Beschreibung:

I have had, in the last four years, the advantage, if it be an advantage, of many strange and varied experiences. But nothing was so thrilling as this: to wait and struggle among these clanging, rending iron boxes, with the repeated explosions of the shells and the artillery, the grunting and puffing of the engine - poor, tortured thing, hammered by at least a dozen shells, any one of which by penetrating the boiler, might have made an end to it all...” “When in 1910 I was Home Secretary, it was my duty to advise the King upon the awards of the Albert Medal. I therefore revived the old records, communicated with the Governor of Natal and the railway company, and ultimately both the driver and his fireman received the highest reward for gallantry open to civilians.” (Winston Churchill The Historic ‘Boer War’ Albert Medal pair awarded to Railway Fireman A. J. Stewart, Natal Government Railways, who, together with the Engine Driver (Charles Wagner) received his Albert Medal for gallantry in saving the armoured train and with it numerous lives at Chieveley following a Boer ambush on 15 November 1899, their heroic deeds famously being presided over by the young Winston Churchill who was at the time a reporter for the Morning Post - When the driver’s face had been cut open by a shell splinter, Churchill implored him to remain at his post, telling him “that no man was hit twice on the same day and that a wounded man who continued to do his duty was always rewarded for distinguished gallantry...” - Churchill himself showed great gallantry in this action, following which he was captured by the Boers, ensuring his popular fame six weeks later when he made good his escape Following his audacious escape from captivity, Churchill whilst passing through Pietermaritzburg visited the railway yard and asked to speak to Engineer Stewart, who, on receiving the message that someone important was asking for him, told them that he was in his dirty overalls, covered in oil and grease and in no fit condition to meet anyone important, on hearing this excuse, Churchill is said to have responded, “Dirty overalls are nothing compared to what he and I went through together, I have to shake his hand, oil and all” - Ten years later when Winston Churchill was made Home Secretary he made good his promise seeing to it that both Stewart and Wagner were awarded Albert Medals Albert Medal, 2nd Class, for Gallantry in Saving Life on Land, reverse officially inscribed ‘Presented in the name of His Majesty King George the Fifth to Alexander James Stewart for Gallantry in saving life near Chieveley Station in Natal on the 15th November 1899’; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Mr A. J. Stewart, Natal Govt. Rlys.); together with his father’s South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (Pte. A. Stewart, P. M. Burg. Rifles); and original fitted case of issue for Albert Medal, good very fine or better (3) £15000-20000 Footnote Provenance: Purchased by the vendor from a direct descendent of Alexander Stewart in 1997. Note: The Albert Medal, 1st Class awarded to Driver Charles Wagner is in the collection of the Military History Museum, Durban. Sold with fifteen pages copied from the National Archives (ref. HO/45-10609/193129) which contains the original correspondence and recommendation submitted by Winston Churchill in 1910 and approved by H.M. King George V. A.M. London Gazette 14 June 1910. The original joint citation with the engine driver, Charles Wagner published in the London Gazette states: The KING has been pleased to approve of the Albert Medal of the First Class being conferred upon Mr. Charles Wagner and the Albert Medal of the Second Class upon Mr. Alexander James Stewart both of Pietermaritzburg, for gallantry in saving life. On the 15th November, 1899, near Chieveley Station, in Natal, an armoured train which had been sent out on patrol was intercepted by the Boers and three carriages were thrown off the line. These vehicles lay between the rest of the train a