TOPIC:

Frank

Another 'Relief' QSA that is hard to find is that to the Natal Mounted Rifles - only 26 awarded. It is the only one from my Composite Regiment of the Mounted Brigade collection that has eluded me. I have the others - Imperial Light Horse, Natal Carbineers, Natal Police (Field Force), Natal Police (Estcourt District Police), Border Mounted Rifles, and 2nd KRRC MI.
Another local collector has a NMR QSA with the clasps 'Elandslaagte' and 'Relief of Ladysmith', which is unique. Unfortunately, the medal was mistakenly issued with the 'RoL' clasp. It should have been 'Defence of Ladysmith'.

Regards
Brett

Morning Brett,
Just from a medal point of view, the Imperial Light Horse and Natal Carbineers do turn up quite often here, but, only very seldom do I every see any Natal Police or Natal Mounted Rifles, I like the latter, in particular, but, very difficult to find these days.
Regards Frank

Frank

There was one squadron each for the Imperial Light Horse and Natal Carbineers. I have not counted the actual numbers, but they must be around 100 'Relief' QSA's each for these units. The 'double Relief' QSA's of the ILH (Ladysmith and Mafeking) are favoured by collectors.

The same approximate number applies to the one company of 2nd KRRC MI, but I was told by an American collector that they are difficult to distinguish from other KRRiflemen in the 'Relief', because all their medals are simply named to the KRRC. Only by reference to the muster rolls can individuals in the MI be distinguished. The American collector had found only two such men where the recipient stayed with the MI throughout the war and had the KSA as well. He very kindly let me have one of them, so that is a special pair in my collection.

The 26 medals to the NMR and 10 to the BMR are rarities that very seldom come to light.

The situation with the Natal Police is complex. There were 172 NP's who were awarded the 'Tugela Heights' clasp, much more than any of the other units in the Composite Regiment. There were about 40 men in Buller's Bodyguard and about 40 in the NP Field Force who qualified. There were also a number of men in the Estcourt District Police, but about 80 seems to me a very high number. Their medals are all named to the NP, so their roles in the "Relief' are unknown. I do know that the NP frequently rotated men, which is a reason why it became so difficult to identify with certainty men who had served in Buller's Bodyguard, which always attract interest. Hopefully, Meurig and I sorted out that difficulty. Several men of the Estcourt District Police are mentioned in accounts of the 'Relief', so they are certainties amongst them, and I have one of them.

Collecting medals to men of the Composite Regiment sounds easy, but in fact it has been a challenge that I have yet to complete.

Regards
Brett

Hello Brett,
I certainly think that most things are achievable as far as collecting goes, sometimes it is merely a simple case of throwing money into it in the London salerooms, but, with the Natal Volunteers it is usually far more complicated and you really do need to be in the right place at the right time as well as having your ear close to the ground, when you get down to just the low two figure mark regarding medals issued to a particular regiment, you just have to buy as soon as the opportunity arises.
I ended up with the BMR you mentioned earlier in this thread by pure chance as a boy for just a few pounds, but, when I bought it, I had absolutely no idea whatsoever regarding just how rare it actually would turn out to be.
Kind regards Frank

Hi

In researching 16 Trp H Norden's Queen's medal I see that he was originally issued the medal with the clasps for Transvaal, Relief of Ladysmith and Laing's Nek, although he was entitled to the additional clasp for Tugela Heights. Something similar seems to have happened to the medal in Brett Hendey's possession issued to Trooper H R Mason.

A note on the Queen's medal roll for the Border Mounted Rifles at WO100/260p66 confirms that the Tugela Heights clasp was subsequently issued to Norden. In this regard, the note on the roll apparently reads: `Added and issued: 68/S.A./5164.5 7/06 . . . AG 2/M/11402'. The note is obviously a reference to the authority by which the additional clasp was granted to Norden.

Where would I find the documentation drawn up to authorise the issue of the additional clasp?

Best regards

Peter Jordi

Hi Peter
I have another QSA where the Tugela Heights clasp was issued late. It was the medal of Tpr Symons of the Natal Carbineers, who later served in the BMR. It was through correspondence with officers of these regiments that finally led to the award of the TH clasp. If you are interested in Symons' case, please PM me your e-mail address and I will forward the Symons biography to you.
Regards
Brett