TOPIC:

It's a small world in which we live Sturgy.

As it so happens the QSA/KSA pair to Charles Philpott (ASC) resides in my collection. Here are a few shots of it.

Sturgy wrote: Hi Sapper97,

Genealogical research is like solving a mystery puzzle; 80% dead ends, 20% frustration but lots of fun.

As you said there is limited information on this individual and there is also the small anomaly that the one surname has one "t" and the other has two "t"s in the spelling; not surprising when looking at the handwriting of his family name on the medal roll.

If we focus on the Prince Alfred Vol Guard then there was one "Philpot" family living in Port Elizabeth at the time; the father "Edgar" passed away in 1884 and had a young son "Charles":

A "Charles Alfred Philpot", plasterer by trade, was living in Port Elizabeth, born circa 1869, married in 1904:

The same "Charles Alfred Philpot", now widowed, remarried in 1917:

The same "Charles Alfred Philpot" passed away in 1933:

If it were just the single medal (QSA) then I would be fairly confident that this is your man behind the medal.

There were 2 other Charles Philpotts (2x"t") in South Africa, was was ex-military who also served in the Boer War with the Army Service Corp (Reg Number 6829); he was a Farrier Sgt who arrived in South Africa 6 Oct 1899 and would not have been awarded either medals. The other Charles Philpott died (drowned) in Cape Town in 1904, a fireman onboard SS Carisbrook Castle.

There is a good chance (80%) that "Charles Alfred Philpot", born circa 1869 in Port Elizabeth and died 1933 in Port Elizabeth is your man.....but still I can't explain the BSAC medal....so I'm not overly confident.

Good luck with the rest of your research and let us know if you find out any more information; perhaps start a new topic so we can add to it.

I have had someone else suggest that C.A. Philpot is the soldier in question. But the picture gets murkier when we see this family group sold in 2005: www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catal...-2593207/lot-1510673

So C.A. Philpot was a corporal in the Bulawayo Field Force, with no QSA. C. Philpot was a trooper with the Salisbury Field Force. So certainly identified as completely different men here! At any rate, C.A. is heavily documented but the mysterious Sarge C. Philpot is a bit of a ghost.

I am starting to wonder if my Philpot medal pair is actually totally unrelated to C.A. Philpot? Maybe despite that sale in 2005 there was no relation at all. Thinking that C. Philpot could have been born in England and later relocated to Port Elizabeth. So all attempts to search for South African records of Philpot's don't bring up any results for that reason.

Hi Rory,

Wow...small world indeed; thanks for sharing. Your man stayed in SA after the war and passed away there; his death cert still mentioned the fact that he was living off a military pension and was a Farrier.

Regards,
Sturgy

Hi Sapper97,

Based on the 2005 Spink sale I would say that there are only 2 options:

(1) There were 2x "C. Philpots" awarded with the BSAC medal; one served in the BFF whilst the other served in the SFF -or-
(2) It's was a double issue BSAC medal to the same man since he served in the BFF and SFF; whilst it happened with the QSA medals I don't know if this is feasible or has happened before with the BSAC medals (?).

Ref: This website


I can't see how the three medals back in 2005 were family medals as I can't find reference to a "C Phiplot" relative to "Charles Alfred Philpot".

Perhaps this is why the medal group was reduced from 3 to 2.

Since the one BSAC medal is named to "CA Philpot" I'm now even more confident that the QSA was awarded to "Charles Alfred".

Anyway thats my 5c worth.....happy research....

Regards,
Sturgy

There were many BSACO "double issue" medals. Not unusual at all - and not only with the Mashonaland 1890 combinations. Due to the previous 'family grouping' detail, the Port Elizabeth connection and the fact that seeming virtually all the Port Elizabeth Philpot's (single T) were part of the same family (check marriage witnesses etc) you can be virtually certain that there was only one 'C. Philpot' or "C.A. Philpot" who served in Rhodesia in 1896. Incidentally the "original typed issue register and roll" for the Rhodesia medal for the BFF adds (perhaps in pencil) the initial 'A' to Charles's name and also gives the added note of his address as "Box 97 Bulawayo".
RobM

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

BSACM Rhodesia 1896 (0) (Troopr. J. Bracken. “C” Troop. B.F.F.);
QSA (2) Rhodesia, Relief of Mafeking (798 Tpr: J. Bracken. S. Rhod: Vols:)

Two clasps noted on WO100/267p47