TOPIC:

There has been a good selection of QSAs to the Royal Engineers on ebay the last couple of weeks with a healthy selection of clasps. Not really a target for my collecting, but the above mentioned to the scarce rank of Conductor caught my attention and I secured the winning bid.
As I understand following my acquisition previously of a Conductor rank to the Natal Transport the rank is equivalent to an NCO in the Commissariat and Transport Department. My thanks to forum member Adrian (Adrian123456) for explaining this to me.
These ranks were attached to regiments, columns etc. What is really interesting is that on the medal roll (please see below ) for 12th.Coy. Royal Engineers there are two names with the rank of Conductor; BATTIS and WALKER. Written above the names in the original copper plate hand dated 17.07.01 It clearly states "Eligible for bronze medal". Then written in a rougher hand across the middle of the sheet dated 13/10/03 at Harrismith "Issued with rank 12 Co."
This raises a couple of considerations for the curious mind.
1---would eligibility to a bronze medal indicate a civilian or native individual, as some were termed as civilian conductors?
2---would it be unusual for an individual eligible to a bronze medal to be upgraded to the sterling silver award? If indeed this is the case.
3---the rim of the medal appears to be correctly impressed with a few edge knocks and rubs, but nothing to indicate name removal or renaming and no evidence of the shadow of a previous name beneath.
I would very much appreciate thoughts and comment from forum members please.
Maybe I have found another branch to my QSA collecting, namely looking for medals named to the rank of Conductor.
Cheers,
Steve

Hi Steve

There is also a 99 Arthur W Battis on the Somerset East Town Guard roll. This may be the same person. Arthur William Battis was the brother of the famous South African artist Walter Battis, born in Somerset East. A W Battis died in SA in 1949.

Regards
Adrian

Adrian, the artist Walter Battiss from Somerset East was born in 1906, and his brother Alfred in 1907, so the medal can't be to the artist's brother. I guess the medal could have been to his dad Walter Battiss Snr who was born in 1879. I can't find details of Walter Battiss Snr's initials, and of course there is the problem that the name on the medal has only one "s", though I understand errors were common.

Many thanks for your interest and replies gents.
It's an uncommon surname and coupled with the initials of the man who served with the Somerset East TG it sounds like he is very likely to be our Conductor despite a possible spelling error.
Also this service would have entitled him to a silver QSA I would assume.
Cheers,
Steve