TOPIC:

Further to my earlier post regarding Railway Official Willem Punt please find above images of his QSA which arrived from City Coins today.

Accompanying the medal was the medal roll for 'STAFF FOR ENGINEER SERVICES' on WO100/155 confirming entitlement to the medal.

Interestingly, this medal roll touches on a subject I have previously brought up on this thread. Which is that of the different trades and occupations of people associated with the railway system at the time.
Among those on this page include :
PENSIONER STOREKEEPER
ASSISTANT STOREKEEPER
MESSENGER
TEMPORARY SURVEYOR
SANITARY LABOURER

I assume that their QSAs would have their rank/title preceding their name?
All of whom are an important part of the mechanics of an efficient railway service.

Wouldn't you just love to pick up a QSA to the Sanitary Labourer!

Steve

MR. W. MITCHELL. IMPERIAL MILITARY RAILWAYS.

QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA.
CLASPS: CAPE COLONY /ORANGE FREE STATE.
CONDITION : NEF. BRIGHT, TONING TOWARDS RIM.

Mitchell was a Fireman for the IMR. As far as my own research goes I find no service with any other unit or organisation.
It is nice to obtain a QSA to the railways with two clasps, as they are far less common than the usual no clasp examples to civilians. It also guarantees that he worked trains within the zones of action.
His entitlements are detailed on the medal roll WO100/252, signed off at Pretoria in August 1902 by a Major of the Royal Engineers whose surname could possibly be Truss or Twiss. Could anybody please enlighten me as to this officer's correct surname. It would be great to have this bit of info as he seems to have signed off most of the medal rolls to the railways.
Steve.

Moranthorse 1
Major J.H.TWISS, Royal Engineers and MiD LG 10/9/01. Received Brevet of Major. On Staff with extensive ABW service in CC/OFS/TV between 1899 and 1902.
Regards
IL.

IL,
Indebted to you.
Many thanks for the info.
Regards,
Steve

Picture courtesy of Bidorbuy

The QSA to T Hope who worked in Cape Colony.

The seller says 'Mister Hope was given the rank of Warrant Officer. Unfortunately the clasp has been replaced, but QSA medals to employees of the Cape Government Railways are unusual.'

The rank on the roll is Driver. CC is crossed through, as usual.

1482-PRIVATE M. MCLENNAN. CAPE RAILWAY SHARPSHOOTERS

QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL
CONDITION : FINE. POLISHED WITH EDGE KNOCKS. REPLACEMENT SUSPENSION BAR FROM WW1 WAR MEDAL.
CLASPS : NONE. PRESENT BUT ENTITLED TO CAPE COLONY (WO100/270).

I could not find MCLENNAN on the Nominal Roll for the unit, but he is on the Medal Roll as above.
Medals to the unit are not too common on the market, so purchased it despite the suspension bar and the missing clasp issues.

The Cape Railway Sharpshooters were raised by Major R. G. Scott and as their name suggests were principally employed to protect the railway lines and armoured and regular trains.
I suspect that they would have been kept rather busy!