TOPIC:

Hello everyone,

This is a great site which I've found very helpful when researching the background of men who served in WW1 but this is my first post so here goes.

I'm researching one Thomas Daggar who served in the 2nd Battalion of the South Wales Borderers as a Private (7755) but who then went on to become a Tunnelling Officer in WW1 and winner of the Military Cross.

I'm having trouble making sense of the records that show what campaign medals and clasps he was entitled to.

The roll for the QSA medal under the 1st April 1901 order shows him as entitled to a clasp for Belmont.
The roll for the QSA medal under the 1st October 1902 order shows him as entitled to clasps for Transvaal and South Africa 1902 only and as NOT entitled to the KSA medal.

My problem - the 2nd SWB didn't arrive until 1900 AND if he was in theatre as early as 1899 or 1900 and got the 1902 clasp why wasn't he entitled to a clasp for 1901 or the KSA medal?

Although I've read and reread the very useful guidance on this site on medal entitlements I suspect I've missed something pretty basic. Would someone be good enough to put me out of my misery. Be gentle!

Tom Dagger was actually a Volunteer soldier serving with the 3rd VB SWB, he did not join the Army until February 1902, moreover, as he did not arrive in South Africa until 1902, he was very clearly was not entitled to a Belmont clasp or, indeed, a KSA, as shown in your attached WO100 pages, in the meantime, welcome to this forum.
Kind regards Frank Kelley

Hello

You are not the person to be confounded by that tick!

Not sure what you've got on Dagger's ABW career - his service papers are on FindmyPast.

Do you know the book "Call to Arms. A Valley History" by WG Lloyd? It is about the volunteer battalion men of the SWB in South Africa. Dagger is shown to be from H company Abertillery and went out in March 1902 as reinforcement to the 2nd Active Service Company which formed I Company of the 2nd bn.

Regards
Meurig

Thanks very much Meurig
I don't have Daggars ABW service records as I'm using Ancestors rather than FindmyPast, perhaps its not as good?
I have Lloyds Roll of Honour and found it useful so I've just ordered a copy of Call to Arms.
Thanks for the pointer.
Peter

Peter56 wrote: Thanks very much Meurig
I don't have Daggars ABW service records as I'm using Ancestors rather than FindmyPast, perhaps its not as good?
I have Lloyds Roll of Honour and found it useful so I've just ordered a copy of Call to Arms.
Thanks for the pointer.
Peter

Ancestry don't have the pre-1914 discharge service papers.