TOPIC:

BOER WAR MEDALS - LONG-DELAYED RECEIPT [New Zealand]
"An interesting instance of a Boer War veteran who is to receive decorations that were awarded to him under another name nearly 30 years ago is provided by the case of Mr. Charles Harding, of Pelorus Sound (reports the Marlborough "Express"). Mr. Harding is to. receive two medals, largely through the efforts of Mr. Andrew J. Jones, of Pelorus Sound, and Mr. I-I. Atmore, M.P., who have interested themselves in his case and taken it up with the Defence Department.
The reason Mr. Harding did not receive his medals immediately after the cessation of hostilities was that ho enlisted for active service under an assumed name, a circumstance which reflects no discredit upon him as his purpose was to save his mother, who was seriously ill, from distress. Signing on in New Zealand, Mr. Harding was rejected, but he determined to see active service, so paid his own passage to Cape Town, where he enlisted in the South African Light Horse under the name of C. Dashwood. He served for two years, attained the rank of corporal, and was specially mentioned by his commanding officer, Colonel Byng (now Lord Byng). After acting as a road foreman in. the Public Works Department subsequent to his return to New Zealand, Mr, Harding carried on farming in the vicinity of Crail Bay. He is still hale and hearty, and can recount many good yarns about his rather adventurous career.
At Mr. Jones's request Mr. Atmore placed all the facts before the Defence Department with regard to Mr. Harding's medals, and Mr. Jones is now in receipt of a letter from the Hon. G. J. Cobbe, Minister for Defence, in which lie says: "Inquiry as to Mr. Harding's war medals was fully made from the War Office, and I am now pleased to inform you that the following have come to hand for transmission to the ex-soldier: Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps 'Belfast,' 'Cape Colony,' 'Orange Free State,' and 'Laing's Nek'; King's South Africa Medal with clasps 'South Africa 1901' and 'South Africa 1903.' These medals and clasps were awarded to him in respect lo his service as No. 36/336 Trooper C. Dashwood, South African Light Horse."
In the ordinary course of events the medals would have been forwarded to the ex-soldier by registered post, but it is proposed in this case to make a semi-public presentation of them as a tribute to the respect in which Mr. Harding is held. EVENING POST, VOLUME CXII, ISSUE 107, 2 NOVEMBER 1931, PAGE 12

CClement
An interesting narrative of a late issue of medals. For various reasons, the journeying of lads from the antipodes to South Africa to enlist was reasonably widespread. Sometimes the only way of checking is if a marginal note on the medal roll gives an Aust/NZ home address. Attached are a couple of cuts from the medal roll WO100/274 page 39 concerning Harding/Dashwood. The originals are not all that clear and my attempts to enhance the contrast did not improve things. The nominal SALH roll on this site shows his discharge date was 24/4/1902 Time Expired.
Interestingly, Harding/Dashwood served twice in the SALH (regimental numbers 1761 and 36336), ranked as Lance Corporal and also served as 211 in Scott's Railway Guards. His medal entitlement was "returned 8/11/06" and noted as "re-issued 29/8/31".


Thanks for your post on this matter.
Regards
IL.
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Sorry, my little SONY did not handle the enlargements at all well. Here is another attempt ....


Regards
IL.

That's a really interesting story, CClement. Thank you for posting.

When I next go to the Archives, I will see if there is an attestation paper for his time in the SALH.

This forum is amazing. I did a lot of work on NZers in Other Forces during WWI so the NZers at South Africa is almost a continuation of this.
Thanks again
Christine

Christine,

Here are his two papers from the SALH: