TOPIC:

Once in a while the clerks at the medal office whilst not getting it exactly wrong, sometimes failed to link a man to all the units with whom he served. A bit of sleuthing can sometimes unearth an interesting recipient and, in the case of Charles Rush, I think I have found one.

On the surface we have a common or garden medal to a Charles Rush, Lance Corporal, who served with the Vryburg Town Guard. This kind of medal would normally not be afforded a second glance by a collector BUT, add to the mix the Charles Rush who, as Foreman with the Cape Government Railways based at Vryburg, was taken prisoner by De la Rey, and the man starts to command more attention.

The Charles Rush, Vryburg TG and the Chas Rush, Station Master, Cape Government Railways I believe to be the same man. The medal roll (snippet attached) iro the CGR service records in the remarks column that Rush:

"Was stationed at Vryburg as Foreman at the commencement of hostilities and taken prisoner by General De la Rey. He volunteered to go with the Doctor's coach to the relief of the wounded at Kraaifontein, but was driven back by the enemy, and assisted the military in other ways."

Suddenly, Charles Rush has developed into rather an interesting character!

Regards

Rory