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Distribution
of medals to the Volunteer Service Coy 2 East Surreys at
Kingston 0n Thames 1902. They served with the Bn from 12-4-1900
to 9-10-1900. Mayor of Kingston, High Sheriff, Col F F F
Roupell, Col Ward.
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The
4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion East Surrey Regiment was raised
in 1852 on the 3rd Royal Surrey Militia. (A battalion of the same
name had been raised in 1798 but disbanded in the following year).
The battalion served in South Africa in 1902, mainly on garrison
and blockhouse duties in the Sterkstroom district but took part
in the attack on the Boer position at Steinkop on 28th April.
On returning to England it was granted the distinction of “South
Africa 1902”. It was at Kingston-upon-Thames
on annual training when on 3rd August 1914, it received orders
to mobilize. Within a few days it was made known that Reserve
Battalions would not be sent overseas as complete units, but would
be employed on garrison duty in the United Kingdom and to supply
drafts to the line battalions in the field. Fulfilling these functions,
the battalion served in Plymouth and Saltash and later, in 1917
at Felixstowe where it took over the Harwich Defences. During
the first twelve months of the war the Battalion sent drafts of
34 officers overseas of whom 12 had been killed and 3 wounded
by 4th August 1915. 1,131 other ranks had been similarly drafted
and by the end of the war this number had swollen to 4,732. Demobilisation
commenced on 9th November 1918, and continued until completion
in 1919.
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