TOPIC:

Mike and others
Odd, just now when I had another look at WO100/363 page 167 it came up as Marshall's Horse and going on I found Brewer's NFA entry under p171. See attached.

Nevertheless, Mike I would not knock that medal. The clasps agree with the roll and the item is a good discussion point.
Regards
IL.

Good Morning and Thank You Gentlemen......

Looks like Brewer though not unique is not that common..... Your information is greatly appreciated and will now become a part of my collection......

Thanks again,

Mike

I posted the following report in 2013 and it led to responses. I could not find these posts using the 'Search' facility, but perhaps someone else can do so.
Brett

QSA Tugela Heights clasp


The Tugela Heights clasp was awarded to Natal Field Force troops engaged in operations to relieve Ladysmith, who served between 14/2/1900 and 27/2/1900. It should always have been awarded in combination with the Relief of Ladysmith clasp, and ‘British Battles and Medals’ (1998 edition) records that it is “Impossible as a single bar”.

The August 2003 memoirs of Tpr F A Freshney of the Imperial Light Horse, who
was “Dangerously wounded” during the Battle of Colenso on 15/12/1899, records
that through the assistance of Winston Churchill he received his “war medal, with
the clasp ‘Tugela Heights’, earlier than I had anticipated.....”

Reference to the QSA roll for the 1st ILH revealed that not only did Freshney
receive a single clasp Tugela Heights QSA, but also the following, all of whom
were Battle of Colenso casualties:

722 Tpr N C Blakeway, KiA.
729 Tpr A R Jackson, KiA.
106 Tpr W H Longden, KiA.
725 Tpr J A Rawstone, Severely wounded.


Other wounded and unhurt members of A Squadron, 1st ILH, were awarded the
Relief of Ladysmith (and other) clasps as they clearly continued on active
service.

This error was compounded with the QSA’s awarded to the ILH’s casualties at the earlier (23/11/1899) Battle of Willow Grange. The QSA roll shows that the Tugela Heights clasp without an accompanying Relief of Ladysmith was issued to:

243 Tpr G Fitzpatrick, KiA.
250 Cpl J Hurst, Severely wounded.

Cpl Hurst also earned the Cape Colony clasp, which gave his QSA the probably unique clasp combination of Cape Colony and Tugela Heights.

It is possible that Winston Churchill hastened the award of the QSA to
Freshney, who was repatriated to Britain with a permanent disabling wound, believing that Freshney’s death might be imminent. (In fact, he died seven years later.) This led to all the ILH’s serious casualties at both Willow Grange and Colenso having their QSA’s issued early with the incorrect clasp, the error being made by an inexperienced, harassed and/or confused clerk in the War Office.

Brett Hendey
8/8/2013

LinneyI wrote: Mike and others
Odd, just now when I had another look at WO100/363 page 167 it came up as Marshall's Horse and going on I found Brewer's NFA entry under p171. See attached.

Hello Ian

Ancestry's index leaves a little to be desired, one reason why I am building a new one.

You are taking the page number from Ancestry's image number - the correct page number is (usually) stamped in the lower right-hand corner of each medal.

Regards
Meurig

Meurig
Actually, I took the image from the National Archives site; accessed via this site.. Nevertheless, I should have picked it up and that information is very useful to know..
Regards
IL.

I think I would be absolutely delighted to actually own that particular example, looking throughout WO100, I think the combination is likely deliberate for some reason or other, it would be nice to have the exact service of this recipient as a matter of fact, but, to the best of my knowledge, individual papers for members of the Natal Volunteers no longer remain extant.

QSAMIKE wrote: Good Morning and Thank You Gentlemen......

Looks like Brewer though not unique is not that common..... Your information is greatly appreciated and will now become a part of my collection......

Thanks again,

Moke