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The QSA in the medal group in the attachment below is an example of just how poorly it reflects his actual service.

Cook first enlisted in the Colonial Scouts and earned the 'Relief of Ladysmith' clasp.
He then served in the Kimberley Regiment (Diamond Fields Horse) and earned the 'Cape Colony' clasp.
On 20/12/1906 a QSA was issued on the roll of the Kimberley Regiment with the clasps 'Relief of Ladysmith' and 'Cape Colony'. This medal was returned unissued on 5/1/1909.

After leaving the Kimberley Regiment Cook joined Julius Weil's Imperial Transport Service. The QSA roll for this unit records his entitlement to the the 'Cape Colony', 'Orange Free State' and 'Transvaal' clasps, but this entry is crossed out.

He then joined the ASC as a Head Conductor (interestingly with the service number 1) and the QSA roll again lists his entitlement to the three state clasps. They too have been crossed out.

The QSA worn by Cook is the one named to the ASC with no clasps. Cook evidently did not know about the second QSA waiting for him in Kimberley, so he wore the less impressive no clasp medal instead.

Brett

He see he lived to be over 100 Brett! A very good innings for that time

I have posted Cook's story on this forum, but, needless to say, I cannot find the post. He started his career in the Natal Mounted Police, which soon afterwards became the Natal Police. He then went to Rhodesia as a member of the Natal Troop of the Rhodesia Horse. Next he covered the country in various units during the Boer War. He rested during the Natal Rebellion, hence no medal, but was back in uniform with the Natal Mounted Rifles in German South West Africa. A later claim to fame was being one of the ex-servicemen introduced to King George VI in Maritzburg in 1947.

Brett

Hi Rory,

Fascinating read, thanks for sharing! If my maths is correct then Gilbert North Houston-McMillan is my first cousin twice removed.

Just a small bit of clarification on the "Houston" McMillan's

Old Man - John William Houston-McMillan was born at Cardyhouse Kilmun (near Dunoon), Scotland in 1822. John grew up in Dunoon/Kilmun and on 12th December 1849 married Sarah Ann Sykes at Gretna Scotland.

Ann was born in Cumberland, England in 1830, she was the daughter of Mr Solomon and Mrs Nancy Sykes. At age 19 she ran off with John McMillan to Gretna Green where she was married to in 1849 . The couple left Britain apparently bound for Australia, but left the ship in Port Natal, South Africa where they settled at first. They bought and lived on various properties in Natal and and had a total of twelve children.)

The family surname is still a source of some confusion. John was born a McMillan, but by the time the family arrived in Natal they were calling themselves Houston. It is still not clear why this was so.

There are a number of colourful family legends explaining the reasons why John changed his name; one being that he did so to escape Britain after killing or badly wounding a man in a duel. He could also have changed his name when he and Sarah ran away to be married at Gretna. By the last three decades of the nineteenth century various branches of the family had begun to incorporate McMillan with Houston. Some like just went by Houston although it was still legally Houston-McMillan.

John Snr. was generally known by his Zulu name Mashibana. Mashibana refers to a man with a piercing and sharp tongue like the horns of a male bushbuck known as the Nkonka Mshiba. This probably refers to John's legendary bad temper.

Another story which was told is that he was involved in piracy of some kind and had to escape the law, it is doubtful if his father a blacksmith could have given him sufficient money to buy a farm/farms in South Africa, so maybe the money did come from something shady like piracy?

Some other info...... on the Houston-McMillans

The Lodge (Benmore) - In 1872 the Houston family moved to the Lodge (sometimes called Ixopo Lodge), on which John ran a hotel and farmed. Benmore was the mountain that you see from Cardyhouse looking North / North East. The Lodge is close to the town of Ixopo. The Lodge, was an amalgamation of 4 pieces of land: the remainder of Court Hill (801 acres and 31.48 perches); subdivision A of subdivision A of Court Hill (2 acres/ 3 roods, 34 perches); subdivision C of the remainder of Ixopo (101acres, 1 rood, 28 perches) and Ogle's Land (60 acres). John's son Alexander later owned it. John called one of the pieces of land Benmore.

John William McMillan died in 1910 at the age of 84 at his farm Benmore and his wife Sarah died at the age of 87 on 29th April 1908 at Inkonza Falls, Dronk Vlei, at the home of her eldest son John Solomon Houston (Gilbert North's Father).

Waterfall - In 1869 or 1870 John Houston bought the farm Waterfall in the Ixopo region, where he traded and ran a wayside inn. Waterfall is in the Umkomaas Valley as you cross the river. It is on the left hand side of the road from Pietermaritzburg to Ixopo and is now called Whiskey Canyon
.
The Creighton District
Ambleside - This farm over time was owned by three members of the family. It was first owned by Arthur Tatton Houston, who sold it to his brother Gilbert. Gilbert sold it to his sister Dora Belle Houston who married Henry Edward Eaglestone.

Cloverton - Gilbert Sykes Houston-McMillan (Johns Brother, whom Gilbert North Houston-McMillan was named after) bought Cloverton in about 1920 and built the house on the farm. His son Vernon later ran Cloverton.

Gilbert North Houston McMillan Siblings:
Sarah Anne Sissing; Henry Houston McMillan; Ernest Frank Houston McMillan; John Edward Houston McMillan; Louisa Jane Ada Hulley; Lily Heppes; Richard Gregston Houston McMillan; Martha Willow Cavey; Charles Houston McMillan and Thomas Newton Houston McMillan.


Kind Regards
James Houston-McMillan

Thank you James - you have certainly been able to add lustre to my meager effort! Is there a chance (I have to ask) of any family photos doing the rounds wherein our friend Gilbert might feature?

Thanks again for helping to fill the blank spaces and join the dots.

Regards

Rory