A RARE BOER WAR MEDAL

[Mervyn Mitton]

You are probably asking 'what's so special - just another Q.S.A.' Something in excess of 180,000 QSA's and KSA's were issued to British participents in the Boer War (1899-1902) the variety and combination of the bars is what makes them special. I believe the largest number of bars issued to one medal is ten - most are in the region of 2 to 3 and 5 is not that common. The bars or, clasps, are in different categories. Some will have a bar for 1901 or, 1902. The Province bars show which areas the awardee served in - remember not all those given were to servicemen. Dr's, train driver's, tug boat captains - many different civilian categories were given the medal and this can often add greatly to their value. Ones to newspaper correspondents are very sought after. The Province bars are Natal; Cape Colony ; Transvaal and Orange Free State. Natal being the rarest.

Finally - and most important , are the Battle bars. The fewer the participants, the more sought after the medal. The Boer Campaign started in Natal - spread to the sieges of Ladysmith, Mafeking and Kimberley and then extended across the Country. In the first two battles we were succesful - from then on it was 'down hill' for quite a period. The first engagement was the Battle of Talana - this is a hill just outside the town of Dundee. Whilst we claim a victory - we were outnumbered and retreated towards Ladysmith. (small footnote - the only time a husband and wife were honoured with towns named after them. Sir Harry Smith was Governor in the Cape and Harrismith was named after him and Ladysmith, after his wife.) As our troops headed West they discovered that the Boers under Kock had advanced on the coal railhead at Elandslaagte. An unimportant village it was where the coal from the main Natal coalfields was sent for shipment to Durban. To lose control of the coal was unthinkable - all ships and trains were coal fired - and the Boers knew this. We rallied all available troops and the Battle of Elandslaagte took place - which we won, but then had to continue retreating to Ladysmith.

The two most sought bars are Def. of Mafeking and Elandslaagte. The Mafeking one is much more valuable - however next in line is the Elandslaagte bar. Adding to the interest on this medal is that it is to Sth. Africa's oldest Regiment - Natal Mounted Rifles. They had about a 100 men present and this medal is named to'' Lieut. W.H. Smith Natal M.R. '' we think he was the son of the commanding Lt.Col. of NMR.

The other bars are also important - Defence of Ladysmith - again, sought after and Laing's Nek. Named after the farmer who had originally farmed there it is famous for the 1st. battle in 1881 when we were badly defeated. N.M.R. had been present then and 100 men had charged up the hill on horseback in support of our British Infantry.

An important medal to an officer of a Colonial Regiment - I think Darrell will find this interesting ?

Edited September 4, 2009 by Mervyn Mitton

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

With clasps - you read from the bottom to the top - given in order of award.

[Guest Darrell]

Mervyn, now you're talking These rare"r" clasps are not only difficult to find at times, but would likely shock other collectors on their value.

[censlenov]

Great QSA do either of you guys have any to canadian units you could post for me. I really am starting to draw to these QSA's especially those to the canadian mounted rifles.

Cheers

Chris

[Guest Darrell]

Great QSA do either of you guys have any to canadian units you could post for me. I really am starting to draw to these QSA's especially those to the canadian mounted rifles.

Cheers

Chris

Hi Chris. I know I don;t have any Canadian examples. The normal ones are expensive enough

However, QSA Mike has a ton of example on his website.

http://www.arcticmedals.com/page/page/3727538.htm

You could get a hold of him there.

[censlenov]

Hi Chris. I know I don;t have any Canadian examples. The normal ones are expensive enough

However, QSA Mike has a ton of example on his website.

http://www.arcticmed...age/3727538.htm

You could get a hold of him there.

Hi Darrell

I know QSA Mike quite well and have also met Arctic medals Mike before. They are not one in the same. QSA Mike is Mike W And arctic medals Mike is Mike M. Mike W's collection is very impressive and extensive and Mike M has some nice pieces on offer on his site. Hope this clears up a little confusion about the Calgary collecting community.

Cheers

Chris

[Guest Darrell]

Hi Darrell

I know QSA Mike quite well and have also met Arctic medals Mike before. They are not one in the same. QSA Mike is Mike W And arctic medals Mike is Mike M. Mike W's collection is very impressive and extensive and Mike M has some nice pieces on offer on his site. Hope this clears up a little confusion about the Calgary collecting community.

Cheers

Chris

Yeah. You are correct. Not the same. QSA Mike does have a ton of Canadian QSA's for sure.

Thanks for that correction. Sorry for the mistake.

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi Mervyn,

That's a great medal and many thanks for the history lesson as well. I always like to see some history along with the medal or other item. Perhaps this will start others researching their items and sharing their knowledge along with their collection.

Regards

Brian

[Guest Darrell]

Mervyn,

Appears he served in both Natal Mounted Rifles AND then Natal Royal Rifles (Reg. # 322).

According to the David Biggins document on the Elandslaagte Medal Rolls he appears to be entitled to a "South Africa 1901".

Interesting the service time is stated as September 1899 to May 1902.

Strange that if he served this long he didn't qualify for the KSA, yet still got the SA1901 but not the SA 1902 clasp.

Prerequisite for KSA is 18 months service (wounded time and a return would waive this 18 months), but would still need to be in SA during some point in 1901 and 1902.

I wonder if he was originally entitled to the SA 1901 clasp, but then when he served later with the NRR he qualified for to the KSA having the SA1901 clasp struck off his QSA entitlement?

This one would be interesting to get some research done.

