Boreham medal

Queen’s South Africa Medal and Presentation Silver Cigarette Case of Private Frank Boreham, 1st Bucks Rifle Volunteers

Wycombe was a chair maker. He was clearly a good marksman as he was on the Wycombe Detachment Shooting Committee in December 1899. He contributed to the Daily Telegraph Shilling Fund for war charities that same month. He was among those selected from High Wycombe for the combined Bucks and Oxfordshire Volunteer Service Company of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, and was present at the farewell luncheon at Marlow on 1 March 1900. A letter signed by him and others and dated from Kroonstad on 11 July 1900 was printed in the press on 17 August thanking the inhabitants of High Wycombe for money collected for the men’s comforts.

Boreham was at the welcome home festivities for the Service Company when it returned from South Africa at Wycombe on 18 May 1901. Promoted to Corporal, he won the marksman’s competition in November 1901 and was especially mentioned in November 1902 for winning it again as well as the W. H. Grenfell Cup for the most efficient volunteer in the High Wycombe Detachment. He was a prize winner again in 1905 and 1906. Unfortunately, there is no mention of any presentation of a silver case to him in the local press but it is inscribed as being presented by subscribers of High Wycombe and Neighbourhood.