Inscribed silver vesta fob case : Private J W Anderson, I Victorian Contingent

Places
Accession Number REL23629
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Heraldry
Physical description Sterling silver
Maker Minshull & Latimer Pty Ltd
Place made Australia, United Kingdom: England, West Midlands, Birmingham, United Kingdom: England, West Midlands, Birmingham
Date made 1898
Conflict South Africa, 1899-1902 (Boer War)
Description

Rectangular sterling silver vesta match holder, supplied with a silver suspension ring to the proper right side. The lid is sprung while the base is equipped with an inset tooth pattern to aid in the striking of the wax matches. The lip of the body located under the lid is impressed with the maker's mark (M&L) and a set of hallmarks. The front of the case is engraved: 'From the Citizens of / SOUTH MELBOURNE / To / J.W.ANDERSON / Victorian Contingent / SOUTH AFRICA / 1899'. There are two small pin dents to the rear of the case and one slightly larger one to the front of the lid.

History / Summary

Sterling silver vesta fob case presented to Private James William Anderson upon his embarkation to South Africa in 1899 with the 1st Victorian Contingent. Murray notes that Williams was invalided back to Australia, arriving 16 January 1901 and was discharged with a pension. It is presumed his injury was associated with the bullet removed from his jaw upon his wounding at Mafeking (see REL23630). Anderson's brother, Andrew Frederick, also fought in the Boer War, for 32 months, with Bethune's Mounted Infantry and then the Australian Commonwealth Horse, where he received a bullet wound to his stomach. The wound is likely to have been a minor one as he remained in South Africa until the end of the war in June 1902, and was discharged in Melbourne on 2 August 1902. He later joined 5 Battalion AIF in the First World War and was killed at Gallipoli on 26 April 1916 (see REL23631).