{"product_id":"coldstream-guards-boer-war-ww1-medal-group-lsgc-mentioned-for-valuable-service-from-aston","title":"Coldstream Guards Boer War WW1 Medal Group LSGC Mentioned for Valuable Service from Aston","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eBritish Boer War and First World War Medal Group – Company Sergeant Major Robert Alfred Wills, Coldstream Guards\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eQueen’s South Africa Medal, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1902 –\u003cb\u003e 1017 SERJT: R. A. WILLS. COLDSTREAM GUARDS.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e1914 Star (with original clasp which is loose) – \u003cb\u003e1017 C.Q.M.SJT: R.A. WILLS. C.GDS.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eBritish War Medal – \u003cb\u003e1017 W.O.CL.2. R. A. WILLS. C. GDS.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eVictory Medal – \u003cb\u003e1017 W.O.CL.2. R. A. WILLS. C. GDS.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eLong Service and Good Conduct Medal – \u003cb\u003e1017 C.S.MJR: R. A. WILLS. C.GDS.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eRobert Alfred Wills\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e was born in \u003cb\u003eAston, Birmingham, Warwickshire\u003c\/b\u003e, and was employed as a \u003cb\u003eclerk\u003c\/b\u003e prior to his military service. He enlisted into the \u003cb\u003eColdstream Guards\u003c\/b\u003e at \u003cb\u003eLondon on 16 August 1897\u003c\/b\u003e, aged \u003cb\u003e20 years and six months\u003c\/b\u003e, beginning what would become a notably long and steady career in the British Army.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eHis early service included active overseas duty during the \u003cb\u003eSouth African War (Boer War)\u003c\/b\u003e. Between \u003cb\u003e16 January 1902 and 6 October 1902\u003c\/b\u003e, Wills served in South Africa and was awarded the \u003cb\u003eQueen’s South Africa Medal\u003c\/b\u003e, with clasps \u003cb\u003eCape Colony\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eSouth Africa 1902\u003c\/b\u003e, confirming his presence during the later stages of the campaign as British forces conducted widespread operations to bring the war to a close.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eBy the outbreak of the \u003cb\u003eGreat War\u003c\/b\u003e, Wills was a highly experienced Coldstream Guardsman. He was mobilised immediately and proceeded overseas with the \u003cb\u003eBritish Expeditionary Force\u003c\/b\u003e, arriving in \u003cb\u003eFrance on 12 August 1914\u003c\/b\u003e, only days after the opening of hostilities. At this time he was serving in the senior non-commissioned rank of \u003cb\u003eCompany Quartermaster Sergeant (CQMS)\u003c\/b\u003e, a position of considerable responsibility involving logistics, supply, and the day-to-day administration essential to keeping an infantry company effective in the field.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eHis arrival placed him among the early professional soldiers who formed the backbone of the pre-war Regular Army during the critical opening phase of the conflict. He served continuously in \u003cb\u003eFrance until 13 December 1915\u003c\/b\u003e, a period encompassing the retreat from Mons, the Marne, the Aisne, First Ypres, and the subsequent establishment of trench warfare on the Western Front. Though his duties were primarily administrative and logistical, the role of a CQMS during this period was both demanding and hazardous, requiring constant movement under fire to maintain supply and organisation at company level.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eIn recognition of his conduct and service, Robert Alfred Wills was awarded the \u003cb\u003eLong Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1916\u003c\/b\u003e, reflecting not only his length of service but also a record of discipline and reliability maintained through both peace and war.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eFollowing the Armistice, his continued value to the regiment was formally acknowledged. According to \u003cb\u003etwo separate Coldstream Guards awards books\u003c\/b\u003e, he was \u003cb\u003e“Mentioned for Valuable Services rendered other than in the field”\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003cb\u003e28 August 1919\u003c\/b\u003e. Such mentions were typically awarded for sustained and effective service in administrative, organisational, or instructional roles during or immediately after the war, and indicate that his contribution extended beyond frontline service into the vital work of maintaining the regiment during demobilisation and post-war reorganisation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eRobert Alfred Wills remained with the \u003cb\u003eColdstream Guards until 30 April 1922\u003c\/b\u003e, when he finally left the regiment, bringing to a close nearly \u003cb\u003etwenty-five years of service\u003c\/b\u003e. His career spanned the late Victorian Army, the Boer War, the entirety of the First World War period, and the difficult transitional years that followed, marking him out as a long-serving professional soldier whose experience bridged two very different eras of British military history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003ePLEASE NOTE: All research will be sent to the buyer via email. I am unable to provide printed copies, as I do not have access to a printer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eAJMS Medals\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"AJMS Medals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53339116405082,"sku":null,"price":380.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0958\/9850\/1466\/files\/20251219_120737.png?v=1768491133","url":"https:\/\/ajms-medals.com\/products\/coldstream-guards-boer-war-ww1-medal-group-lsgc-mentioned-for-valuable-service-from-aston","provider":"AJMS Medals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}