TOPIC:

As part of my ongoing research into what the Coldstream Guards (92 in number) were doing at Paardeberg I decided to cast my net wider having being left in doubt by help from QSA Mike they weren't in the mounted Infantry en-mass and started looking at the medal rolls of the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards to see if any of them were at Paardeberg and found 6 were entitled to the clasp in question , 1 Officer and 5 privates. The 1 Officer and 1 private were attached to HQ Staff and the other 4 privates were attached to 9 Division Staff( so a mounted infantry connection but not the one I was looking for) In fact one private got the elusive 7 battle bar combination.

At the end of the roll (page 236 of 661 on Ancestry) I found the awards of 4 Bronze medals to civilians attached to the Grenadier Guards-this roll by the way is WO 100/103. I thought this was most unusual and their names were Offord, Samuel, Rand Willliam (died 6/11/00), Milandri, Ernest and Hopkins Arthur.

I have always assumed (dangerous word I know) that bronze medals were for native troops only-any comments?

George
Bronze QSAs were also awarded to unattested civilian servants to senior officers. I don't know how many; probably few. I do have the bronze QSA awarded to Gen. Wauchope's groom in the collection. I posted a photo it and the naming style some time ago.
Regards
IL.

Greetings,

Am new to the site.

What was Wauchope's groom's name and do you have any other information about him?

Many thanks.

Garth
For your viewing:


Jobson's given name was Robert and little seems to be known about him. My guess would be that he was employed on Wauchope's estate and volunteered/offered to act as his groom when Maj/Gen Wauchope left for SA. There are some details of the Maj/Gen's departure in "The Life of Maj. Gen. Wauchope" and it seems that Robert Jobson (and the General's mare) left the Waverley Station shortly after the General's departure for the front.
Regards
IL.

Many thanks for this info.

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