Anthony Govender

Last batch for now..... Will upload some other later Anthony Govender

Some more P.O.W art Anthony Govender

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As promised, here are a few examples from my collection. The coin are a Burgers Pond (Extremely Rare) and a ZAR 1898 Pond. Attached is a genuine diamond. Of all the coin jewellery, this is the best I have seen Regards Anthony Govender

Hi Does anyone know how many were issued with the France and Germany Star and Burma Star combination Thanks

It's amazing what comes out of this forum. All I can say is WoW. I am looking forward to communicating with Leslie's daughter. Regards Anthony Govender

Thanks for the information so far. Does anyone know of a good researcher I can use Thanks Anthony

Hello Everyone Another group from my collection. I have done a little research but have not done the full research as yet. A world war one MM + Trio and Delville Wood Survivor. Unfortunately no death plaque with the group 1. Military Medal Geo V - 5303 Sgt E.L Coomber 4/S.A INF 2. 1914/15 Star - Pte E.L Coomber 12th Infantry 3. 1914/15 BWM - Sjt E.L Coomber 4th S.A.I 4. Victory Medal - Sjt E.L Coomber 4th S.A.Ied Died 10th October 1918 Coomber is mentioned in The London Gazette as follows; SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 12 November for 13 NOVEMBER, 1918. Page # 13401; His Majesty the KING has. been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal for bravery in the Field to the. undermentioned Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and men: — SOUTH AFRICAN FORCE: 5303 Sjt. E. L. Coomber, Inf. I also looked Sergeant COOMBER up on the Commonwealth War Graves web site. He is listed as having died on 8 October 1918. This was during the "Pursuit to the Mons" period of pre-Armistice fighting. With regards to the military Military Medal a check on the book The History of the South African Forces in France, John Buchan, Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd, London, 1920, 404 pages. Sergeant COOMBER is listed among the 431 MM recipients shown in the book. Mr. Don R. Forsyth in his book Medals for Gallantry and Distinguished Conduct Awarded to Natal, Cape Colony and Union Defence Force Units, privately published, Johannesburg, 1981, 62 pages; also lists Sergeant COOMBER as an MM winner, along with the gazette date. Breaking down Mr. Forsyth's numbers, he claims to have traced 525 awards of the MM to South Africans in the Great War. Of these he shows 443 awards for France & Flanders, 37 awards for East Africa, 21 awards for the GSWA campaign, 20 awards where no theatre of war is shown, and four MMs were awarded for service in Egypt/Palestine. ( In addition there were 17 first award bars given for France and one for East Africa. ) Mr. Forsyth notes that most MM citations were "weeded" from the service files several years before he began his research. With about 115,000 total awards of the MM in the Great War any MM group to a South African is a cause for celebration. What I would like to know is, how did he manage to survive the fighting at Delville Wood as well as the later Somme battles, survived 3rd Ypres in 1917, missed out on the action at Marriers Wood on 24 March 1918 (when the South African Brigade was destroyed and all men serving that day either killed or captured), only to die within six weeks of the end of the fighting. I am looking forward to getting his full research. If any of the forum members can share any information they may have on Coomber or his regiment, I would be grateful. Regards Anthony Govender

Hello Everyone I have this 8 bar QSA issued to: 5819 Pte H.Young YK & Lancaster Regt. (1st Battalion) Bars: Cape Colony Orange Free State Transvaal Tugela Heights Relief of Ladysmith Laings Nek South Africa 1901 South Africa 1902 I have been able to confirm all the bars with the exception of the SA01 & SA02. His name does not appear on the extra clasp roll for the QSA of which date bars are awarded. The medal looks perfectly fine and the two date bars do not look to be added later. Is it possible for Young to be on the KSA list with a note to say NOT entitled to KSA but date bars issued. Is it also possible that he could have served in another unit? Being unable to verify this as a 8 bar QSA is driving me nuts. Hoping that someone on the forum can help with this. All said, the medal has some cracking bars on it. Regards Anthony Govender

