TOPIC:

Although my main interest is Victorian and Edwardian Military headgear (blue-cloths and heavy cavalry helmets) I have picked up several QSA's over the years, because I like them! I have one to 1333 Pte J Milligan Imperial Light Infantry with clasps for Orange Free State, Relief Of Ladysmith and Transvaal and I decided years after buying it to see what I could find out about the man and the unit. A bit of googling led me to this site and as a result to the nominal roll. I now know a lot more about the ILI than I did. I also know from the roll that his first name was John,and if I'm reading the roll correctly that he appears to have enlisted on 8 December 1900 and been discharged on 16 June 1901. This led me to wonder how he qualified for the Ladysmith clasp,as the qualification dates for this are earlier than his period with the ILI. I noticed, however, some references in the forum to it being not uncommon for individuals to change unit.

This being the case, and assuming his clasps are the ones he's entitled to(I don't know how to check this) I'd like to find out what other unit(s)he belonged to. Can anybody help, either with the information or the process for finding out. I suppose that finding a John Milligan who served in the right place at the right time to qualify for the Ladysmith clasp would be one option?

Incidentally,I have never seen a medal or ribbon in such filthy condition as this was when I bought it! I gave the medal a very light clean and replaced the ribbon, because the original was likely to disintegrate although I kept it.

This is an excellent forum, by the way.

Thanks



Patrick

Hello Patrick,

Interesting medal.

1333 Pte John Milligan also served in the Imperial Hospital Corps as an Orderly.

He is on three Roll pages:

1) QSA medal roll for the ILI W0100/252 page 52 which shows the OFS clasp issued on the 30/01/1903.

2) QSA medal roll for the IHC WO 100/249 page 87 shows clasps OFS and Natal!!

3) The Supplementary roll for the IHC WO100/249 page 117 for the SA 1901 clasp which shows that the medal with the following clasps OFS,TVL,ROL and SA1901 was issued to his Mother, Mrs Jane Milligan on the 30/05/1907

This would perhaps explain the reason why he also has the ROL clasp.

Regards
Adrian

Hi Adrian

Thank you very much for this. Does this mean he was issued with two separate medals, one to the ILI and one to the IHC? I'm new to all this, but if so, shouldn't the ILI medal(1) just have the OFS clasp? By the same logic there should be an IHC medal(2)named to that unit with four clasps. What I have seems to be his ILI medal with ROL and TVL clasps to which he was entitled for his IHC service, but missing the SA 1901 clasp. Happy to be corrected if I've misunderstood.

How does one get access to these medal rolls?

Regards

Patrick

Hello Patrick,

No, he would not have two medals only one which would be named up to the last unit he served in namely the ILI. Unless this is a rare duplicate issue, i suspect not.

The medal rolls were cross referenced so that duplication did not happen although there are a few known duplicate medals about. It would seem that you are missing the SA 1901 clasp which by the way is rather common. These were often issued separately and over time have simply just been lost.

The medal rolls are in the National Archives in the UK however, if no one else can help you out with copies of his roll pages by Sunday evening I shall email you copies on Monday. I have them at work.

Regards
Adrian

What country are you in Patrick?

pjac49 wrote: Hi Adrian

Thank you very much for this. Does this mean he was issued with two separate medals, one to the ILI and one to the IHC? I'm new to all this, but if so, shouldn't the ILI medal(1) just have the OFS clasp? By the same logic there should be an IHC medal(2)named to that unit with four clasps. What I have seems to be his ILI medal with ROL and TVL clasps to which he was entitled for his IHC service, but missing the SA 1901 clasp. Happy to be corrected if I've misunderstood.

How does one get access to these medal rolls?

Regards

Patrick

Okay, I'm thinking perhaps that comes under the Official Secrets Act! or perhap you don't want to tell us, so I'll do it this way!

Frank Kelley wrote: What country are you in Patrick?

pjac49 wrote: Hi Adrian

Thank you very much for this. Does this mean he was issued with two separate medals, one to the ILI and one to the IHC? I'm new to all this, but if so, shouldn't the ILI medal(1) just have the OFS clasp? By the same logic there should be an IHC medal(2)named to that unit with four clasps. What I have seems to be his ILI medal with ROL and TVL clasps to which he was entitled for his IHC service, but missing the SA 1901 clasp. Happy to be corrected if I've misunderstood.

How does one get access to these medal rolls?

Regards

Patrick

WO100/249 page 117