TOPIC:

Gentlemen,
The Natal Volunteers all wore handsome badges and shoulder titles, actually made here in Great Britain before the war, however, this type of badge, was made for them circa 1900, almost certainly in Durban, moreover, they were also made for many of the SAMIF units raised in Natal too, so you would expect to see examples to Thorneycroft's etc.

The UMP is very scarce indeed!

Brett Hendey wrote: Mike

I have Natal Carbineers (NC), Border Mounted Rifles (BMR), and Utrecht-Vryheid Mounted Police (UMP) to add to the list.

Regards
Brett

Frank

I have long wanted to add a UMP QSA to my collection. I have never seen one, although I have seen a couple of UMP titles over the years, so I think that the QSA's may even be mythical!

Regards
Brett

Hello Brett,
I do remember seeing a piece of WO100/261 headed Utrecht Vryheid Mounted Police many years ago whilst at Kew, I'll have to have a look at this, it might be that they received their medals for service with other formations.
Kind regards Frank.

Brett Hendey wrote: Frank

I have long wanted to add a UMP QSA to my collection. I have never seen one, although I have seen a couple of UMP titles over the years, so I think that the QSA's may even be mythical!

Regards
Brett

Frank

The only copied QSA medal roll in my possession is that for the Natal Police. It is an A4 copy of a copy, so it is often difficult to decipher. The last dozen or so pages are devoted to the Utrecht-Vryheid Mounted Police. The initial entry reads:
"Records of U.V.M.P. are in the custody of the District Officer, Natal Police, Dundee, Natal."

This part of the roll is distinguished by many entries in the 'Remarks' column, as well as many others following the names. These entries may have been made by a spider dipped in ink and then chased across the pages, so they are often impossible to decipher. However, it is clear that members of the unit were recruited from far and wide, and you may well be right in suggesting that these other units were the source of medals for the UMP.

However, it does seem as though a fair number of medals named to the UMP were issued, hence my search for one to add to my Natal Police collection.

I still hope that I will be able to acquire one of these medals while I am still solvent and/or alive, but the hope is a faint one.

Regards
Brett

Hello Brett,
Yes, I see what you are talking about now and forgot about the volume, it is in WO100/261, I came across it by accident many years ago now whilst looking for something else, it certainly does make for very interesting reading.
A Major, six subalterns and some two hundred and thirty six rank and file, the service across the Natal Volunteers, the SAMIF and the Cape Volunteers too!
Regards Frank

Brett Hendey wrote: Frank

The only copied QSA medal roll in my possession is that for the Natal Police. It is an A4 copy of a copy, so it is often difficult to decipher. The last dozen or so pages are devoted to the Utrecht-Vryheid Mounted Police. The initial entry reads:
"Records of U.V.M.P. are in the custody of the District Officer, Natal Police, Dundee, Natal."

This part of the roll is distinguished by many entries in the 'Remarks' column, as well as many others following the names. These entries may have been made by a spider dipped in ink and then chased across the pages, so they are often impossible to decipher. However, it is clear that members of the unit were recruited from far and wide, and you may well be right in suggesting that these other units were the source of medals for the UMP.

However, it does seem as though a fair number of medals named to the UMP were issued, hence my search for one to add to my Natal Police collection.

I still hope that I will be able to acquire one of these medals while I am still solvent and/or alive, but the hope is a faint one.

Regards
Brett