TOPIC:

We all collect and research medals and their recipients for a variety of different reasons - some are regimental collectors, others collect to their surnames or to a specific theatre or battle of a specific campaign or war. Whatever the reasons why we collect you will have to agree that what I am about to share with you must rate among the quirkiest.



Background

Whilst idly "researching" a QSA medal to J. Hawthorne of the Stockenstrom D.M.C. in the recent Noonan's Auction (with a view to making a bid), I stumbled across a Form of Information of a Birth (Cape Colony) where, under the name of the father, the name Joseph Hawthorne appeared as the father of a child born in 1895 in the Balfour district of the Eastern Cape. So far so good - I knew this to be the recipient whose medal I was about to place a bid on.

Eureka!

As I scanned the document for other pertinent information I saw that one N.J. Didloff, a step-brother to Hawthorne, had provided the information of the birth - I paused, hesitated almost, did I not possess a medal to a Nicolaas Johan Didloff? A quick search of my "database", a very simple excel spreadsheet, revealed that this was in fact the case, I had his S.A. General Service Medal, 1878/79 to Sgt. N. Didloff of the 1st Stockenstrom Volunteer Rifles!

My interest was now thoroughly aroused as I continued to glance further down the form. Well blow me down with the proverbial feather! There at the very foot of the form appeared the name and signature of the Deputy Registrar of the district of Stockenstrom (aka the Justice of the Peace); lo and behold if this was not one Augustus Welsh, another name that rang a bell. Back to the trusty excel spreadsheet and yes, there it was, Capt. A. Welsh, O.C. of the Adelaide D.M.T. in the Anglo Boer War! I had his medal as well!

How could this be? On one random sheet of paper, I had the medals to all three worthies mentioned.

Aftermath

Call me sentimental, call me a fool, call me whatever you like - I simply had to put these three back together again, if not in person, then by uniting their medals into one. Suffice it to say, my bid was entered and the medal arrived today, to be placed next to those of the other two.

Back to my opening statement at the start - we all collect for different reasons, to different themes.....



Regards

Rory

What an amazing and fortunate coincidence. Congratulations!

It's a small world as they say!
But you have to do the groundwork to make these things happen!
Congrats

Moranthorse1 wrote: It's a small world as they say!
But you have to do the groundwork to make these things happen!
Congrats

That or maybe it's telling me I have too many medals Steve

You can never have too many medals Rory!!
But maybe my missus would disagree! Lol!