South Africa Medal 1877-79 clasp 1877-8 named CORPL S WOOD ALBANY RANGERS.
The Albany and Grahamstown men are the earliest volunteers under the British regime. The mounted men served in the War of 1877, under Captain Minto and on 11 March 1878 engaged the enemy, inflicting loses of 9 Gaikas killed.
52 Medals were awarded to the Albany Rangers, 47 of them with the '1877-8' clasp. Samuel Wood remained with the Rangers and was a Sergeant by the time the Medal roll was compiled in October 1880. As he was still serving, he would have shared in the Basuto Gun War of 1880-81.
