TOPIC:

Hi Everyone,

Hoping to get some guidance on the rules and subsequent issuing of medals following desertion.

I think I can boil desertion down into 2x categories (probably more):

1. Deserting the Military all together
2. Deserting one unit to join another under an alias

For those that deserted all together there is an example that Rory provided where a medal was awarded following a pardon from King George V:
www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...ed-desertion-unmanly

My query relates to those that deserted one unit to join another; I'm researching an individual who I believe deserted one South African Unit and joined another South African one (not Imperial units).

His original medal was only issued later on 8 December 1908 under Authority to Issue 68/SA/7224:



The award of the medal pre-dated the pardons awarded by King George V so my question would be:

1. If he contacted the authorities and requested his medal, pointing out that he joined another unit, would they have awarded it to him? or
2. Was there a blanket amnesty or statute of limitations applied to the South African Units for those that deserted?
3. Long shot, is there anyway of getting hold of the "Authority to Issue" documents?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Sturgy
The notation 68/SA/7224 refers to an entry in the "Important Decisions Book". The decisions appear to establish the precedent on which subsequent identical questions are resolved. Your question 3 is maybe answered there. Unfortunately not on-line.
National archives link
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2357263

David has section devoted to the topic.
www.angloboerwar.com/forum/15-important-...rtant-decisions-book

Peter

Hi Peter,

Fyi - I paid the fee for the National Archives for a copy of the entry in the Important Decisions Book "68/SA/7224" but they came back and said that they could not locate the requested material within the specified document (WO 162/97).

For the small fee I was happy to roll the dice and see if I could get the information; so all good.

Before I give up do you think that the SA means that the information is held in the achieves in South Africa?

Sturgy,

I have images of the important decisions book.

I have posted many of the pages in that section of the forum. 68/SA/7224 fails to find a match via search so I will check the images that have yet to be transcribed.