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Picture courtesy of DNW

A C.B.E. group of five to Lieutenant-Colonel R. M. Daniel, Royal Garrison Artillery, who as a Captain in the British South Africa Police served at the Defence of Mafeking, latterly Resident Commissioner of the Bechuanaland Protectorate

CBE (1st, civil)
QSA (3) OFS DoM Tr (Capt. R. M. Daniel. B.S.A. Police.);
KSA (2) (Capt. R. M. Daniel. B.S.A. Police.);
BWM and VM (Major R. M. Daniel)

CBE London Gazette 3 June 1927.

Roland Mortimer Daniel, British South Africa Police, served at the Defence of Mafeking. During the siege he is recorded as being involved in the production of powder and fuses in the ordnance factory that was formerly the railway workshops: ‘An Ordnance Factory had been started, formed in the railway workshops, and conducted by Connely and Cloughlan, of the Locomotive Department. Daniels [sic], of the Police, supplemented their efforts by making both powder and fuses. The factory turned out shells, and eventually constructed a 5.5 inch smooth-bore gun, which threw a round shell with great accuracy to a considerable range.’ (The Great Boer War, by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle refers).

During the Great War Daniel served as a Major in the Royal Garrison Artillery on the Western Front from 30 March 1916. Later with the Royal Air Force, he was ranked as an Acting Lieutenant-Colonel in May 1918 and Acting Colonel in December 1918, serving as an Administrative Officer under the D.G.A.P. His Great War medals were sent out to the ‘Resident Commissioner, Mafeking, Cape Province, South Africa’. Later, ranked as a Lieutenant-Colonel, he was employed by the Colonial Office in South Africa on survey work and was latterly the Resident Commissioner of the Bechuanaland Protectorate, 1928-30 having previously been awarded the C.B.E. in 1927 as an Assistant Resident Commissioner.

Sold with an archive of original hand-written letters from Roland and/or Clare Daniel to members of the family. From The Residency/Government House, Francistown, Bechuanaland, 1904 (2); 1907 (7), plus postcard; from Paris, 1908; from Francistown 1908 (3); aboard ship 1908; from Naples 1908; from Dixon’s Hotel, Mafeking, 1909; from Francistown, 1909 (3); 1911 (4); 1912 (6); from Cape Town, 1913; from Francistown, 1913 (1); 1914 (1).

Together with a typed letter to Lieutenant-Colonel R. M. Daniel, C.B.E., c/o Colonial Office, Downing Street, London, from the Government Secretary’s Office, Mafeking, Bechuanaland Protectorate, dated 30 April 1930, reading, ‘I have the honour, by direction, to inform you that in a despatch recently received from the High Commissioner, His Excellency remarks as follows: I very much appreciate the personal interest which Colonel Daniel has taken in this work which represents a considerable advance upon any previous map’.

David
Captain Roland Mortimer Daniel (as he was during the South African campaign) was an interesting chap. Indeed to a rather greater degree than cited by the extract from AC-D. Colin Walker's Mafeking Siege Register reveals Lt. Daniel was mentioned several times in the Mafeking Mail Siege slips; that for 7/1 mentions ".....in attack commanded Hotchkiss gun". BP's diary records Daniel as "In charge, crow's nest gun", also recorded as "succeeded in improving percussion fuse for 7 lb shell" (together with Major Panzera). BP recommended him for an Imperial Commission. On a more social note, Daniel was observed by a diarist as "Last evening was musical. Daniels of BSAP created a lot of fun by his singing. He has no idea and always sings flat but appears to be happy".
I am pretty sure I have located a group pic of Lt. Daniel as he then was. I will post it if I find it.
Regards
IL.

Interested members
I located the mentioned group pic quicker than I thought. It was in the Black and White Budget of 10/2/1900 -



Lt. Daniel appears to be top, LHS.
In some recent posts, some of the pics from B@W, WFP,APGW I have submitted have been a bit ropey in as much as not being properly centered, slightly skewed, etc. The reason being that the illustrations have been almost impossible to photograph entirely flat unless I crack the books' binding. Which I am quite reluctant to do.
Regards to all
IL.

Interested members
Seeing that this topic is about the BSAP - and the illustrated group has not been aired for quite some time - here goes:-

(1) CMG unnamed
(2) BSAC medal 1893 reverse, no clasp, engraved to "Maj. F.W.Panzera Har. Mil R.E."
(3) QSA with clasps "Defence of Mafeking" and "Transvaal" engraved to "Major F.W.Panzera BSA Police"
(4) KSA with two date clasps, engraved to "Major. F.W.Panzera, R of O"
(5) BWM impressed to "Col. F.W.Panzera".
During the siege of Mafeking, after the deaths of Capts. Marsham and Pechell, Major Panzera became C.O. Artillery. He designed "the Wolf" (cannon made in the Railway Workshops), led an attack on the Boer lines at the Brickpits and was otherwise very active during the siege. Was highly commended by BP (MiD 18/5/00); who tried to get Major Panzera a commission in the RA.
During the Great War, Colonel Panzera became Officer in Charge of the Alien Detention Camp at Knockaloe, I of M. He died on duty, 4/6/1917.
Regards to all
IL.

What a group!

Picture courtesy of DNW

BSACM, reverse Rhodesia 1896 (1) Mashonaland 1897 (3358 Pte. J. Whalen, 4/Rif. Bde.);
QSA (1) Rhodesia (205 Corpl. J. H. Whalen. B.S.A. Police.);
KSA (2) (205 Serjt: J. H. Whalen. B.S.A. Police.);
BWM (5751 Pte. J. H. Whalen. L’pool R.);
[VM]

John H. Whalen served in South Africa 1896-97 with No. 4 Section, Rifle Company, Mounted Infantry, comprising 28 other ranks under Lieutenant H. E. Vernon. The other three Sections comprised of men from the 2nd Rifle Brigade, and 3rd and 4th K.R.R.C., all under the overall command of Captain A. V. Jenner, 4th Rifle Brigade.

Whalen later transferred to the B.S.A. Police for the Mashonaland 1897 campaign (Clasp) and served with them throughout the Boer War, rising to the rank of Sergeant.

He served as a Private in the Liverpool Regiment during the Great War.