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Hi Mike

Having cherished Willey's medals for more than 25 years, I am glad to know where it went to. It is the only "SA local unit" QSA paired with an AGS I have ever encountered.

Henk

As with all medals, we are only temporary custodians. The medals are in good condition and clearly came from a "caring "environment. Well done, Henk. I hope that I have them for another 25 years, but this is unlikely.
The SBC were an interesting unit and were recruited initially by Lt Scott Harden from ex Boer Commando members in the Ermelo and Christiana Districts. Although there was widespread unemployment and it was expected that there would be a flood of applicants, this didnt happen. He then recruited elsewhere in places like Durban and got some men to enlist under false, Boer sounding names . Probably the first example of "fronting 'in South Africa !
Regards
Mike

Henk

Here is another QSA to a local unit with an AGS medal.Perhaps not as desirable as a AGS to the SBC, it ticks off many boxes in my medal interest, a Colonial Unit, a Relief clasp, an unusual KSA and another GSM all in a group.

This was one of my first big swops and it cost me about 30 different Nazi badges and medals. I was nervous at the time, however with hindsight it was a great acquisition.

Sadly it remains poorly researched,but I hope to broaden the "man" in the future.

Briefly Muil attested with II Div,BSAP, Bulawayo on 11th October 1899 and was discharged by purchase on 9th February 1901. His clasps are confirmed on the BSAP roll as well as his qualification to a KSA.
He joined the A.S.C. with the rank of Conductor on 21st July 1901 and served till 31st May 1902.

The KSA Roll is quite clear on the issue of the SA1901 which was issued in 1907 to G.O.C. Pretoria. As a Conductor in the A.S.C. he would not be issued the date clasps on his KSA (daft rule, any body know the reason?). However his service in 1901 with the BSAP entitled him to the SA1901 clasp off the KSA roll and this is noted as such.
Checking out other Conductors it would seem this was the normal procedure, prior service with another unit qualified you to the relevant date clasps.

He went on to serve with the 22nd Co. A.S.C. and the AGS Roll lists 11 men with this unit, all Conductors except Muil who is a Head Conductor.

One of my favorite groups.

Jon

Picture courtesy of DNW

The group to Captain G. L. McDonnell, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, late Honourable Artillery Company and City of London Imperial Volunteers (7th Middlesex (London Scottish) Rifle Volunteers)

DCM GV (650 C.Q.M. Sjt. G. L. McDonnell, P.P. Can. L.I.); QSA (5) CC Paar Drie Joh DH (1409 C. Sgt. G. L. McDonnell, C.I.V.); 1914-15 Star (650 C.S. Mjr. G. McDonnell, P.P.C.L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. G. L. McDonnell); Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, E.VII.R., on H.A.C. riband (207 A./Bombr. G. McDnnell, B Bty. H.A.C., 2/C. of L.H.A.); Czechoslovakia, War Cross 1914-18; France, Victory Medal 1914-18.

DNW Mar 14. Estimate £2500-3000

DCM LG 3 November 1916:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion, when in charge of divisional headquarters transport, which were situated about 250 yards from the headquarters billets. The stables were set on fire by shell fire. Company Sergeant-Major McDonnell, in order to save the horses, made four journeys from the billets to the stables, under very heavy shell fire. He succeeded in saving all the horses and other Government property besides.’

McDonnell, who was awarded the T.F.E.M. in AO 163 of 1 July 1910, was commissioned as a Lieutenant (R.C.R.S.P. Depot), Overseas Contingent (Canada), General List, on 14 October 1916, and appointed a G.S.O. 3, as a Temporary Captain, Canadian Local Forces, on 20 March 1917.

A Sierra Leone CMG and Boer War DSO group of four to Honorary Lieutenant Colonel A.F.Tarbet, Lagos Hausa Force and South Lancashire Regiment.

CMG s/g b/b; DSO VRI; E&W Africa (2) 1892, Sierra Leone 1898-9(Asst Inspr A.F.Tarbet. Lagos Hausa Force); QSA (2) CC OFS (Major A.F.Tarbet. C.M.G. S/Lanc: Rgt.)


Picture courtesy of Bonhams

Major Alexander Francis Tarbet was born in 19th December 1860, son of William Tarbet, of Bedford. He was educated at Wellington College and joined the 4th Royal Lancashire Militia 1881. He served in Methuen's Horse, with the Bechuanaland Field Force in 1885 and with the Lagos Hausa Force 1887-94. He held the appointment as Private

Private Secretary to the Governor of Governor of Lagos, Sir Gilbert Carter KCMG from 1892-94 during which time he commanded the Lagos Housas in the Jebu Expedition of 1892 where he was Mentioned in Despatches. In 1894 Tarbet was appointed Inspector-General to the Sierra Leone Frontier Force and helped to quell the disturbance in Sierra Leone during 1897-99, when he commanded the Frontier Police on the Karene Expediton, again mentioned in despatches and was created CMG. This was one of the only three awards of the C.M.G. for the Sierra Leone campaign.

He served during the South Africa War 1900-01, as a Railway Staff Officer (graded as a DAAG.) Lines of Communications and afterwards as Commandant, Jagersfontein Road. He took part in operations in Orange River Colony, May to 29th November 1900; In Cape Colony, south of Orange River, February to April 1900 and operations in Orange River Colony November 1900 to July 1901; Queen's Medal with 3 clasps (sic). He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the DSO.

