Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of...

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek, South Africa 1901, unofficial rivets between fifth and sixth clasps (Major J. D. T. Reckitt. R.A.M.C.) engraved naming, nearly extremely fine £300-£400 --- John Dennis Thorpe Reckitt was born on 9 January 1855 and served with the Royal Army Medical Corps in South Africa during the Boer War. He served in Natal from 1899 to 1900, where he was present during the Relief of Ladysmith, including the action at Colenso, and also in the operations of 17 to 24 January 1900, and the action at Spion Kop; the operations of 5 to 7 February 1900 and the action at Vaal Kranz; the operations on Tugela Heights from 14 to 27 February 1900, and the action at Pieters Hill; and the action at Laing’s Nek from 6 to 9 June 1900. He saw further service in the Transvaal from 30 November 1900 to April 1901. For his services in South Africa, Reckitt was three times Mentioned in Despatches, the first time by General Hildyard in his report of the inconclusive Battle of Willow Grange on 24 November 1899: ‘Major Reckitt commanded the Bearer company and did good service both at the time and in connection with the removal of the wounded’; and then again in General Buller’s Despatches for 30 March and 19 June 1900. Unusually for someone Mentioned on three occasions, and who was present at some of the fiercest battles of the campaign, Reckitt received no gallantry award. He subsequently transferred to the Retired List with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Sold with copied research.