Welcome, Guest
Username: Password: Remember me
  • Page:
  • 1

TOPIC:

Medals to the Orange River Scouts 4 years 7 months ago #65079

  • djb
  • djb's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Posts: 31550
  • Thank you received: 4500
The Orange River Scouts were commanded by Captain Nolan-Neylan. There is a page for them here: Orange River Scouts and a separate page for Neylan's Orange River Scouts. The criteria for how medals came to be named to one or other of the units is not clear. Neither is why some medals are named to Neylan's Orange River Scouts and others to Naylan's

The QSA section of the medal roll for the OR Scouts can be found between pages 14 and 35 of WO100/263.

Many men listed on the roll are crossed through as they served elsewhere and others had their medal issued off other rolls.

Page - names listed - issued elsewhere - cumulative nett
14 - 10 - 8 - 2
15 - 6 - 5 - 3
16 - 17 -8 - 12
17 - 18 - 9 - 21
18 - 20 - 6 - 35
19 - 17 - 6 - 46
20 - 13 - 5 - 54
21 - 17 - 13 - 58
22 - 17 - 10 - 65
23 - 19 - 13 - 71
24 - 14 - 6 - 79
25 - 17 - 8 - 88
26 - 17 - 13 - 92
27 - 20 - 13 - 99
28 - 19 - 9 -109
29 - 17 - 8 - 118
30 - 17 - 8 - 127
31 - 18 - 12 - 133
32 - 18 - 14 - 137
33 - 14 - 6 - 145
34 - 18 - 9 - 154
35 - 1 - 0 - 155

There are a few additional men on the supplementary roll:

53 - 1 - 0 - 156
54 - 3 - 0 - 159
55 - 2 - 0 - 161
56 - 5 - 0 - 166
59 - 1 - 0 - 167

Nett to the unit is estimated to be 167 QSAs.

Spink sold this medal last week: QSA (4) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (97 Tptr. F. V. W. Reid. O.R. Scouts.)

Some of the Orange River Scouts attestation papers are available.

Frank Victor Wallace Reid was born in West Kensington, London, 17 December 1887. He was aged just 15 when he attested in Neylan's Imperial Scouts on 7 April 1902 in Bethulie and was given the rank of Trumpeter. Already an experienced soldier, he had previously served for 7 months in the SAMIF. He measured 4'6" and weighted 74 pounds with fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. Of his 5 Shillings pay per day he chose to send 3 Shillings 4 Pence to his father, William Henry Reid of Wisbeach, Mouille Point, Cape Town.

His time in the OR Scouts was brief for he was discharged on disbandment on 30 June 1902 after only 2 months and 28 days. His conduct was described as good and address after discharge was Wisbeach.
Dr David Biggins

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Medals to the Orange River Scouts 4 years 7 months ago #65080

  • djb
  • djb's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Posts: 31550
  • Thank you received: 4500
From Spink, November 2008

CMG n/b
CBE n/b
DSO GV
MC GV (‘Major A. Stephenson. 9th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. L’Epinette Salient March 1st 1916’)
QSA (3) Orange Free State, South Africa 1902, South Africa 1901 (98 Tpr. A. Stephenson. O.R. Scouts)
1914-15 Star (Capt: A. Stephenson. Yorks: L.I.)
BWM & VM with MID (Lt. Col. A. Stephenson.)
War Medal
Coronation 1937

CMG London Gazette 1.1.1919 T/Lt.-Col. Arthur Stephenson, DSO MC R. Scots, ‘For services rendered in connection with operations in France and Flanders.’

CBE London Gazette 8.6.1939 Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Stephenson, CMG DSO MC ‘For public services in Northern Rhodesia.’

DSO London Gazette 1.1.1918 T./Lt.-Col. Arthur Stephenson, MC R. Scots.

MC London Gazette 30.3.1916 Temporary Captain Arthur Stephenson, 9th Battalion, The King’s Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry), ‘For conspicuous gallantry. During a heavy bombardment by the enemy a man was wounded and lying in an exposed position on the parapet. Captain Stephenson and a Lance-Corporal rescued him, and rendered first aid, although they had to move their position three times owing to the trench being blown in.’

MID London Gazette 4.1.1917 Stephenson, Temp. Maj. A., MC Yorkshire Light Infantry ‘For distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty.’

MID London Gazette 18.2.1917 Stephenson, Temp. Lt.-Col. A MC Royal Scots

MID London Gazette 20.12.1918 Stephenson, T./Lt.-Col. A DSO MC R. Scots ‘For distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty during the period 25th February 1918 to midnight 16th/17th September 1918.’

Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Stephenson, CMG CBE DSO MC (1881-1950), born Devon; moved to South Africa and served as a Trooper in the Orange River Scouts during the Boer War.

He stayed in South Africa after the War and served in the Southern Rhodesia Civil Service, 1902-04; served in the Northern Rhodesia Civil Service, 1904-12; returned to England, May 1915, for service in the Great War, and served on the Western Front with the 9th (Service) Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, from later that year; Temporary Major 24.4.1916; Stephenson’s Battalion as part of the 64th Brigade, 21st Division, were present on the first day of the Battle of the Somme,1.7.1916; on the latter date, in conjunction with the 10th Battalion K.O.Y.L.I.’s, they took part in operations at Fricourt where they successfully captured two lines of enemy trenches within 10 minutes; the battalion withdrew the next day having suffered 455 casualties; the 9th Battalion were in action again during the operations at Gueudecourt, 16.9.1916, when they advanced under heavy fire from the south-eastern side of Flers towards Gird Trench; they fell short of the objective by 50 yards and withdrew during the night having suffered 389 casualties during the action; the Regimental History gives the 9th Battalion as having suffered 44 officers and 955 other ranks killed or wounded during July-September’s fighting; Stephenson transferred to the 16th (Service) Battalion (2nd Edinburgh) Royal Scots Regiment, 26.11.1916, and was made Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel Officer Commanding, 10.12.1916 (M.I.D.); after the War he returned to Rhodesia and was appointed Commandant Northern Rhodesia Rifles, 1919-25; being also made Chief Intelligence Officer for Northern Rhodesia, June 1920; Commandant Northern Rhodesia Police, 1925-30; before returning to a Military capacity with the outbreak of the Second World War, as Lieutenant-Colonel East African Forces, 1939-42; appointed as a Member of the Executive Council of Northern Rhodesia, January 1940, and served in that capacity for many years.
Dr David Biggins

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Medals to the Orange River Scouts 4 years 7 months ago #65081

  • djb
  • djb's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Posts: 31550
  • Thank you received: 4500
Trooper Stevenson and Trumpeter Reid had consecutive numbers so I was picturing them in discussion at the attestation station but this probably did not happen as they enlisted some weeks apart. Arthur Stephenson enlisted 24 March 1902 and listed previous service in the De Aar Town Guard.

At 6'0" and 160 pounds, he would have stood out next to the diminutive trumpeter
Dr David Biggins

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Medals to the Orange River Scouts 4 years 7 months ago #65082

  • djb
  • djb's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Posts: 31550
  • Thank you received: 4500
There have been very few medals to this unit on the market.

QSA (2) Orange Free State, South Africa 1902 (117 Tpr. G. H. Denton, O.R. Scts.) with ornate silver brooch bar inscribed, ‘1902 G. H. Denton’

Trooper George Harry Denton was discharged when the Orange River Scouts were disbanded on 30 June 1902.

DNW March 2008 £250 and March 2011 £220 (hammer)
Dr David Biggins

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Page:
  • 1
Moderators: djb
Time to create page: 0.353 seconds
Powered by Kunena Forum