The regimentally fine South Africa Second Matabele War Rhodesia 1896 and Mashonaland 1897 and Boor War pair awarded to Private J.A. Miller, 7th (Queen’s Own) Hussars. From London, he was present on active operations in support of the British South Africa Company during the Second Matabele War when present in Rhodesia in the period which lasted from 24th March to 31st December 1896, and in Mashonaland in the period from 24th March 1896 to 31st October 1897, and he later went on to see service during the Boer War when on operations in the Cape Colony, Orange Free State and the Transvaal. His military service is visually captured in a number of fine original photographs that accompany the medals, and he later worked for the Borough Council in Battersea.
Pair: British South Africa Company Medal 1890-1897, reverse for Rhodesia 1896, with one clasp - loose on ribbon, Mashonaland 1897; (3762. PTE. J.A. MILLER. 7TH: HUSS.); Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 5 Clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; (3762 PTE. J.A. MILLER. 7TH. HUSSARS), both with lengths of original ribbon.
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine.
Together with the following original documents and ephemera:
Queen Victoria crown collar badge for the 7th Hussars,
Double faced fob photograph of the recipient and his wife, and another believed to be of his son.
11 x original photographs, all relating to his military service, one showing him wearing both medal ribbons, one when boxing, and another being a superb image that shows him clearly wearing his British South Africa Company Medal 1890-1897 without clasp.
Certified copy of his Birth Certificate, as issued at Fulham, dated 24 March 1903.
Remnants of the original certified copy of his Marriage Certificate, dating from 5 December 1899, when he is shown as working as a horsekeeper.
Certified copy of his Death Certificate, as issued at South Battersea, dated 12 June 1953.
John Arthur Miller was born on 23 February 1874 in Walham Green, London, the son of Job Miller, a baker, and his wife, Emily Westlake, who resided at 23 Farm Lane in Fulham. Having worked as a carman he then attested for short service with the British Army at London on 25 April 1892, joining as a Private (No.3762) the 7th (Queen’s Own) Hussars at Canterbury. Miller saw service out in India from 4 February 1893 and then in South Africa from 23 October 1895.
As such Miller was present on active operations in support of the British South Africa Company during the Second Matabele War when present in Rhodesia in the period which lasted from 24th March to 31st December 1896, and in Mashonaland in the period from 24th March 1896 to 31st October 1897. Some 228 officers and men from his regiment gain the medal with the Rhodesia 1896 reverse, and 201 were present for Mashonaland 1897. In all some 1170 medals with the additional clasp were awarded.
Miller who was appointed to Lance Corporal on 19 March 1898, but reverted to Private again on 25 May 1898, was posted home from 30 November 1898, and was transferred to the Army Reserve on 24 April 1899, going to work as a horse keeper. He married Eliza Alma Hoare at St Paul’s Church in Clapham on 23 December 1899, having by then been recalled to the army owing to the Boer War, and he then saw service in South Africa from 28 December 1899, and as such was present on operations in the Cape Colony, Orange Free State and the Transvaal. Posted home again on 12 July 1902, he transferred back to the Army Reserve on 26 December 1902, and re-engaged for further reserve service on 25 April 1904, being finally discharged on 24 April 1908.
Miller latterly worked as a horse carman to the Borough Council in Battersea, where he lived up until his death on 11 June 1953. Medal and clasp entitlement confirmed, though it would appear that Miller claimed the Mashonaland 1897 clasp slightly later as it was not issued with his medal.
