East and Central Africa Medal to Dutch missionaries

[ErikMuller]

Hello,

I need some help with the following. Last week I found a newspaper clipping dated November 27th, 1901. It was from a Dutch newspaper called "De Gelderlander". The article states that four Dutch missionaries were awarded the silver East and Central Africa Medal with "Uganda 1897-98" clasp for services during the Uganda Campaign against King Mwanga in 1897-1898.

Their names were:

Referend Father Van den Bergh

Referend Father Biermans

Referend Father Buysrogge

Referend Father Van Term

The article also mentions a Referend Father Kestens, who was decorated earlier for his services as Chaplain. It's not clear to me if he received the same medal or another award.

Now I've got a couple of questions:

1. Is it correct that missionaries received the silver medal? I hardly see them fighting in the front line and I've always understood that non-combattants received the bronze medal.

2. Are there medal rolls for the East and Central Africa Medal to confirm these awards?

3. Does anyone has a good resolution image of the obverse and reverse of the medal for publication in the Dutch Orders and Medals Society Journal?

Thanks!

With kind regards,

Erik M?ller

[Ed_Haynes]

I have seen medals to British missionaries. I suspect the rules would have been the same for foreigners? (In that era.) These would have been silver, as there was pretty much a "racial" divide.

The rolls are on microfilm (and in paper) in the National Archives (Public Record Office) in Kew, just outside London.

Let me know if yoiu need scans (but with which clasps?).

[ErikMuller]

I have seen medals to British missionaries. I suspect the rules would have been the same for foreigners? (In that era.) These would have been silver, as there was pretty much a "racial" divide.

The rolls are on microfilm (and in paper) in the National Archives (Public Record Office) in Kew, just outside London.

Let me know if yoiu need scans (but with which clasps?).

Thanks Ed!

If I understood the article correctly it had the Uganda 1897-98 clasp on it.

I will try to go to Kew in February, so hopefully I will be succesfull in finding the names in de microfilm rolls.

Cheers,

Erik

[Ed_Haynes]

Hope it is there, Eric, hope it is there. Be careful, as they'll be closed around December-January for a LONGGGGGG time.

Scans at your pleasure. Can provide.