The Important Second Afghan War & Boer War Pair awarded to Colonel Manners Charles Wood, 10th Hussars, who commanded 'B' Troop in action at Fattehabad, on 2 April 1879, where he was wounded in action during hand-to-hand combat with an Afghan tribesman of ‘powerful build’, who struck at him with a large knife and cleaved his helmet in two, comprising: Afghanistan, 1878-80, no clasp (Captain: M. C. Wood. 10th Rl. Hussars.); Queen’s South Africa, 1899-1902, 3rd type reverse, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Rhodesia, Transvaal (Colonel. M.C. Wood. Staff:); Pair loose, some light marks to the first with tiny edge nick, good very fine, the second better (2) Colonel Manners Charles Wood was born on 20 January 1851 at Hambledon, Hampshire, the son of Price Builth Manners Wood and Catherine Ann Wood (nee Jarman). He joined the army as an Ensign on 1 September 1869 – initially with the 10th Foot, but transferring to the 66th Foot on the same day. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 2 October 1871, and transferred to serve with the Cavalry, with the 10th Hussars on 15 April 1874, at Muttra, India. Having been selected for escort duty during the Prince of Wales’ visit to India in 1876, he was made Captain on 2 February 1878 and served with the 10th Hussars during the Second Afghan War.He led ‘B’ Company of the 10th Hussars during the engagement at Fattehabad on 2 April 1879, where he soon found himself in the midst of fierce hand-to-hand fighting. During one particular attack upon an enemy position, Captain Wood and Lieutenant Fischer, leading the charge, encountered a fearsome Afghan soldier. As recorded in ‘Memoirs of The Tenth Royal Hussars’ , they:‘ … (they) noticed a Ghazi lying on the ground, pointing his jezail at them. He was a typical Hillman of powerful build. Having fired and missed he jumped to his feet, and rushed at Captain Wood, whose sword was of little use against the long jezail and impetuous rush of the Afghan. He was brought to his knees, and his fanatical assailant, discarding his firearm, with a ponderous knife cut (note: most likely a native ‘choora’ short sword or large Khyber knife) at his head, which clove his helmet in two, but fortunately did no more than inflict a slight wound.’Having somehow avoided a fatal wound from this blow, Captain Wood was finally spared when Lieutenant Ralph Fischer-Childe rushed at the Ghazi and felled him with the butt of his carbine, after which Private Hackett, now following on with other men of the troop, delivered his enemy the final coup-de-grace with his sword. All told, the Troop suffered seven men wounded, one horse killed, eleven wounded, and one missing in this engagement.Following the tragic loss of a troop from the 10th Hussars during the Kabul River crossing just a few days later on 4 April, Captain Wood continued to serve with the regiment throughout the remainder of the campaign, including during the march to Rawalpindi (during which time the regiment suffered heavily from cholera). Wood was then promoted to Major on 18 April 1882, took part in the Lord Mayor’s procession in London, 1887, and was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1892 upon taking command of the 10th Hussars. Commanding his regiment in Ireland for a period of 4 years, he became Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in August 1896, and latterly retired on 5 April 1899.Almost immediately, Wood was recalled for service in the Boer War in South Africa, and was appointed a Special Service Officer in the Rhodesian Field Force. As a Colonel on the Staff, he commanded a column of men in Rhodesia between 7 January and 21 June 1901, but afterwards left the Army once again. Undertaking active work with the Army Cadet Force, he received a 1935 Silver Jubilee Medal for his services, at the age of 83. He died at Camberley on 12 September 1941, aged 89.

Estimate: GBP 3000 - 5000