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Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 174

91st (Princess Louise's Argyllshire Highlanders) Regiment of Foot

The unit was stationed at Aldershot when the sudden order to proceed to Natal arrived on 13 February 1879 and having added some 400 volunteers from various units, embarked the Praetoria at Southampton a week later. Landing at Port Natal on 17 March they marched for the Tugela and made camp in Zulu territory on the left bank of the river on 20 March.

Providing the advanced guard of the Etshowe Relief Column, at Ginginhilovo they famously held the rear face of the laager and faced down the enemy attacks which came in waves. Later that month they lifted the Siege of Eshowe. Whilst on campaign, half of the time it found itself without any tentage whatsoever and the remainder with only a fraction of that required for its men. They sailed from Durban.

998 Medals issued to the unit, 923 of these with clasp '1879'.

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (2051. Pte. J. Wells. 91st Foot.), very fine

John Wells was born at Grassthorp, Nottingham in 1855 and was an iron puddler by trade upon his enlistment in the 58th Brigade of Infantry at Swansea in September 1876. Posted to the 91st Foot on 16 February 1879, he sailed for South Africa days later and shared in the Zulu campaign with them. He served again in South Africa from November 1880-September 1881 and then on St Helena from September 1881-August 1882. He was discharged at Stirling and joined the Army Reserve, in which he served until 1892.

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Estimate
£500 to £700

Starting price
£400