Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal : Private J G Nelson, 2nd New South Wales Infantry Regiment

Colonial Auxiliary Services Long Service Medal. Impressed on edge with recipient's details. Obverse: The veiled profile of Queen Victoria with the legend 'VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX' around the circumference. Reverse: An elaborate rocco style frame surmounted by a crown and the words 'FOR LONG SERVICE IN THE COLONIAL AUXILIARY FORCES' on five lines and a floral surround. Fitted with a straight bar swivel suspender and a piece of 33 mm plain dark green ribbon.

This medal was awarded to 22 Private Jonas Goode Nelson for his service as a volunteer in the 2nd New South Wales Infatnry Regiment. The award of the medal appears in the Commonwealth Gazette of 12 July 1901. Originally from Oxford, England. Pte Nelson came to Australia with his parents at the age of three and eventually settled in Goulburn, New South Wales. His father Constable Samuel Nelson, served at Collector, NSW and was shot by Johnny Dunn, one of the bushrangers in Ben Hall's gang, in 1865. A boot maker by trade, Jonas Nelson enlisted in the New South Wales Contingent to the Sudan on 18 February 1885 at the age of 33. He embarked from Sydney aboard SS Iberia on 3 March 1885. The contingent left Sydney to much public fanfare and arrived at Suakin on 29 March. Once there, the New South Welshmen were attached to a Brigade comprised of Scots, Grenadiers and Coldstream Guards. The contingent then marched to the village of Tamai, 30 kilometres inland. On their journey they came across bodies of soldiers from a recent battle. When they reached Tamai, they burnt the village and returned to Suakin. The majority of the contingent then undertook the construction of a railway line to the inland town of Berber. The New South Wales Contingent did not participate in any actual battles and left for Australia on 17 May 1885. The date of Pte Nelson’s return to Australia is not known, however the Nominal Roll indicates that he was left in hospital in Colombo on the return journey. His final rank is listed as corporal. Upon his return Pte Nelson became a police officer, like his father. He also served in the militia with the Goulburn Volunteer Infantry, 2nd New South Wales Infantry Regiment until 1901. Pte Nelson died in May 1924 and was given a military funeral.