TOPIC:

Source: Page 23
AG2/M/15116
PA 3.4.07

Title: Not usual for Foreign Office to correspond regarding medals, with foreign consular officers in London.

King's SA medal for transmission to next of kin of the late No 1247 Hospital Corporal R Baagoe, Steinaecker's Horse, sent by Foreign Office to H M Minister, Stockholm, with instructions to forward it to Mr Semil[?] Baagoe, dentist, Helsingborg, brother of the deceased NCO.

Hello,
Does Hospital Corporal mean that Baagoe did not serve in front line service but rather in a hospital behind the lines?
Also, was the King's SA medal awarded to all who died while in service?
Any information would be gratefully received.
Arvid Mauritz Baagoe (not R) was my grandmothers uncle and trained as a dentist in Sweden before setting out for Australia. I am not sure how he ended up inn the Boer War, but I find it fascinating. His brother Emil Baagoe was indeed a dentist in Helsingborg, Sweden.
Thanks,
Staffan

Welcome to the Forum Staffan!

The rank of Hospital Corporal would usually mean the recipient did not serve on the front line and I think this would also be true of Steinaecker's Horse. It is interesting to see on the KSA roll that prior service in the Natal Volunteer Ambulance Corps (Bearer) and the Imperial Hospital Corps (Orderly) is also listed.

The KSA would only be issued if the recipient had completed 18 months of service in SA.

The QSA roll gives his rank as Trooper and indicates he was issued with the clasps Transvaal, Relief of Ladysmith and Tugela Heights so this would indicate he was not far behind the fighting.

Regards
David

Bill Woolmore's Steinaecker's Horsemen states, P.143

BAAGOE, Avrid Hospital Corporal 1247

Born Sweden 11 Oct 1868. Served previously as Bearer 'A. Baggae' in the Natal Volunteer Ambulance Corps from 9 December 1899 to 7 March 1900 as Orderly with the Imperial Hospital Corps from 8 August 1900. Enlisted in Steinaecker's House at Durban on 17 January 1901 - age 33, dentist, height 5'6.5", blue eyes, light brown hair, no marks, address Komati Poort. Next of kin: brother, E. Baagoe, Helsingborg. Died of disease at Koomati Port on 16 May 1902. His remains were later reinterred at the Barberton Military Cemetery.

Justin