TOPIC:

JustinLuke,

If it is the KSA to Thomas Henry Addams Williams to which you refer, there is a link to the seller in the post.

The company is called War & Son:

Email: [email protected]
Phones: 07714 631 313 / 01568 616 414
Address: 11 Broad Street, Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 8BT

A renamed, raised date QSA on offer the London Medal Co


Pictures courtesy of the LMC

Described as:

QSA (0) with raised dates to reverse with unofficially re-engraved naming; (5129-TPR- F.H. FALLOWS – 7TH DRAGOON-GUARDS.)
British War Medal and Victory Medal; (3661 A.R.Q.M.S. F.H. FALLOWS. C.A.S.C.)

Frank Howard Fallows was born in Birmingham, England on 7th October 1880, an accountant by trade he would see service in South Africa during the Boer War as a Trooper (No. 5129) with the 7th Dragoon Guards. At some stage Fallows obviously lost his medal and replaced it with the renamed one that is now in the group.

He would re-enlist during the Great War, initially at Vancouver into the 238th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force on 27th July 1916 and then again at Shorncliffe, Kent on 27th September 1916, subsequently seeing service on the Western Front as an Acting Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant (No. 3661) with the Canadian Army Service Corps.

The expected duration of the Boer War was initially greatly underestimated with the first batch of Queen’s South Africa Medals being minted with the raised dates in the relief of the reverse (1899-1900). The main unit to receive a limited number of these medals being Strathcona’s Horse. This unit returned to Canada as a complete unit before the war ended and a quantity of raised date QSAs were presented by King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace. The medals originally being issued without clasps, with these being forwarded to the recipient at a later date.

It is unknown exactly how many raised date QSAs were issued and those that occasionally appear on the market are typically named to men who served with Lord Strathcona’s Horse. This grouping until very recently had been in a collection in Canada so it is highly likely that the Queen's South Africa Medal was originally named to a member of Lord Strathcona's Horse.

A rare opportunity to purchase an example of a raised date QSA.

£2,500.

Thanks David......

This is the second (re-named/removed) as a disk only was sold on ebay in 2017 with the name ground off......

Mike

Picture courtesy of eBay

Described as:

QSA (4) Natal, Orange Free State, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (354 Corl A W Johnson Ld Strathcona's H:)

With thanks to Mike for identifying this QSA.

Bars confirmed on Rolls - as many as 70 raised dates QSAs were issued with the dates 1899-1900 - 58 were presented (without bars) to members of Lord Strathcona's Horse by King Edward VII at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Very good condition on replacement ribbon - unofficial rivet on 1901 bar (arrived later than the other bars). Correct engraved naming. Fair amount of research on an interesting life including a photograph of Corporal Johnson from Kamloops Museum. Please see photographs.

ALFRED WILLIAM JOHNSON was born 1874. His parents were Wm. and Lucy Johnson, missionaries to Madagascar, who in 1895, were murdered in a riot there. He was at Ackworth, and afterwards at Bootham School. In 1890 he went into business at Sheffield, but his disposition was quite unsuited to such a life, and in two years’ time he went out to Canada. He had a rough and varied experience there, sometimes prosperous, sometimes “down on his luck” for several years. At length he qualified as a surveyor and obtained a Government appointment on the N.W. survey. In 1899 he volunteered for service with Strathcona’s Horse and fought in the South African War. In 1908 he married Mary L. K. Mackenzie, of Inverness, whom he had met in Canada. He settled in Kamloops, B.C., where he built a delightful home. Two children were born. In 1915 he came to England and, although over military age, persuaded the authorities to give him a commission in the Seaforth Highlanders. He was later transferred to the Pioneers and given a captaincy. He did very efficient work in range-finding and in mapping positions of enemy guns. He was killed by gas in the great German attack in April. After his death he was awarded the Military Cross. (extract from an In Memoriam piece by Bootham School)


Strathcona’s Horse was among the last regular military units to be raised and (lavishly) equipped by a private individual, entirely at his own expense. Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal, the Canadian High Commissioner to Britain, offered to raise and fund a Canadian cavalry unit for service in South Africa, specifying that the men be recruited from the North-West Territories, Manitoba and British Columbia. Recruitment began on 5 February 1900. In just four days its full authorised strength was reached. Many skilled horsemen (cowboys and members of the North-West Mounted Police) enlisted.

When they arrived in South Africa, General Lord Kitchener commented on the size and vitality of the Canadian horsemen (he would have had in mind the unimpressive physical appearance of many recruits from the unhealthy industrial cities of Britain). Their Commanding Officer is said to have replied ‘My apologies, sir. I combed all of Canada and these are the smallest men I could find.’ Strathcona’s Horse soon became famous for their outstanding scouting skills, their high rate of pay (Strathcona provided the money needed to augment their meagre Imperial Cavalry pay to the higher rate earned by the North-West Mounted Police) and their top-quality uniforms and equipment. These were mostly made in Canada, and were far superior to standard British army issue items, notably their high brown riding boots. Their distinctive stetson campaign hats became the standard issue to all Canadian units serving in South Africa. Bandanas loosely tied around the neck added the last touch of ‘cowboy tradition’ and were highly appreciated on the veldt.

In June 1900 Strathcona’s Horse joined Sir Redvers Buller’s Natal Field Force. ‘From the moment of their arrival, they served with marked success. I can hardly speak too highly of the value Strathcona's Horse have been to the Natal Field Force.’ (Buller’s Despatch, London Gazette February 1901 refers.) They took part in seven major actions as part of the Earl of Dundonald's 3rd Mounted Brigade. The unit suffered 50 casualties, 12 killed in action, 14 died of disease, 24 wounded.

After the occupation of Pretoria and the annexation of the South African Republics, Lord Roberts declared the war to be over and left for England in December 1900. As a privately sponsored unit whose contractual year of service was close to its expiry, Lord Strathcona’s Horse was one of the first to be withdrawn. The regiment embarked at Cape Town on 20 January 1901 and landed in London on 14 February. On arrival at the Royal Albert docks, the men were immediately disembarked and transported by train to Kensington Barracks, then marched to Pall Mall to line the streets through which the King drove to Westminster to open his first Parliament. ‘The honour of being allowed to take some small part in this historic event was fully appreciated by all ranks.’

Lord Strathcona’s men met their sponsor for the first time 50 or so were selected to be personally presented with their newly minted medals by King Edward VII. They were the first regiment to receive the South Africa war medal (without clasps, as these were not yet ready at the time of the ceremony and were distributed separately). The obverse of the medal bore the head of Queen Victoria, who had died while the regiment was at sea, and the dates 1899-1900 were on the reverse (the dies were altered shortly afterwards).

£7,750