TOPIC:

Henk,

That is a fantastic list. The two Guides' medals sound especially appealing.

Picture courtesy of DNW

DCM Ed VII (Serjt:- Maj: J. H. Zeeder. [sic] Kitchener’s F.S.);
BWM (2. Lieut. J. H. Zeder)

£1400-1800

Provenance: Christies, July 1985.

DCM LG 31 October 1902.

Joseph Herbert Zeder attested for Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts at Green Point, Cape Town, on 29 August 1901, having previously served for 19 months with the Cape Mounted Rifles, and served with the 1st Regiment during the Boer War. He was promoted Lieutenant 29 May 1902, and resigned his commission 7 July 1902. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 23 June 1902, and subsequently awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, one of only three D.C.M.s awarded to Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts.

Zeder re-engaged for service as a Second Lieutenant with the 4th Battalion Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry during the Great War, and served in the French theatre of war from 15 May 1916. He is recorded in Officers Died in the Great War as died of wounds ‘In German Hands’, 3 July 1916. Zeder is buried in the Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France.

Will post some later
Henk

Hi
I have never been able to get a DCM group specifically for the Defence of Mafeking.
However, the group to Rowland, which I bought at the Spink Boer War Sale of 20/21 October 1999, has a strong connection with the Defence of Mafeking and remains one of my favourite Boer War DCM’s.


MBE (2nd Type) Civil
DCM (Victoria): 104 Sergt: R. Rowland. Bechuanaland Rifles
QSA, 3 bars OFS, DoM, Tvl : 104 Serjt: R. Rowland. Bechuanaland R.
KSA, 2 bars SA’01, SA’02: 104 Sjt: R. Rowland. Bech’ld Rifles;
Coronation Medal 1902 (Bronze): Unnamed as issued
Jubilee Medal 1935: Privately named Richard Rowland, Esq. D.C.M., J.P.

Richard Rowland’s first recognition for Gallantry was during the Defence of Mafeking when he commanded the Barolongs during the Boer attack of 12 May 1900. He was mentioned by Col. Baden-Powell in the Mafeking Garrison General Orders, as published in the Mafeking Mail of 22 May 1900:
Corporal R. Rowland (30 men), Bechuanaland Rifles (wounded), in charge of Natives. Assisted the Barolongs materially in the defence of their Stadt, especially at the Western end in the evening, when, with a small party, he successfully contested the exit of the Boers till ordered to retire being wounded himself, and losing one killed and one wounded of his party.
Following the Relief of Mafeking the Bechuanaland Rifles saw service in the Cape Colony and the Western Transvaal. In early 1901 a squadron was in Lord Methuen’s column and they were in action in a running fight of almost 24 hours duration south of Wolmaransstad against the local Commando. Rowland was slightly wounded on this occasion, and it is quite possible that the MiD (London Gazette, 16 April 1901, p2609) for Rowland and his C/O, Captain Cowan, was for this skirmish.
On 24 October 1901, Col Von Donop was attacked by Boer Commandos under Genls Kemp and Celliers at Kleinfontein, 6km west of Groot Marico. After the Kleinfontein action, Rowland was mentioned by Col von Donop (LG 17 Jan 1902, p379):
For marked gallantry in collecting men and carrying messages under heavy fire. Has been twice previously mentioned.
The award of the DCM to Sgt Rowland was published in the LG of 28 Jan. 1902, p582.
In 1902 Rowland was one of the 5 NCO’s and men of the Bechuanaland Rifles chosen to form part of the Coronation Contingent. The official motivation for his inclusion stated that he had enrolled in the unit on 18 July 1899, that he had rendered good service since the outbreak of hostilities and that he had earned a DCM.
Ten years after the war Rowland settled in Kanye, Bechuanaland.
The following entry appeared in the “Historical Dictionary of Botswana” p296:
ROWLAND, RICHARD MONTSHIWA (1879-1945). Early trader and confidant of BaNgwaketse diKgosi. From Mafikeng, Rowland was of mixed ("coloured") descent but could pass for white. He moved to Kanye in 1912 as a trader. Alongside his many trading ven¬tures, he acquired a mining concession and ran the Moshaneng as¬bestos mine until his death. Kgosi Seepapitso II used Row land to re¬organize local commerce and to increase local cattle prices. Rowland was also crucial to Seepapitso's road and dam-building schemes. Al-ways close to local diKgosi, he became an adviser and aide to Bathoen II, and also hired Johnny Masire (father of future president Quett Masire) as his store manager. During the 1930s depression, he raised much money for poor relief. Rowland was very popular among the BaNgwaketse, and upon his death they demanded that he be buried locally. He was a Member, Order of the British Empire.
In the mid-1930’s he was a Justice of the Peace and was awarded a 1935 Jubilee Medal, being noted on the roll as
Trader of Kanye-Bangwaketsi Reserve, Bechuanaland Protectorate.
His final award was in the 1938 New Year’s Honours (Suppl LG 1 January 1938, p13) when he was appointed MBE (Civil) as follows:
Richard Rowland, Esq.,J.P., of Kanye, Bechuanaland Protectorate. For public services.

Henk

What a spectacular group, Henk.

Do you know how many DCMs were linked to the defence of Mafeking?

Looking at Abbott's book, these are the DCMs that mention the DoM

119 Sgt S Abrams, Cape Police
Sgt L Cook, Bechuanaland Rifles
Sgt H M B Currie, Cape Police
Sgt J W S Lowe, Railway Volunteer Corps
SM W Manning, 5th Dragoon Guards
SM P Moffatt, Railway Volunteer Corps
Trooper J Mulholland, Railway Volunteer Corps

It is interesting to note the distribution of ranks too.