TOPIC:

Good morning, Can anyone help regards to the clasp information.

Some have Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal which are states. The other clasps are places withing the states like Relief of Mafeking. Why would some have only the states and some have only would believe to be more specific to the areas within the states?
(hope makes sense)
Thank you for taking the time to read

Dylan
The reason is that regulations defined eligibility for clasps on the time and place a soldier served. For example, the NSW Citizen's Bushmen were initially seen eligible for the Relief of Mafeking clasp (amongst others) on their QSA medal - however, a strict interpretation of the rules covering the award of that clasp had them "on the other side of the qualification line". I suggest you look at all the clasp qualifications for the QSA on this site and you will see that "specific action clasps" have a time-and-location qualifier; whereas the the "state" clasps are generalised in time and location.
Some QSA clasps are highly regarded (examples Relief/Defence of Mafeking and Wepener) due to the relatively small numbers involved. Some are apparently less well sought after for some reason (two of interest to me are "Laing's Nek" and "Wittebergen" - due to the tactical success of the operations there).
All this looks a bit dry - but I feel that researching and understanding a man's active service (even generalised service) by means of his clasp(s) and unit can be the an important part of QSA collecting.
Regards
IL.

Dylan,

If someone served in a state and gained entitlement to a battle clasp, they would receive that clasp but not then the state clasp. For example, Kimberley is in Cape Colony. If someone received the clasp for the Relief of Kimberley, they would not be entitled to the Cape Colony clasp as well.

The entitlement for the Cape Colony clasp states:

A clasp inscribed "Cape Colony" will be granted to all troops in Cape Colony at any time between October 11th, 1899, and a date to be hereafter fixed, who received no clasp for an action already specified in the Cape Colony nor Natal clasps.

More information on clasp entitlement here: www.angloboerwar.com/medals-and-awards/b...s-south-africa-medal

Best wishes
David