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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

[ BSACM ]
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (1113 Tpr. R. W. Mc Namara. Steinaecker’s. H.) suspension claw possibly re-pinned, edge bruise, nearly very fine

Ralph William Mcnamara was born at King Williamtown, Cape Colony, in 1876 and served with the Rhodesia Horse as part of the Salisbury Field Force in 1896 and with the Garrison Volunteers in 1897.

He enlisted as a Corporal in Steinaecker’s Horse on 10 November 1900, and was discharged, medically unfit, on 1 August 1901. He re-enlisted as a Sergeant in the Canadian Scouts at Pretoria on 15 August 1901, and was finally discharged on 20 March 1902.

1218 TROOPER HENRI MERBER: STEINAECKER'S HORSE.
REPLACEMENT ISSUED MEDAL

A recently acquired QSA to Steinaecker's Horse, one of my favourite units from the conflict.

I quote from the book "Steinaecker's Horsemen" by Bill Woolmore (2006) as follows:

"MERBER Henri (Harris), Trooper No. 1218: Born Prussia on 25 December 1875. He is believed to have fought with the Boers in the Transvaal native wars. No previous Anglo-Boer War service. Enlisted in SH at PMB on 14 December 1900-farmer, age24, height 5'8", grey eyes, brown hair. NOK: father, B. Merber, Prussia. Discharged time expired at PMB 24 November 1902 after the cessation of hostilities. Qualified for the QSA medal with clasps Transvaal, SA1901 & SA1902."

Certainly would have been an interesting character having been involved with the Boer actions during their ongoing conflicts with the indigenous population, but siding with the imperial forces in the second Anglo Boer War

Perhaps Merber and Steinaecker were known to each other as fellow countrymen? Perhaps they conversed and reminisced about the 'old country' once in a while?

There is no record of his name entered into the casualty lists, so he came through his service unscathed following two years in a very unhealthy part of the country.

I am afraid that I cannot pin him down to any of the skirmishes or incidents that the corps were involved in, but I would imagine that he was witness to a good deal.


Queen's South Africa medal awarded to 1218 Trooper Henri Merber bearing clasps as detailed in Woolmore.



Number, rank and naming officially impressed to the rim.



Regimental naming to the rim. Please note the very deeply impressed inverted apostrophe.


(REPLACEMENT) impressed loud and clear to the rim! Parentheses rather deeply impressed. I have previously seen QSAs with (DUPLICATE) impressed to them, but this is a first encountered marked thus.

Maybe the original was lost or stolen and Henri Merber requested this replacement issue.
Despite not being his original medal, I am pleased to have found this example to the regiment. He obviously felt proud of his imperial service and felt the necessity of being able to wear his award on appropriate occasions.


Medal Roll for Steinaecker's Horse.

Close up of the entry into the Remarks column of the Medal Roll. I note 'Replacement IVA.93. 4/2/58' . Would this be the date of issue of the replacement medal?

Any further information regarding Trooper Merber would be very much appreciated.

Steve,

Yes, I think that is the date of the replacement.

No new information here but something to add to his documentation.

Would you say this is the same signature?



This man, perhaps Henry Thomas Merber seems to have been born in Germany in 1858 and died in Durban, 11 December 1960.

I think they are a pretty good match!
But his birth date being in conflict with his attestation by a difference of 17 years.


I found this Death Certificate by courtesy of Familysearch which also gives a birth date for 1857 in Prussia, making him 102 years old at his death!
Interestingly, it states that he was in receipt of a War Veterans Pension.
Maybe the date on his attestation was in error. If as it says on his attestation document that he was involved in the Kaffir Wars, the greater age would be relevant ( I will have to explore the dates of the Kaffir Wars further in order to be more confident in this assumption).

Steve.
Your mans confirmation medal roll for Transvaal clasp