The Queen's South Africa Medal 1899-1902

[David Grant]

Thanks Paul.

This medal is one to covert and is not mine unfortunately. There were a few casualties amongst the IOD and this might be one. Unfortunately there are 2 Luchmans on the roll and we will never know unless a second one turns up.  A little history for you.

The transports Henzada with No.3 field medical stores depot, No.11 British field hospital, and Ordnance field park...... left Calcutta, 20th September (1899) and arrive on October 14th 1899 at Durban.
The Indian Ordnance Department consisted of 4 officers, 15 men, 3 horses and 119 attendants and had a weight of 250 tons. It was the only Indian unit to participate as a whole during the war.
The Indian Ordnance Field Park that was established outside Pietermaritzburg, played a critical role in the relief effort. The offloading of munitions arriving by train from Durban and the expeditious dispatch of orders for the Front Line were expertly and efficiently undertaken by Indian Officers and their staff. Another Indian stores camp was located outside of Ladysmith at Convent Hill. This camp came under Boer fire on occasions and several Indians were killed and injured. The siege lasted 119 days and ended in relief on 1st March 1900. The role of the Indian Ordnance Field Park during that siege was particularly noteworthy.
After the siege the Indian Ordnance Field Park returned to India. All members entitled to Defense of Ladysmith bar to the medal if issued
Medals to the Indian Ordnance Department are impressed named.

[Brett Hendey]

David 

I echo Paul's comments.  You have much to give this forum and I hope that you will become a regular contributor.

Regards

Brett

[paul wood]

David thank you so much for the unit naming information, most useful.

Paul

[Gunner 1]

The group of five to Lt. Col. G R H Nugent, RA who was taken POW at Nicholson's Nek on 29 October 1899 while serving with 10th Mountain Battery, RGA.  Later released he commanded B2 Pom-Pom Section, RGA and was Adjutant of the Siege Train during the war. During the Great War he served as AAQMG in the 34th Division until being severely wounded on the Somme on 10 March 1916.  He was gazetted for the OBE in the London Gazette of 3 June 1919.

[POWCollector]

2 hours ago, Gunner 1 said:

The group of five to Lt. Col. G R H Nugent, RA who was taken POW at Nicholson's Nek on 29 October 1899 while serving with 10th Mountain Battery, RGA.  Later released he commanded B2 Pom-Pom Section, RGA and was Adjutant of the Siege Train during the war. During the Great War he served as AAQMG in the 34th Division until being severely wounded on the Somme on 10 March 1916.  He was gazetted for the OBE in the London Gazette of 3 June 1919.

Great group here Gunner! What rank was he when he was taken prisoner? 

Rob

[QSAMIKE]

Good Morning Everyone.....

For your viewing pleasure.....

Mike

 

RICHARDSON, A. (Arthur) B.

REG. NO.:   NONE

RANK: TROOPER

REGT: NATAL CARBINEERS

BARS: RELIEF OF LADYSMITH, TRANSVAAL, LAING'S NEK

 

REMARKS / HISTORY:

1. BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY MEDAL REVERSE RHODESIA AND MASHONALAND 1897.

2. UNIT - SALISBURY FIELD FORCE

2. PHOTO OF RICHARDSON

3. ROSETTE FOR THE RELIEF OF LADYSMITH

4. ALSO SERVED IN COLONIAL SCOUTS AND SHIVATI RIFLE ASSOCIATION

5. WOUNDED, RIETFONTEIN, 24 / 10 / 99

 

 

 

 

[Gunner 1]

Rob:  He was a Lieutenant at the time of his capture.  On 29 October 1899 two battalions of infantry and the 10th Mountain Battery were ordered to seize Nicholson's Nek, six miles north of Ladysmith, and to cover Sir George White’s left while his main body attacked Long Hill. Marching through the night the infantry were scrambling up the steep side of Nicholson’s Nek in the darkness when something caused the mules of the infantry transport to stampede. The mules rushed down through the infantry and the panic spread through the mules of the mountain battery who ran away carrying the mountain guns, artillery ammunition and the reserves of rifle ammunition, along with the heliograph used to communicate with the main column. As for No. 10 Mountain Battery, RGA, its commander, all three subalterns and 84 men were taken prisoner by the Boers, but were released after a few days.

[Gunner 1]

Group of five to Captain F W Dean, RGA who received his QSA for service as a Sergeant with Chestnut Battery, RHA. Commissioned in January 1915 he served through out the Great War with the RGA reaching the rank of Captain.   He earned the GSM with SOUTH PERSIA clasp for service between 14 September 1918 to 8 May 1919 (one of 15 RA officers who earned this clasp).

