TOPIC:

Hello Alf,
The BSA Co medal has always been a favourite of mine, Fairlie is not on the published rolls, but, as there are omissions on both Colin Owen's and Roberts rolls, I use neither, I reley on copies of the actual rolls from which the medals were issued, these give far more information such as the recipients address and in the case of the 1893 medal, they also show the engagements in which the recipient participated in, as it had been originally intended to award battle clasps for Shangani, Bembesi and Singuesi.
I have to say that after reading this post on Fairlie, I am not very optimistic about finding him as being entitled to the 1896 medal, however, I will certainly have a look for you.
Regards Frank

anthony03 wrote: Hi Brett- Many thanks for the information. It is hard to believe that he wore the BSA Company medal with being questioned by his fellow officers. He was also in command of the Durban Harbour Police and the the Zululand Native police so who knows what else he got involved in ?
Kind regards
Alf

Many thanks Frank - I really appreciate all the help you and everybody on this forum gives.
Kind regards
Alf

Mark Wilkie wrote: C.E. Fairlie had the QSA with Natal clasp and was later awarded the SA 1901 clasp presumably in 1909. As far as I can tell his SA 1901 clasp was amongst the 327 clasps sent to the NP on 7 May 1909.

Although the ruling that service in the NP didn't count towards the KSA had been made in 1906 the NP were deeply unhappy about this. In hope, protest or defiance the NP [signed by Col W Clarke dated 9 July 1908 at PMB] sent an application claiming SA 1901 and SA 1902 clasps for the corps but stopped short of making any entry in the column headed "Whether also entitled to the King's South Africa Medal." Period of service was given as "11-10-99 to 31-05-02"; clearly showing the NP believed they had served for the duration; a strong hint that they deserved the KSA.

Under "Remarks" the processing clerk/official has entered the following with an arrow to the KSA entitlement column "Not eligible for KM. Informed 21-03-10."

It is known that some members of the NP wore KSAs presumably in the belief that they had been wronged by the powers-that-be. Certainly one can understand and sympathise with their feelings. Perhaps Fairlie held this belief and this would account for the KSA in the group.

Cheers,

Mark

Hi all, I've included an earlier post of mine from this thread for reference and also because I've since had some additional thoughts on the KSA issue. Firstly, I wonder if Fairly ever wore a KSA (medal or ribbon) while still serving [or ever?]? The reason I ask this is that the 1910 Nonquai picture of FA Campbell is often pointed to as an example of an officer of the NP wearing a KSA he wasn't entitled to. It is true that Campbell appears to be wearing a KSA ribbon in this photo. However, I have serious doubts this photo was actually taken while he was a serving member of the NP.

I have a photo of Campbell in 1904 at his son's wedding. He isn't in uniform and looks a very much younger man than in the 1910 Nonquai photo. Campbell retired in 1905 so this photo was taken just months before his retirement. Campbell later was in poor health and died in May 1910. I therefore think it is likely that the photo with Campbell with the KSA ribbon was taken while he was in poor health after his retirement possibly at a time when he knew he probably didn't have long to live. There was a miniature KSA with his medal group but both the alleged full-size KSA (if he ever had one) and CGHGSM are missing. Just his South Africa Medal (1879 clasp) and QSA survive. Thus there seems to be no evidence that Campbell actually had a KSA or that apart from a photo likely taken after retirement and shortly before his death that there is evidence that he actually wore a KSA. The NP were informed only on 21 March 1910 that they weren't getting SA 1902 clasps and presumably the KSA. As this is when that is dated it probably still had to be sent so one wonders if Campbell ever heard this before he died. Did he have the photo taken believing he would get a KSA but didn't have long to live? Did he wear ribbons rather than medals because he didn't actually have a full-size KSA to wear for the photo?

Given that the majority of members of the NP that were awarded KSAs weren't really entitled to them one can't help wondering how that went went down with others within the force? Did Dartnell and Co brush the others off with a "don't worry lads! Yours will be along soon enough." Were the others led to believe they were going to get KSAs and that resulted in members wearing the ribbon?

Or was there resentment and this was a 'protest?' "I believe I'm entitled to a KSA and I'm going to wear it! You have been awarded a KSA but you actually weren't entitled. Object to me wearing a KSA and I'll make a noise about you wrongfully having been awarded one!" Result; checkmate. One would like to believe that the above wasn't true but if officers of the NP were openly wearing KSAs that they hadn't been awarded then there must have been some kind of understanding for this practice to have been permitted.

I have heard of instances of soldiers on long campaigns where a medal has been authorised being allowed to wear the ribbon before actually receiving the medal. Did something like this happen in the NP and there was a genuine belief the medal was coming and years later when it was clear it wasn't coming that the practice just continued?

To be fair to Fairlie, do we have a photo of him actually wearing his medals? Could it be that he lost a medal and got replacements and or merely had others laying around and years later a relative took them as his and put them all together on the same bar? Unless we have some kind of proof we shouldn't automatically presume the worst of these men. They may well have never actually worn these medals.

Cheers,

Mark

Hi Mark

The NP and the KSA is a minefield and you are right to consider individual cases (such as F A Campbell's) on their own merits.

When I saw Fairlie's miniature group I assumed that it was Fairlie himself who had the medals mounted for wear. Rory will be able to report on whether or not the full-size medals are similarly mounted and if the family has photographs of Fairlie wearing either set of medals.

Many years ago, I acquired a single QSA (CC, Rhodesia, OFS, Tvl) named to a man (Trooper R Scott), who had served in the BSAP and SAC during the Boer War. There was a break of a few weeks in his service in the two units, so he did not qualify for the KSA. However, when he joined the NP after the SAC disbanded, he was recorded as having both QSA and KSA and photographs of him show him wearing the two ribbons. It was common for members of the SAC to have both medals, so I expect that Scott felt that he should have the medal as well. In his case, there was probably no-one in the NP who was in a position to query the validity of his medal.

Having medals named to someone else, which applied to both Fairlie and Scott, were easily explained as replacements for lost medals.

By the way, Scott was later awarded the Colonial (Natal) LS & GC Medal, which is now missing, as is the KSA he wore.

Regards
Brett

Good afternoon gentlemen,
Well, I actually took the BSA Co 1896 Supplementary roll to bed last night, having looked at the 1896 rolls and the various addenda of certain corps as well and I cannot find him!
I suspect that he was not entitled to this medal, but, I have not finished looking quite yet!
Regards Frank

Hi Brett- Rory posted a pic of his medals (not the miniatures) in an article about 6 months ago see
angloboerwar.com/media/kunena/attachments/1320/FairlieCE.jpg

They appear in the same order as the miniatures.
Kind regards
Alf