TOPIC:

Hello all,
This is my first post so by way of introduction: I am a retired soldier who has a fascination for military history. As a boy I read “Look & Learn” and Eagle comics with equal interest and the bible stories at the back of Eagle comic were as fascinating as the accounts of great battles as it is history which has changed our world. On holiday I avoid the pool and look for museums and search for ruins.
I research history relating to my collection of Yeomanry medals and want to learn about what happened at each “clasp”, battle and campaign.
I’m looking forward to your feedback

Okay well my introduction was painless
My main interest is Berkshire Imperial Yeomanry (BY) who served in 39th Coy 10th Battalion and 58th Coy 15th Battalion. I am familiar with the museum in Windsor but want to develop my brief knowledge of their involvement in the Boer War.
Most of the BY medal clasps are typically similar (Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal Wittenberg, 1901, 1902). I want to know what happened at each and links to anything specific to BY soldiers….
There appears to be a close link between the BY and 7th Hussars as post 1904 the CO and several officers from 7th had a positive impact on Berkshire Yeomanry.
What was Berkshire Yeomanry badge on their Slosh hat typically? I ask as I have never seen a close up photo showing a rosette on BY so have several theories.
1. The Leicester Yeomanry Association website shows the Battalion number inside a rosette. So "X" above "IY" on rosett?

2. I am advised the Prince of Wales '3 feathers' above the IY in brass is a standard for Yeomarny, but if so then option 1 above is not so (either or ?)
3. In BY group photos of the contingent in England they wear mixed headdress and many have a plume (feather) but I cannot see any rosettes.

I am keen to learn about any and all or of the above.

Hello Berkshire T,
I am on the long and slow hunt for a newly discovered QSA medal belonging to my great grandfather who was 18th Coy (Lanarkshire) Imperial Yeomanry. As a collector of I.Y medals yourself how do you narrow the search for an individual unit and are theses medals readily available or likely to be in a collection already? Sorry to sound so basic but i have never had to look for a family medal before. Many thanks. Alex.

Hi Alex, Thanks for the interest.
Each Yeomanry Company had 115 soldiers and 6 officers and there were two contingents plus a much smaller 3rd contingents (the war ended) and a few Draft to reinforce. A few soldiers served in both contingents and stayed out there. So around 250 Imperial Yeomanry to each company. They are listed on medal roll which can be easily formed.

I only collect to two companies and have been collecting for just over 2 years. In that time I have bought seven QSA medals/groups to these two companies - All Berkshire Imperial Yeomanry.
There were 3 other sales I did not try for as one 39th group of five was dodgy and seller was not good communicator, another was for two QSA to two brothers and the other brother was Berks Regt and I did not want to pay a load for two medals when I only wanted one (neither was very interesting with only Orange Free State bar.. was sick and went home!) and the last was a QSA, KSA and WW1 Trio and at the time appeared a little pricy.... But I regret to this day for not buying it! Reason being (which I did not realise at the time) there are very few KSA & WW1 combination within each IY Company.
I also research the internet for history of past sales and you can search back around 10 years for history in many auction houses. So I have tracked around 30 plus 6 QSA in Berks Yeomanry museum display. So of the 500 or so issued across two companies I have tracked down around 36 which is around 8%...
Talking with experienced collector around 25% of issued medals are with the collectors, maybe 5% with museums and 25% still with families. Many were sold for scrap silver over the years or lost.
So there is a 50% chance a medal has survived. I have spoken to collectors who collect to infantry regiments and have been collecting for 20 years and they say they have only ever “re-united” one or two groups.
If you want to study one regiment please email me (I think private mails can be sent)
Wayne

Hi Wayne

Many thanks for all the information, I am quite optimistic that in time I may get lucky and find the group! until then I think I may get a copy as a filler in the little medal box that I intend to make up.
I have lots more research to do as I know so little about his Unit, what they did and what they wore etc
I have already been given some pointers and plenty of leads to follow.
Good luck with the Berkshire Yeomanry, I saw some Regimental items on ebay last week to them.
Best wishes.

Alex