Edited June 18, 2016 by Gunner 1

[Brett Hendey]

Gunner1

I agree with Rob.- a great group!  The Nicholson's Nek battle was one of the early warning's to the British military establishment that the Boers were a force to be reckoned with, and that the war would be unlike all the others fought in the Empire during the last half of the 19th Century.

Shown below are the medals of a much less illustrious member of the 10th Mounted Battery, Christopher Stanley Mizon, who escaped being captured at Nicholson's Nek.  Mizon settled in South Africa after the war, and fought in German East Africa during World War I.  Like many men in this campaign, he was discharged as medically unfit.

Brett

 

Shown below are the medals of Captain J M Comrie, who served with the Natal Carbineers during the Boer War, 1906 Natal Rebellion, and the German South West Africa campaign of World War I. He later served in German East Africa with the 8th South African Horse.  For his long service, he was awarded both the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal for other ranks and the CAF Officer's Decoration.

The Comrie family has sent men to all the wars and rebellions involving the old Colony of Natal and, later, South Africa between 1879 (the Anglo-Zulu War) and 1994 (SA's 'Border Wars').

A previous custodian of these medals had them re-ribboned and mounted for wear.

Brett

 

[Gunner 1]

Brett:  Nice medal group to Mizon.  I have seen very few groups to the Battery.  The group to Comrie is also a fine group with both the CAF Decoration and Long Service Medal.

[Brett Hendey]

Gunner 1

Thank you for your comments.  The only other QSA's to artillerymen in my collection are to two members of the Natal Naval Volunteers, who were attached to the Royal Navy's Naval Brigade.  One was besieged in Ladysmith and earned the Defence of Ladysmith clasp, while the other man took part in the relief operations and earned the Relief of Ladysmith and Tugela Heights clasps.

 

[Gunner 1]

Brett:  I like the two Natal Naval Volunteer QSAs, especially as one is for the defence of Ladysmith and the other for the relief.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Gunner 1

[peter monahan]

Posted in error.

 

Edited June 20, 2016 by peter monahan

[azyeoman]

The pair to Sivil is exceptionally nice.  Thanks for sharing!

 

[paul wood]

Sivil is amazing, I wonder what he was up to to get the WWII medal, he would have been an OAP by then.

 

P

[cazack]

Please find some of my small collection of QSA medals & Groups

 

14626 on QSA, 124 on 1914/15 Star, BWM , Private Frederick Berry, R.A.M.C., Died of pneumonia (25.11.1918),

Edited March 22, 2022 by cazack
correction

[cazack]

My best QSA / WW 1 group

 

5528, L/Cpl (later WO II) F Cross,  West Yorkshire Regiment DCM awarded for rescuing 2 wounded soldiers outside the barricade 200 yards from and under the enemy fire

599, Pte, Johnstone A., Queenstown R.V.

[QSAMIKE]

Here is my best QSA - WW1 group that is in my collection.....   I must stay for now as I am working on a QSA/WW1 group to a Colonel who was on Allenby's and Lawrence of Arabia's Staff, still confirming all the items may post later....

 

Major Edison Franklin Lynn.....

 

There is a thread about him here, just type Lynn in the search box.....

 

Mike

 

[azyeoman]

Wow Mike, 

That's a spectacular group and I can see why it's your best and favorite.  I look forward to your posting on the Colonel who was staff for Allenby and Lawrence; I suspect that might end up being your favorite. ; )

Cheers,

John

[azyeoman]

On 17/06/2016 at 19:23, Gunner 1 said:

Rob:  He was a Lieutenant at the time of his capture.  On 29 October 1899 two battalions of infantry and the 10th Mountain Battery were ordered to seize Nicholson's Nek, six miles north of Ladysmith, and to cover Sir George White’s left while his main body attacked Long Hill. Marching through the night the infantry were scrambling up the steep side of Nicholson’s Nek in the darkness when something caused the mules of the infantry transport to stampede. The mules rushed down through the infantry and the panic spread through the mules of the mountain battery who ran away carrying the mountain guns, artillery ammunition and the reserves of rifle ammunition, along with the heliograph used to communicate with the main column. As for No. 10 Mountain Battery, RGA, its commander, all three subalterns and 84 men were taken prisoner by the Boers, but were released after a few days.

This is a very nice group!  It's just the sort I would enjoy in my Boer War PoW collection.  Congrats and  thanks for posting photo and research.