TOPIC:

IL,

You are absolutely right about the clasps issued to some TGs. The exception seems to be where troops were stationed in the same town and there was operaional activity. To have withheld the Talana, DoL, DoM and DoK clasps to these TGs would have been a difficult case to argue?

Is the Dundee RA the only RA to receive a clasps (discounting service in other units)?

Regards
David

David
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I think so re Dundee DRA and the Talana clasp. I sometimes think that a lot of ink was spilled over whom got what - and just being there might not count unless it was "official business". And even then officialdom might just change it's mind later. Like the RN QSA to (I think Sandford) who had his "Wepener" bar disallowed.
It seems a bit hard to have disallowed CC and date bars to chaps in a DMT/TG who actually did man the trenches!
Kind regards
IL.

IL,

I wonder if the enormity of the task of issues clasps to the TGs and DMTs was so great in terms of administration and cost that it was easier to rule them all ineligible? It would certainly have been easier to exclude these men but in so doing the authorities must have denied many deserving cases?

BW
D

Source: Page 110

Title: Bulawayo Town Guard

68/SA/3224
June 1915

No rolls and not entitled to the SA Medal.

David
I think that comment is spot on!!
Regards
IL.

Interested Forum Members
The award of the Talana bar to the Dundee DRA and the TG must have been seen as really exceptional at the time. Creswicke Vo.7 (between text pages 192 and 193 shows pics of the "Dundee (Natal) local Defence Force under Mr.J.W.Holding and Mr. W.Thorrold" with the pic having the notation that "This force was in the field and did duty on day of Talana and received War Medal and clasp". A little further on is illustrated the Dundee TG (or some of them, anyway) - with no marginal note. This is not to say that the qualified members of the TG did not get the Talana bar; we know that they did.
I have attached copies with this post; Mr. Biggins has illustrated the first in his Talana Account and Medal Roll - but without the text comment. Clearly, if any forum member does not have a copy of the Biggins Account, they should obtain one without delay!
On a closing note, it is interesting to observe that the lads in both abovementioned pics have shiny new Magazine Lee-Enfields and Mills double row cotton bandoliers.
Regards to all
IL.