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Good Morning Everyone

While looking through some old copies of the O.M.R.S. Journal for an article for a fellow form member I came across a number of other articles that struck my fancy that I had forgotten about and of course had to read again.....

Articles titled: Q.S.A. & K.S.A. To Natal Police..... Members of Parliament and the Boer War (Those who served)..... War Correspondents: South Africa 1899-1902.....

and of course especially this one:

The Queen's South Africa Medal for Gallantry by Mr. Patrick Smith....

In his article he mentions that a number of Q.S.A.'s were awarded to members of the Postal Telegraph Department..... And I quote......

“Although the Post Master General and his staff had relieved the military of the responsibility of the telegraph, it seems as though the P.M.G. could not make his men work in a dangerous area, and most of this work was done by the military, or with their protection, the medals issued off this roll appear to have been issued to volunteers who went with the military, or lone men out on the veldt caught up in a surprise attack”.....

The roll is broken down into two sections: Postal Telegraph Department, Cape Colony, (26 names 2 medals un-issued) and Engineering Staff, Department of Cable and Telegraph (26 names) Each name with a short description of why they are on the roll..... Each name is just Initial and Last name..... Roll: W0100/279

I have in my collection:

CARLISLE, J., Linesman with the GPO.....

"Accompanied Colonel Scobell's Column to relief of Jamestown and patrolled section of line while district was in disturbed state.”

Mike

WO100/279p149p154 makes for interesting reading as you suggest with detailed notes for each men.

This is the header for the page. To some extent you can see why Ancestry indexed the unit at Cape Colony but did no one think that was odd?



A couple of sample Notes sections:

Mike, thank you for an interesting account of another ABW medal oddity.

Your mention of the QSA and KSA to the Natal Police reminded me of a thread on this subject several years ago:
angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-awar...natal-police?start=0

Regards
Brett