Edited September 4, 2009 by Darrell

[Guest Darrell]

Mervyn,

You could get QSA (clasp Entitlement) and KSA Entitlement done for a mere 10 GBP. It would also confirm his earned entitlement with both Regiments and the mystery would be solved :)

[Mervyn Mitton]

Darrell - kind of you to check on Mr. Smith. The ref. you have found does seem to show he never received , or had fixed, the '01 bar - however, there could be some confusion on the rolls. I was speaking this morning to the person who took over from me as President of the Society for the Preservation of Militaria, in Durban. He is a captain with Natal Mounted Rifles. At that period there were 18 people serving with the name of Smith - several with the same initials - also, the NMR roll for that period was not kept properly and they are trying to research it at present. He was almost certainly entitled to the 1906 Rebellion Medal, but as we all know, families will split medal groups up.

The medal will be sold on and I will tell the purchaser the possibility of the '01 - however, it is an important medal with these bars and can 'stand alone' quite comfortably. For me - the interesting thing is that this Colonial Regiment - and in 1900 the European population of Durban was 14000 people (in the Zulu War of 1879 - it was about 4000) - fought on the same Battle site - Laing's Nek - both times with small numbers in support of regular British troops.

[Guest Darrell]

Mervyn, I agree. Quite often the SA 1901 clasps were issued after the fact and can either appear loose (unattached) on medals or lost to time.

[Tony]

Darrell,

I have a QSA to a soldier who, according to his unit's medal roll, was entitled to the Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith and Belfast bars. Can you let me know where you found the sites posted above so that I can get confirmation of any other bars he may have been entitled to?

Thanks

Tony

[Guest Darrell]

Darrell,

I have a QSA to a soldier who, according to his unit's medal roll, was entitled to the Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith and Belfast bars. Can you let me know where you found the sites posted above so that I can get confirmation of any other bars he may have been entitled to?

Thanks

Tony

Tony,

The sites are here:

http://www.angloboerwar.com/

and

http://www.casus-belli.co.uk/

[Guest WAR LORD]

Just as an aside, Sir Harry Smith was born in our town and is also buried here. His sword and some of his medals are in the Church. His wife was a young 14 year old he married in Spain during the Peninsular war. He is known as the hero of Aliwal. He was instrumental in the defeat of the Indians. He also introduced a Bravery award when he was in South Africa. Not only are he and his wife remembered by the naming of towns, but his birth place, Whittlesey is also remembered.

A friend of mine has one of the most complete collections of bars for the war. He can be contacted on Stirmpanzer.com.

He has shown his collection there.

[leigh kitchen]

I drove past the pub, "The Hero of Aliwal" yesterday on my way in & out of Whittlesey, & yet again considered taking a quick snapshot of the pub sign for posting, & wondered whether the orders & medals shown in the head & shoulders representation of him would tally with those he was actually awarded? It's been years since I was in "The Hero".

[NPGilbert]

Hi Mervyn

You are right, this QSA is a beauty. Thank you for the interesting post. Can you provide me with more information with regard to the society (Preservation of Militaria). Do they have a branch in Pretoria or are you guys only Durban based?

Regards

Norman:rolleyes:

[Mervyn Mitton]

Norman - you should join - Nigel Lewis-Walker (of Zimbabwe Air Force fame ) is now the President - 083 237 2692. I think they are the only one left in S.A. now. They have members all over the Country and do a good news letter. Mervyn

[NPGilbert]

Norman - you should join - Nigel Lewis-Walker (of Zimbabwe Air Force fame ) is now the President - 083 237 2692. I think they are the only one left in S.A. now. They have members all over the Country and do a good news letter. Mervyn

Morning Mervyn.

Thank you. I will give Nigel a call.

Regards

Norman :cheers:

[unit8]

South Africa's oldest Regiment and recognised as such from what I understand is the Natal Carbineers (NC) first raised in Pietermaritzburg in 1855 and are still going strong.

The Natal Mounted Rifles (NMR) was formed in 1888 by amalgamating about 4-6 units, one these amalgamated units was raised in 1854.

In 1910 the Union of South Africa was created by joining four seperate British Colonies into one country.

In 1913 with the formation of the Union Defence Force of South Africa under the 1912 Defence Act the Cavalry Regiments were numbered by seniority

1st & 2nd Mounted Rifles were the Natal Carbineers (Pietermaritburg and Ladysmith based respectively)

3rd Mounted Rifles was the Natal Mounted Rifles

4th Mounted Rifles was the Umvoti Mounted Rifles

In 1932 all reverted to their name only.

The NC is now an Infantry Regiment

The NMR is now an Armoured Corps Regiment

Edited September 10, 2009 by unit8

[Guest WAR LORD]

A question, where dose Brabants Horse, or scouts come in?

[unit8]

Brabants Horse were raised in 1899 and disbanded in 1901. They mainly served in the north eastern cape Queenstown and Dordrecht area (0n the Orange Free State, Lesotho border) but went other places as well. The unit consisted of Autralians,Canadians, British and colonials from the Cape and Natal.

The latter two would become two of the four provinces which would make up the Union of South Africa in 1910

[Mervyn Mitton]

Garth - one of the more contentious subjects is which has the honour of being the oldest regiment. Also to be considered is Prince Alfred's Guard - who also make claim. Many regiments - when they are amalgamated assume the Battle Honours of the previous units - and Natal Mounted Rifles are taking the date of formation of the oldest unit as their start date. There are several subjects I try to avoid - and Regimental history is one of them - although in this case I tend to agree with N.M.R.

Brabant's Horse had two Regiments - the First had a strength of 500 men and the Second - 550 men.

[unit8]

I have to agree with you on that point, that there are always different claims to who is the eldest etc. I just prefer the NC as they have remained themselves with the odd add on carve off ie left wing and right wing (UMR), where as the NMR were an amalgamation.

The PAG is 1856 or 57 if I remember off the top of my head