Brett Hendey

It is very common. Also three units. This came about because most men were discharged after the end of the German South West Africa campaign in 1915. They then joined units that fought in German East Africa in 1916 onwards, where many were invalided with malaria. Back in South Africa they could then join another unit to fight in Europe in 1917/8. Brett

I think it might be South African Heavy Artillery, but I will check later. Brett

A spectacular decoration and papers! Thank you for showing it. I presume the items are not in a museum in Jordan? Regards Brett

Thank you for replying, Herman. That medal bar would look spectacular if the British medals were added! The man concerned must have had a very interesting military career. Do you know his name? Regards Brett

A very sad story! Even if a policeman is prepared for trouble, it is still a dangerous job even in 'safe' countries like Australia. In South Africa, a dangerous country where the police are always armed and expecting trouble, over 50 policemen and women have been murdered so far this year. Regards Brett

Herman I really like your WWII, Netherlands Indies and Korean War set. Did the recipient receive his WWII British medals and choose not to add them to the medal bar, or was it not allowed by the Dutch authorities? Regards Brett

As part of my education in a newly found interest, I have just started reading Bernard Cornwall's book, 'Waterloo'. In it he writes that for the Peninsula War the "[King's German] Legion had been raised in Hanover" and "in 1815 Hanover sent another 16,000 men to join Wellington's army." I had hitherto naively thought that the German Legion was made up of men from all the German states of that time. Might it otherwise more correctly been named the 'King's Hanoverian Legion'? Robin, I like the medal. Thank you for showing it. Regards Brett

Ulsterman Thank you for that information. I am encouraged to take my search further. Any evidence of a Backeberg in uniform during the Napoleonic Wars would allow me to justify to my wife the buying an appropriate medal to represent this fact! Unfortunately, I did not inherit from my long-dead grandparents the ability to speak and read German, so the quest ahead will be a difficult one. Regards Brett

Paul I am very grateful for the trouble you went to in order to respond to my enquiry. Your reply is much as I expected of British records for the KGL. Interestingly, I read recently about the only battle casualty skeleton recovered by controlled excavation in the 200 years since the Battle of Waterloo was that of a KGL soldier who came from Hanover, Friederich Brandt. I still wonder about the possible existence of records of the Hanoverian regiments that were present at Waterloo, and the possible existence of a roll for the Hanoverian Medal for Waterloo. Regards Brett

My mother was descended from a family that arrived in South Africa in 1883 from Baven, near Hermannsburg, in the Province of Celle in what is today Lower Saxony. This family, the Backebergs, was a branch of one that had lived on the same farm in Baven as far back as the 1100's or 1200's, which always passed to the eldest son in succeeding generations. A family member told me that other sons mostly joined the army and favoured the cavalry ("Die Hussaren"). Interest in the military on the part of the South African settlers was shown when at least four of the Bakeberg men (the spelling adopted by the 1883 settlers) joined the local militia regiment, the Border Mounted Rifles, and served with it during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). Because of my interest in military history, I have been looking into the activities of Hanoverian soldiers in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries, the period when Britain and Hanover shared a Royal Family. My question is, what chance is there of finding the Backeberg name recorded in regimental histories of that period, and also on medal rolls of the Napoleonic Wars? Put another way, are there researchers who would search for such records, and what is the likely cost given that it would be based on a surname only? My apologies if this enquiry seems naïve. Brett

Peter Thank you again for taking the trouble to answer my earlier enquiry, and for providing the links to the 'order of battle' and the dedication of the new monument to the Hanoverians. I have discovered that there were many Hanoverians in the King's German Legion, so the KGL is another unit for me to investigate. Interestingly, I found that in the 200 years since the Battle of Waterloo, there has been only one controlled excavation of the grave of a casualty on the battlefield itself. This rare find was identified as a Hanoverian, Friedrich Brandt, who was serving in the KGL at that time. I am sorry that the discovery of my mother's ancestors did not take place much earlier in my life. There is so much to learn! Regards Brett PS Mervyn, I was sorry to read that you have been unwell. I hope that you are now fully recovered.

Thank you, Peter.

Peter Thank you for replying to my enquiry. The re-enactment was most impressive and you are fortunate to have been present. Apart from your indisposition, it must have been an unforgettable experience. I recently discovered that my ancestors on my mother's side were Hanoverians, hence my interest in these people. There has been a lot to learn and, of course, I have been concentrating on their military history. Regards Brett

I wonder if there were any re-enactors representing the Hanoverian Brigades that served in the British Divisions? Brett

Timo If you have not already done so, you might try putting Donnolly's name in the search facility of the South African National Archives. If you search under the heading for all archive repositories (RSA, as I remember it) you will find all the files under the name Donnolly and the repository where they are housed. It is not a common name, so hopefully there will not be too many file titles to search through. If you do find any relevant to Victor Albert, you will probably need to get a local researcher to copy them for you. I have heard that Archives' staff will sometimes do this, but I am doubtful given the level of service from public sector employees in the new democratic South Africa. Regards Brett

Donnolly's service papers should be in archives in Pretoria, where they can be copied by a local researcher. Audrey of Rhino Research (aud on this forum) could do that for you. The WWII papers will confirm his medal entitlement, but I suggest they would be 39/45 Star, Africa Star, War Medal, Africa Service Medal. WWII period SAAF badges are relatively easy to find in South Africa, and, given the current ZA Rand/GBP exchange rate, would be cheap. If there is nothing on eBay, try the South African site bidorbuy. Brett

Dante Thank you for the additions to this excellent thread. The stories behind medals that are numbered in millions can sometimes reveal lives full of interest and adventure, and I enjoyed reading about Geoffrey Sheringham. Regards Brett

Demir Haci Altiner surely epitomises the courageous service of the Turkish soldiers during the Korean War. Thank you for sharing his story with us. Regards Brett

John Congratulations on adding another excellent group to your collection. Although he had achieved much in his life, Kay would surely have achieved much greater heights had he not died prematurely. Regards Brett

Like Mervyn, I had not heard of this incident, but it is reminiscent of the method of crowd control sometimes employed by the South African Police. Brett

This is an excellent addition to you collection. I hope that you do find the missing QSA to complete what is surely a unique group. Regards Brett

I was given a Tyneside Irish badge, which turned out to be a modern copy. I was told, on this forum as I remember it, that the Tyneside Irish badge was never worn on a cap, so a slider is wrong. They were worn as collar badges with a Northumberland Fusiliers cap badge. Brett

Demir It is good to see that you are still making additions to your collection. Regards Brett

Mervyn Thank you for a most helpful reply to my request for assistance. My son will also be delighted and I will forward your reply to him this evening. Our elderly Zulu char saw the artefacts a few days ago. She was unhappy about the assegais, perhaps remembering the Inkatha/ANC troubles in the early 1990's, when she and her family lost their home at Molweni. She was, however, delighted to see the maas spoon. She remembers her father using a similar spoon to ladle maas into the family's putu pot. Regards Brett

Peter "Arm chair historians" are the best kind, because they are relaxed in their arm chairs, and, hopefully, they have other comforts of life nearby. It is those who take themselves and life more seriously that we must pity, as I recently discovered at first hand. Regards Brett