THE RARE NEW ZEALAND MOUNTED RIFLES QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA 1899 TO A TROOPER WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION DURING THE HEROIC DEFENCE BY 80 MEN OF THE 7TH CONTINGENT AT THE BATTLE OF LANGVERWACHT, 23/24 FEBRUARY 1902, 65 OF WHOM BECAME CASUALTIES. ONE ACCOUNT SUGGESTING HE WAS KILLED DURING THE ACT OF SURRENDERING. OF THE NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENTS, 58 MEN WERE KILLED IN ACTION DURING THE BOER

QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA 1899, 4 CLASPS, ORANGE FREE STATE, TRANSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902 ‘4442 TPR. W. STEVENSON. 7TH N. Z’LAND M.R.’

Walter (Wattie) Stevenson a 20 year old Draper from Timaru, New Zealand, attested for service in the Boer War at Wellington on 8 April 1901. Serving in South Africa with 24 Company (Canterbury Section), 7th Contingent, New Zealand Mounted Rifles, he was Killed in Action during heroic defence by 80 men of his unit of the lines at Langverwacht (also known as Bothasberg) in the Orange Free State on the 24 February 1902. Aged 22. He is buried at the Garden of Remembrance, Vrede Public Cemetery, Orange Free State, South Africa.

58 Officers and men of the New Zealand Contingents were killed in action during the Boer War, 34 of this number being from the 7th New Zealand Mounted Rifles. A further 189 Officers and men were wounded in action or died of wounds, again, the brunt of the casualties falling on the 7th New Zealand Mounted Rifles with 73 coming from this unit. 65 of the 7th casualties were sustained at the Battle of Langverwacht.………………..

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Condition, GVF, attractive patina, couple of minor EK’s. Sold with copy Attestation and other research. Note: Corporal Foster’s Q.S.A. medal is listed elsewhere on this website.

A rare New Zealand Contingent Killed in action medal.