Thank you Chris for that Regards Anthony

Hello Everyone I have had this medal for some time now and do not see many come on the market. I know they are quite scarce. The medal is The Slopers Medal For Valour. The Reverse is engraved as follows and was presented to: William Hall Clerkenwell December 28th 1898 It comes complete with ribbon and top suspender bar with pin. I would be grateful if anyone on the forum can help with a citation as to why Hall received this medal. I understand it is for courageous conduct. Regards Anthony Govender

Brett, I am hoping someone can help with information on his stint overseas. Anthony

Hi Brett His entitlement confirms that he did not get the Africa Star. I have sent Izabel a PM Thanks Anthony

Thank you Brian, yes that's the way I got them and have not changed them around Cheers Anthony And it would be a shame to change a thing. Regards Brian

Hello Everyone Here is a group of medals I have in my collection with a very rare combination of campaign stars to a South African officer attached to the RM. 1. France & Germany Star - 502 K.J Leslie 2. Burma Star - 502 K.J Leslie 3. 1939/1945 Star - 502 K.J Leslie 4. Defence Medal - 502 K.J Leslie 5. Africa Service Medal - 502 K.J Leslie 6. 1939/1945 War Medal - 502 K.J Leslie Leslie, K.J., Lieutenant, 502, General Service Corps.............. Seconded to the Royal Marines. (Ref: Forsyth & Bissett: South African Recipients of The France and Germany Star: Cape Town: 1986). LESLIE Kenneth John. Corporal 502. Served in A Company, 1st Royal Natal Carbineers, WW2. DOB : 7/1/1916 On strength : 17/5/1940, Premier Mine. Sailed on the S S Devonshire 17/7/1940 for Kenya Religion : Church of England NOK J. Leslie, mother, Belvedere, Andrews Street, Durban SUMMARY OF SERVICE: LIEUTENANT K.J. LESLIE Kenneth John Leslie was born on 7 January 1916, the son of Julia Mathilda Leslie of Kokstad. After matriculating in 1932, he became a lecturer by profession and was serving in a part-time capacity with the Royal Natal Carbineers from 1938. At the outbreak of World War Two, enlisted for full-time war service with the Regiment on 17 May 1940 with the rank of Corporal as a qualified Bren Gun Instructor. By September 1940, John Leslie had risen to the rank of Staff Sergeant and as a Special Linguist (Xhosa and Zulu), was attached to the 3rd Battalion, Native Military Corps. By 2 July 1942, John Leslie was Commissioned as a temporary 2/Lieutenant in the General Service Corps, attached to the Native Military Corps as a Platoon Commander. On 2 January 1943, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant as was selected for the Officer’s Pool for attachment to the 6th South African Armoured Division. Leslie attended the 3” Mortar Instructors Course, at the South African Military College, qualifying as an instructor on 4 October 1943. His transfer came through and he departed the Union by sea from Durban on the S.S. City of London for the Middle East on 17 December 1943. On 18 February 1944, he volunteered for secondment to the United Kingdom Forces. His secondment to the Royal Marines (HMS Saunders – Chatham Division) was approved on 21 February 1944. He qualified in the Beach Landing Craft and Coastal Navigation Courses in England before commencing operations. As a Lieutenant in the Royal Marines, he operated with the Royal Marine Commando’s on raids into German Occupies France from 18 March 1944 and was also active in the operations in Normandy from July 1944 up to September 1944 before embarking for South East Asia for operations in Burma and the Akyab Peninsula from 29 May 1945. Leslie remained in Burma until 17 October 1945 when he returned to Colombo, Ceylon. From there, he returned to the Union, ending his secondment to the Royal Marines on 28 October 1945. He received his Honourable Discharge from the Union Defence Force on 2 June 1946 and was transferred to the Officer’s Reserve. His last confirmation of residential address on the Reserve of Officers was dated 3 July 1970. Regards Anthony Govender