TOPIC:

Gentlemen/Ladies
Here is a group to Asst. Paymaster/S.T. Payr A.C.BERE, RN. QSA engraved to HMS Sybille" and A.C.S. BERE received their Lordship's appreciation "for his gallant effort to establish communication with the stranded ship by swimming out to the drift line. Wreck of the Sybille 6/1/01". QSA roll shows "Cape Colony" clasp; but NOT S.A.1901. As A.C.S.Bere had otherwise landed on duty at Lambert's Bay during January and February, 1901 it would certainly appear that he was entitled to the dated clasp. Would anyone care to comment on this apparent anomaly?
Any comment appreciated.
Ian Linney.

Ian,

Sybille was on station until 25 February 1901 so, in theory, most of the men on board should have received the SA01 clasp. Looking at the roll for HMS Sybille, very few people received the SA01 clasp. Of the 272 entitlements, 187 were for a no clasp medal, 80 for the single clasp CC and the remaining 5 received CC and either SA01 (4) or CC and SA02 (1).

Looking at the other ships that were in South Africa into 1901, they seem to be in a similar position with few issues of SA01. It is possible that only if the ship returned for the so called 'extended period' did they gain entitlement to date clasps.

It would seem the entitlement to the clasps was applied differently by the Navy and Army?

Regards
David

David
Thanks for that. I had not considered that date clasp entitlements might be considered differently in the Senior Service.
Regards
Ian Linney.