Tarbet resigned his commission in 1907 but rejoined the 3rd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment as Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in 1914 and served with that regiment at Home until the end of the war.

A Boer War DSO group including active service in the Second World War.


Picture courtesy of Spink

Brigadier-General A.C. Lewin, Connaught Rangers and Liverpool Regiment.

a) CB (M)
b) CMG
c) DSO VR
d) QSA (5) RoK Paar Drie Tr Witt (Capt. A.C. Lewin. L'pool R.)
e) KSA (2) (Capt. A.C. Lewin. D.S.O. L'pool. Rgt.)
f) 1914-15 Star (Lt: Col: A.C. Lewin. Conn: Rang:)
g) British War and Victory Medals (Brig. Gen. A.C. Lewin)
h) 1939-1945 Star
i) Africa Star
j) War Medal, the Second War awards all impressed 'Brig. Gen. A.C. Lewin. C.B. C.M.G. D.S.O.'
k) Jubilee 1935
l) Coronation 1937

CB LG 22.12.1916 Lt.-Col. (temp. Brig.-Gen.) Arthur Corrie Lewin, C.M.G., D.S.O., Capt., ret. pay, Conn. Rang., Spec. Res. 'For services rendered in connection with Military Operations in the Field in Mesopotamia.'

CMG LG 3.6.1916 Lt.-Col. Arthur Corrie Lewin, D.S.O., Conn. Rang., Spec. Res. 'For services rendered in connection with Military Operations in the Field.'

DSO LG 31.10.1902 Captain Arthur Corrie Lewin, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 'In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.'

Brigadier-General Arthur Corrie Lewin, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., born Edinburgh, July 1864, the son of Frederick T. Lewin, D.L., of Cloghans, Co. Mayo and Castlegrove, Co. Galway; educated at Cheltenham College and Trinity Hall, Cambridge; Commissioned Second Lieutenant, The King's (Liverpool Regiment), December 1895; promoted Lieutenant, February 1899; Served with the Liverpool Regiment during the Boer War; employed with the Mounted Infantry at the Relief of Kimberley; present at operations in the Orange Free State, February to May 1900, including the operations at Paardeberg, 17-26.2.1900, and the actions at Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Vet River, and Zand River; operations in the Transvaal, June 1900; and operations in the Orange River Colony, June to November 1900, including the actions at Rhenoster River and Wittebergen; promoted Captain, 5.12.1900; present at operations in the Cape Colony, December 1900 to March 1901; and operations in the Orange River Colony, March 1901 to May 1902; Awarded the Distinguished Service Order and twice Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazettes 10.9.1901 and 29.7.1902); exchanged to the 19th Hussars, with the rank of Captain, 24.5.1905; transferred to the 3rd Battalion, Connaught Rangers, 25.1.1908; promoted Major, 8.10.1910; Lieutenant-Colonel, 6.8.1913; Served during the Great War in the Dardanelles Campaign; appointed Commanding Officer, 5th Wiltshire Regiment, 4.9.1915; Promoted Brigadier-General, 40th Infantry Brigade, October 1915; present at the evacuation of Suvla and the final withdrawal from Helles; served in Mesopotamia, 1916 to 1919, and took part in the actions with the Kut Relieving Force; operations in North Persia; and the advance on Baghdad, including the final overthrow of the Turkish forces on the Tigris at the Battle of Shergat, October 1918, where he commanded the column operating against the Turkish right wing; for his War Services Lewin was promoted Brevet Colonel; created a Companion of the Order of the Bath and the Order of St. Michael and St. George; Six times Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazettes 13.7.1916, 19.10.1916, 15.8.1917, 12.3.1918, 27.8.1918, and 5.6.1919); awarded the Russian Order of St. Anne, Second Class, with Swords (London Gazette 15.5.1917); and appointed Aide-de-Camp to H.M. the King, 3.6.1918.

Returning to Ireland after the War, Lewin was appointed High Sheriff of Co. Mayo in 1919, and defended, along with men from his Regiment, the family seat, Cloghans, when it came under attack during the 'Troubles'; the other family seat, Castlegrove, was burnt down. Relinquishing command of the 3rd Battalion, Connaught Rangers, he was granted the honorary rank of Brigadier-General, 27.6.1919, and appointed Honorary Colonel of the Battalion, 10.8.1920. In 1931, at the age of 57, he learnt to fly, and after only 50 hours' solo experience flew solo from Britain to begin a new life in Kenya, where he became a celebrated aviator, being known as the 'Flying General'- in 1937 he was runner-up in the King's Cup Air Race, and in March 1952, flying a Tiger Moth, won the East African Aerial Derby. He flew between Kenya and Britain on several more occasions; on one such flight, in October 1937, he and his wife were marooned for ten days on a tiny, mosquito-infested island in the Sudan swamp after he had been forced to make an emergency landing- they extricated themselves from the damaged aircraft, to find that they only had a packet of sandwiches and a gallon of water between them, which they managed to make last for three days. Luckily after four days they were spotted by an Empire Flying Boat, which dropped food supplies, and organised a rescue mission by telephone from 150 miles away- "the distance of the nearest white man"- which was successfully carried out by Dinka tribesmen.

Appointed an honorary Air Commodore, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 28.12.1937, he served during the Second World War as Commandant, Officers' Training Unit, and Commander, No.5 Sub-Area, East African Command. He died in Nairobi 16.9.1952.