s Lanarkshire) Regt. on 30th April 1878, still in the rank of Drummer. He served through the Zulu War with the 99th. The 99th became the 2nd Battn. Wiltshire Regt. on 1 July 1881 and he is listed as Drummer until 1 April 1882, when ranked as Private. He served with the 2nd Wiltshire Regt. until discharge on 15 Dec. 1886. Ball served in the Army Reserve from 16th Dec. 1886 to 31st October 1888. [12 years] Private/Drummer in the 99th Foot during the Zulu War. Emigrating to South Africa, he joined the Cape Police [Kimberley Divn.], seeing service as a Sergeant with the Bechuanaland Field Force in 1897. By the outbreak of the Second Boer War he held the rank of Regimental Sergeant-Major and served throughout the Defence of Kimberley and at the Relief of Mafeking. He was taken prisoner during an operation with a party of Cape Mounted Rifles at Hoopstad on 23 October 1900. The following brief account of the action is taken from the Record of the Cape Mounted Riflemen by Basil Williams: ‘On the 23rd October the column returned towards Hoopstad from the Vaal. During the march fifty Cape Police under Major Berrange were detached to move along the river and cover the right flank, while fifteen C.M.R. under Lieut. Rolfe were told off to search farmhouses half a mile behind the Police. Both forces were in full view of the Boers on the further side of the river, but after leaving the Vaal to conform with the main column’s march, the C.M.R., losing sight of the Boers, caught up and passed the Police. Then suddenly firing was heard in the rear: Lieut. Rolfe with his men returning to the Police found both their maxims out of action, and the gunners and horses shot. Dismounting on the right of the Police the C.M.R., though unsuccessful in saving the guns, enabled the survivors of the Police to get clear away; but on turning to their own horses, found that one of the horse-holders, Private Miller, had been shot dead, and most of the horses stampeded. After retiring a short distance, the men lay down and attempted to keep off the Boers by rifle fire, but after Lieut. Rolfe had been mortally wounded, Ptes Hassell and N. Grant shot dead, and Pte Knox-Gore wounded, the Boers galloped up and took the rest of the detachment prisoners. In the same engagement the Police had twenty-seven casualties. The Boer Commandant, De Villiers, showed great consideration to the wounded in taking steps to have them properly attended to by their own people, and three weeks later released the prisoners, who had first been taken to Wolmaranstad.’ He served on the Staff of the Cape Colony Contingent at the Coronation in 1902; there were only about 12 officers and men of the Cape Police. During the Great War, Ball joined the 10th South African Infantry as a Captain, at Potchefstroom on 30 January 1916. He embarked for service in East Africa on 11 February, and served there until discharged with malaria. He returned to South Africa and after a period in hospital at Wynburg and was discharged, with 2 months recuperative leave pending, at Durban on 23 November 1916, and released from the service at the end of that year. He would have been about 55 years old at that date! Ribbons appear to be originals, though some a little frail. A very attractive combination, with some scarce miniatures; generally in GVF condition.