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Hi Brett- I know this item was discussed a while ago but I have his mounted miniatures in my possession.( see pic) Do you have any further info on the BSA Company Medal?
Kind regards
Alf

Hi Alf

I could not confirm the award of the BSACo Medal to Fairlie. We know from the addition of the KSA to his group that Fairlie was not against "sexing up" his entitlement, but I suppose it is now impossible to know why he felt entitled to the Rhodesian medal. I have a group to a Natal Policeman who left the NP to join the Natal Troop in Rhodesia, and another to a Rhodesian veteran who joined the NP after leaving the NT. There were probably others like them, so perhaps Fairlie simply envied them for having such a desirable medal to wear.

In spite of the shortcomings of the Fairlie group, the man remains a significant figure in the history of the Natal Police/SAMR and his "warts and all" miniature group is well worth having in a collection.

Regards
Brett

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

Hi Alf

At the time that Fairlie lived in Natal, the population with links to the military and police was relatively small and I suspect that at least some of the men who had served alongside Fairlie must have known or suspected that he had added to the array of medals to which he was entitled. If so, perhaps they were too polite to protest and the charade was allowed to continue.

Interestingly, this week, Durban's morning newspaper was less reserved and it published an account, with a photograph, of the newly appointed Officer Commanding of the Durban Light Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Sibusiso Mbuyazi, who has been wearing the medals of a former Chaplain of the DLI, rather than his own less impressive group. The Colonel claims they were "planted" on his tunic and a later report in the newspaper records that the criminal theft charge "has been dropped for lack of evidence".

Regards
Brett

Hi Alf

All the cameos/biographies written iro Fairlie that I have seen including an account of his own confirm that he was not anywhere near Rhodesia in 1896 or at any other time the medal could have been qualified for.

The KSA, as has been confirmed, was another medal to which he was not entitled.

Regards

Rory

Hi Rory - Many thanks I agree but who would know what the truth was as those were peculiar times. All very interesting though. I also have a pair of medals to a South African who was a Air Corporal with the SAAF and he has a Rhodesian Territorial Long service (12 years) which is also a mystery.
Cheers
Alf