TOPIC:

I thought I had shared these medals with the forum, but apparently not.

John Somerset Brabant - the brother to Arthur Edward Brabant of Elandslaagte and Long Valley fame, and another of General Brabant's sons, was probably an embarassment to the family.

John Somerset Brabant - he was with the B.S.A.P. in 1890 as one of the Pioneer’s. Appointed Native Commissioner of Mashonaland by Cecil John Rhodes he was with the Victoria Column in 1893 where he fought in both the Shangani and Bembezi engagements as a Lieutenant. Was Captain and in charge of Scouts in the Belingwe Column of 1896. A confidant of Rhodes and Dr Jameson, he was reviled by many for his penchant for African women and African beer (not sure in which order). Served with Driscoll’s Scouts in the Anglo Boer War before transferring to the Border Horse as a Private. Served with the Corps of Cattle Rangers before being discharged for Misconduct.

He died in the Transvaal in 1905, an almost penniless gold miner/prospector.

The more observant would have, perhaps, wondered if J.S. Brabant had been eligible for a KSA when I first posted this acquisition and, if so, what happened to it. I am delighted to say that, completely out of the blue, I received a message this morning with the photo below saying, simply, "We found it."

Brabant's KSA - to a Sergeant in Driscoll's Scouts - had been recovered in what must constitute a reunite. The lady went on to write:

"I gave my husband a box to fix that came from the same house it had been broken into. The medal had stuck between the board and the padding with other jewellery. We would never have known if I hadn't decided to try restore it."



The business side of things taken care of, the medal will head my way soon. What is intriguing is that the KSA, despite being issued off the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles roll (he was a Captain) is named to Driscoll's. I attach an extract therefrom.



What a great hobby this is!

Regards

Rory

Rory
Well, I am slightly abashed to say that I did not think about the possibility of a KSA being somewhere out there; I was more interested in J.S. Brabant's service with the CofCR as number B11 ("B" meaning a J'berg enlistment). His address was shown as "Father: Sir E.Y. Brabant, East London, Cape Town" and B11 Ranger James S. Brabant (age upon enlistment being 34) was discharged on 30th August 1901 for misconduct.
The Smith booklet about the CofCR does show quite a few similar sentencings - sometimes for serious charges like mutiny - but frequently just "misconduct".
James S Brabant's "misconduct" with CofCR could not have weighed too heavily against him as revealed by his promotion from Trooper to Sgt. with JMR.
And, lastly, such a reunite is always worth having and being reported on.
Regards
IL.

Thank you for that IL - interestingly, he was a Captain with the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles - strange that his KSA was not issued off their roll in that rank. There's probably a story there but somethings are just not meant to be uncovered. He died, unemployed, in Johannesburg in 1905.

Regards

Rory

Rory
It is also interesting to consider that - as Captain in the JMR - he would surely have known Capt. J.S.Laing, DSO, of JMR; whose group resides in my current custody.
Regards
IL.

That would indubitably be the case IL. He would have rubbed shoulders with another of my chaps as well - Captain Alfred Overett Gould.