TOPIC:

Thank you Arthur - this adds spice to the mystery. with regards to your point 3 - the medals are correctly named - the KSA in engraved style as per those for officers and impressed, as per later issue QSA's.

Now to find someone who can access the PMP records.

Regards

Rory

Game changer! He is not 11182 - Meurig Jones will be along shortly with the big reveal

Rory asked me to sort this out using the power of The Register database.

The Register has a note against Trpr 15203 John H Smith 74th company IY that he had been commissioned into the ASC and served as "Hammersley-Smith". The medal roll shows "R.H. Smith" but WO128 confirms he enlisted as "John H. Smith". The ASC KSA roll was known but not a QSA roll, indeed would there be a QSA roll for ASC Service?

Rory's purchase proved there should be a QSA roll for the ASC as the medal is named to the ASC. But, why couldn't "Hammersley-Smith" be found? Another typical mis-transcription: "Hammerslegsmith".

The Register corrects many such mis-transcriptions making finding names so simple.

The QSA roll confirms previous service as Trooper 15203 and in the Orange River Colony Police.

The QSA naming looked to me like late WW1 style naming, but the QSA roll confirms a medal was issued in 1903.

A very interesting man is our Hammersley Smith. Quite apart from deliberately enlisting with another name when he joined the IY (John Smith... really? Not very original...), he also served in the Provisional Mounted Police/Orange River Colony Police - fortuitously, I tracked down his papers there some of which, courtesy of Familysearch, I append below.

A very interesting gentleman, indeed, Rory. From 'John Smith' to 'R.H. Hammersley Smith' to 'R.H. Hammersley-Smith', at the age of only 20. Although only a clerk at Guinness's brewery, he evidently had the right connections. I note the all-important statement "He is a public school boy" in the letter of recommendation.

Another interesting point, from later years, is that although his highest rank was apparently lieutenant-colonel, he was awarded the CBE, which is usually given to colonels and brigadiers.

I might need to change my name to Thomas or perhaps I need a brain overhaul.

Ralph Henry Hammersley-Smith originally enlisted in the 74th Company IY as John H Smith with regimental number 15203. Really?

As shown above, in October 1900 he had a fair complexion, blue eyes & light brown hair.

These are the physical characteristics for 15203 John H Smith when he attested for service in the IY in January 1900:



Also a tattoo on the forearm for a 20 year old former public schoolboy in 1900?

This gets me confused on the chronology of his military movements:



So he enlisted in the 74th IY, then transferred to the Orange River Colony Police, then rejoined the IY before transferring to the ASC to finally get his commission?