Victorian Medal Bar

[FrontlineAntiques]

Morning chaps

A recent purchase of a job lot of ribbons found this bad boy mixed in, along with a couple of similar peices.

A 6 place medal bar, covering actions from Mashonaland (presumably 1896/1897), The boer war and WWI.

The British South Africa Company's Medal 1890 - 1897 Mashonaland medal was awarded for the four campaigns to suppress the Mashonas and Matabele tribes in South Africa. These medals were struck with four corresponding campaign reverses. Instituted in 1896 ( Matabeleland 1893 Medal ) and 1897 ( Rhodesia 1896 and Mashonaland 1897 medals).

This is the first time I have had a pre-Boer medal bar that includes a Mons trio.

A very nice little lot.

Edited November 11, 2010 by FrontlineAntiques

[Mervyn Mitton]

Interesting bar - he could have served in either the Rhodesian or, South African Forces - we sent a relief expedition of some 800 men in 1896 to relieve the siege of Bulawayo.

[FrontlineAntiques]

Interesting bar - he could have served in either the Rhodesian or, South African Forces - we sent a relief expedition of some 800 men in 1896 to relieve the siege of Bulawayo.

I thinke he probably was an African recipient, as I bought a job lot of medal ribbons and bars from a chap in SA which is almost entirely made up of african awards.

Have a few other bars to show, once i get round to photographing them.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Dan - not necessarily. The Rhodies had detachments in Sth. Africa - think of Mefeking. They also sent the first Rhodesia Regt. to help Britain very early in the War. Whereas S.A. only sent units to France after the Star had been discontinued in 1915.

[FrontlineAntiques]

Dan - not necessarily. The Rhodies had detachments in Sth. Africa - think of Mefeking. They also sent the first Rhodesia Regt. to help Britain very early in the War. Whereas S.A. only sent units to France after the Star had been discontinued in 1915.

So would you say it is more likely to have been to a Rhodesian or a well travelled Brit?

[Mervyn Mitton]

In 1896 there were only about 4500 people in the whole of Rhodesia. These were all from either the UK or, Sth. Africa. My own feeling is that this is one of the early settlers in Rhodesia and later was in the 2nd. Boer War and then in 1st. WW. I do have a roll for the 1890's for Rhodesia and will try to find his name. How you will find the roll for the Rhodesia Regt. I'm afraid I haven't a clue. I had some medals in to this unit some time ago and couldn't trace. The problem is most of the papers were left behind after 1980 and they will not help.

What is nice is that the ribbon for the Rhod. medal is the original silk.

Sorry - I'm talking rubbish again - we don't have a name, so everything is conjecture.

Edited November 14, 2010 by Mervyn Mitton

[FrontlineAntiques]

its sad to think we will never know who earned those medals, but I'd like to think they did come from an early Rhodesian settler. I have several others which I will photograph soon and put up. All with similar awards, and according to the chap I bought from all from one house clearence so possibly all related.

Dan

Edited November 14, 2010 by FrontlineAntiques

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hmmmm... must have been back in the UK in 1914 though to get the 14 star...

[FrontlineAntiques]

Hmmmm... must have been back in the UK in 1914 though to get the 14 star...

Its a fair point Chris. And pretty much kills the Rhodesian idea....

So by my thinking this would leave us only the Mashonaland ribbon to pin down at least his regiment. Dont suppose we can be too specific even with this though....

[FrontlineAntiques]

Here are the rest of the bars that all came together from a chap in Cape Town. Incidentally, they also came with the mystery item I posted in the Members Valuation & Identification Forum yesterday.

Dan

[Mervyn Mitton]

He could have gone to UK to join-up - however, the Rhodesia Regt. was involved quite early in the War. We must find out when they went to France ?

With South Africans many of them were involved in South West Africa and then took discharge to travel to UK on their own money to join-up.

[Chris Boonzaier]

He could have gone to UK to join-up - however, the Rhodesia Regt. was involved quite early in the War. We must find out when they went to France ?

With South Africans many of them were involved in South West Africa and then took discharge to travel to UK on their own money to join-up.

Hi,

Rhodesia regiment served in Africa, s 14-15 star.. the South Africans who served in GSWA were demobbed in 1915, so those who did go to the UK to join up were to late for the 14 star...

If I am not mistaken this gent must have been one of the old contemptibles to get the ribbon device...

[FrontlineAntiques]

I have just pinched a few paragraphs from here - http://www.ourstory.com/thread.html?t=480604 , which gives a good account of the development of the Rhodesian Regiment

"During the Matabele War of 1893, the Mashonaland Horse was replaced by local volunteer units, such as the Victoria Rangers, the Salisbury Horse and Raaff's Rangers from Tuli. These units were actively engaged in putting a stop to the Matabele raids into Mashonaland. The occupation of Matabeleland and the amalgamation of the two provinces resulted in the formation of Southern Rhodesia and proclamation of the name "Rhodesia" on 3 May, 1895. The defence of Matabeleland was entrusted to a new Regular military unit, the Matabeleland Mounted Police, which was disbanded as a result of its deployment on the Jameson Raid.

The Bulawayo Field Force was formed at the time of the Matabele Rebellion in 1896, and two of its members, H. S. Henderson and F. M. Baxter, were awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry in action.

Other volunteer units raised during the 1895-96 period of the Mashonaland Rebellion were the Rhodesia Horse Volunteers, the Salisbury Rifles and the Umtali Rifles. All these units combined in 1898 to form the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers (S.R.V.). This Regiment remained in being until 1926, when it was embodied into the Rhodesia Regiment in terms of the provisions of the Defence Act, 1926.

The first unit to bear the title "Rhodesia Regiment" was formed for service and commanded by Lt.-Col. Plumer, in the South African War, 1899-1902, at the instance of Col. Robert Baden-Powell, then Commander in-Chief, Rhodesia Frontier Force. The Rhodesia Regiment was engaged in the Relief of Mafeking and the Battle of Eland's River.

In 1914, at the outbreak of World War I, the 1st and 2nd Rhodesia Regiments were formed from the S.R.V. and civilian volunteers. The 1st Rhodesians saw service in German South West Africa alongside the South African forces, and in 1915 embarked at Cape Town for the United Kingdom, where members of the Regiment were subsequently dispersed to O.C.T.U.s and the King's Royal Rifle Corps. The 2nd Rhodesians were forced to return to Rhodesia in 1917, due to the high ratio of casualties suffered in action in German East Africa. The unit was disbanded in Salisbury for lack of reinforcements from Rhodesia's small male white population at that time. Many 2nd Rhodesians, however, re-enlisted into British units and saw further service in France."

[FrontlineAntiques]

Chris is right - Unless our chap took himself off to the UK on his own cash to enlist early, he is much more likely to be a Brit.

On the bright side, if he were of Rhodesian or SA origins I would imagine he would be much more likely to be an officer due to th costs involved in travelling to the UK to enlist.

Had an email from the vendor last night, he had forgotten to include a couple of bars which are on their way! lucky me!

[FrontlineAntiques]

Had an email from the vendor last night, he had forgotten to include a couple of bars which are on their way

And here they are!

The seller found these seperately and sent them over to me.

Easily my favourite!

Very happy! :jumping:

Edited December 5, 2010 by FrontlineAntiques

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