Brett Hendey

Mervyn has already explained about those South Africans in North Africa who qualified for the Defence Medal. Many were in camp near Cairo and saw no action, but they were in an area subject to enemy air attack, so qualified that way. South Africans who served only in Ethiopia did not qualify and neither did those who served only in Italy. Some of these men added unnamed Defence Medals to their groups in the mistaken belief that they had earned it. Other South Africans with the Defence Medal in their groups were those who qualified through secondment to British forces. They were mainly naval men seconded to the Royal Navy, but there were also some airmen and army soldiers. I was told by a naval historian that those men seconded to the RN who did not get the Defence Medal usually had more active wars than those who did qualify. The reason for this is that the seconded men had to spend the 18 months qualifying period in onshore in Britain, whereas those without the Defence Medal were at sea and on 'active service' instead. Some of these seamen also added unnamed Defence Medals to their groups. Regards Brett

Mervyn Thank you for that post. It is a great pity that so many young South Africans must leave the country in order to serve in the military. In times gone by, they would have served in South African corps and might have expected to join Commonwealth countries such as Canada and Australia in Afghanistan. There is no chance of that happening now, which must be a relief to the high command in Afghanistan. Regards Brett

Paul The 'South Africans at War' series published by Ashanti Publishing (Pty) Ltd should still be available in second-hand book shops and might show up on AbeBooks.com. Books dealing with World War ! are: Urgent Imperial Service. South African Forces in German South West Africa 1915-1915 by Gerald L'ange (1991) They Fought for King and Kaiser. South Africans in German East Africa in 1916 by James Ambrose Brown (1991) Pyramids and Poppies. The 1st South African Infantry Brigade in Libya, France and Flanders 1915-1919 by Peter Digby (1993) Although not up to date, the bibliographies in these books give details of other publications on this subject. Regards Brett

I should have added that the information about the MC came from the book, 'Gallantry Awards of the South African Police 1913-1994' by Terence King (rhino.research@icon.co.za 2000). The book contains a great deal of information about police and policing in southern Africa going back to 1655, when a Military Watch was established at what was to become Cape Town, so the title is bit misleading. Brett

Paul After the end of the campaign in German South West Africa in 1915, most of the South African forces were withdrawn. The Military Constabulary was established in 1916 to provide policing in the conquered territory. The 1st Military Constabulary was established and made up of 32 officers and 1100 other ranks under the command of Major C A van Coller. Later a 2nd MC was raised. The MC was disbanded in 1919 and most of its members joined the new South West African Police. In the case where men served only in the MC, the British War Medal was their single entitlement. However, many men had already served in other units, as in the case of your pair, so those units are named on the 1914/15 Star and Victory Medal. It is correct that the MC is named only on the BWM. Regards Brett

A wonderful story! Regards Brett

Will As always, an amazing collection! Thank you for sharing it with us, Regards Brett

There was a roll compiled by Colin Owen, which was published many years ago. I do not have the details to hand, but it might be easier to acquire a copy of the following more recently published book: 2 Squadron in Korea "Flying Cheetahs" Korea 1950-1953 by Winston Brent African Aviation Series No. 8. Freeworld Publications, 2001. It includes a complete roll of the 818 men, a list of 'Honours and Awards', details of the casualties and a lot of other information. Regards Brett

Craig I agree about the promotion on the basis of merit and skills. My experience in the academic world is that clever, exam-writing people may be short of common sense and other skills needed to get on with people and succeed in their jobs and in life. Short-term contract appointments may be a success in civilised countries, where 'rules' are followed. They do not work in sub-Saharan Africa, where 'short-term' means job-hopping in government departments and avoidance of the private sector, where failings would be exposed. On reflection, it is very unfair for a South African to feel disillusioned about the Metropolitan Police. We have more than enough in this country to feel disillusioned about. Regards Brett

I think that Mervyn has identified the root of the problem in Britain (and elsewhere) today and that is the promotion non-professionals into positions of authority simply because they have an MBA, are Muslim or have some other totally irrelevant qualification. It must be very galling being a 'front-line' policeman in the UK (and elsewhere) and knowing that high rank is out of reach simply because those posts are reserved for politically-correct asses. Brett

Chris Any 'Defence of Mafeking' QSA is a great addition to a medal collection and it seems you have acquired a particularly good one, given the man's post 'Defence' service. Thank you for showing the medal. Regards Brett

Mike A very interesting account of a remarkable soldier, Thank you for posting it. I hope you manage to find the missing medals. Regards Brett

Will I acquired the 4th SA ACR badge shown below because of the indirect connection between the 4th ACR and the 2nd Royal Natal Carbineers. The RNC, and the NC before and after it, is one of my main regimental interests. Regards Brett

Mervyn You do come up with some remarkable items! Thank you for showing the opium pipe set. Regards Brett

Try www.angloboerwar.com

There was a lot of history shared between Indonesia and South Africa. Thanks for the reminder. Regards Brett

Will Another fantastic display! Thank you for showing it. Regards Brett

Demir That is a very fine looking medal and a great addition to your Korean War collection. Regards Brett

Hi Chris I have a copy of this book and it is indeed a wonderful record of the Natal battlefields, with photograpohs taken when the memorials, cemeteries and battle damage were still fresh. My copy is leatherbound, with the title on the front cover in gold lettering and with a gold shield on which is engraved the initials, DBD. It was bought by a friend at an auction in Pietermaritzburg for SA Rand 600. His wife (now widow) found bookworm holes on the cover and ordered him to return it to the auction house. I saved him the trouble by buying it for the price he had paid. There has been no sign of further bookworm damage. Regards Brett

Chris Sorry about your African misadventure. This is a troublesome continent. Did the confiscated medals include any awarded for service in the Korean War? Such medals are VERY desirable, at least to someone who shares my interest in this war. Regards Brett

I think this is an example where the original medal was lost, so the recipient had the name erased on another medal and had his own name engraved on it instead. This was a not uncommon circumstance with QSA's. Unless there was something special about the man behind the medal, I would return it and look for another to the unit that has not be tampered with. Regards Brett

Stuart I was impressed by the novel way in which the badges are displayed. A little originality has elevated a small and focussed collection into something special, even to someone like me who knows nothing about the merits of individual badges. Congratulations to your friend and thank you for showing the display. Regards Brett

Mervyn They are probably using the Zimbabwe Police as a role model, just as the President of the African National Congress Youth League (and a possible future President of this country) uses President Mugabe as a role model. Regards Brett

Arthur You are correct about the then Sub-Inspector W J Clarke setting up a fingerprint section in the Natal Police CID in 1898, which was only one year after the first such fingerprint office was established in Calcutta. Clarke's project was started at his expense and only later was it officially adopted. One of the claims made in Holt's history of the Natal Police was that by 1910 there were more sets of prints on file with the NP than at any other similar office in the British Empire, including Scotland Yard. I am sure that the Metropolitan Police will dispute this but, if the high rate of criminality in KwaZulu-Natal today can be used as a guide, then the 1910 claim may well be true! Regards Brett