Dix Noonan Webb
Lot 592
Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Defence of Mafeking (170 Corpl: W. Frankish. Protect: Regt. F.F.) extremely fine £1,800-£2,200 --- Walter Frankish was killed at Mafeking on 7 December 1899, by a shell splinter from a 94-pounder. Originally from Accrington, Lancashire, he was an electrical engineer prior to attesting on 18 August 1899 for service with “D” Squadron in Colonel Baden Powell’s Frontier Force (later the Protectorate Regiment F.F.). The following extract is taken from the Mafeking Diary of Edward Ross, Thursday, 7 December 1899: ‘Two large shells this afternoon burst in front of a chemist shop in the Market Square, destroying the whole of the shop and cutting a native all to pieces; parts of him were found lying about the road. Two of B.P.’s staff (Tracey and Wilson) were in the shop at the time, but very luckily escaped being hurt. Some of the pieces of these shells after bursting seemed to travel around corners, one 94-pounder burst in the Market Square. A small piece of it seemed to come around the corner of the street, passed through the door of the Mafeking Hotel bar and into the head of the man standing at the counter, Corporal Frankish of D Squadron P.R. who was killed on the spot. Another native was also killed today, a piece of a 94-pounder literally cutting him in half.’ Sold with copied research and several photographs of his grave and memorial.
