TOPIC:

Hi Henk,
I would love to see anything you may have for my Great Grandpa.
Sam

Sam,

Henk has recently passed away.

What is the name of the person you seek please?

With thanks
David

Hi David,
Sorry to hear of the passing of Henk.
My Great Grandpa is Theophilus John Curran.

This is the last communication between Henk and my cousin Duncan.

Hi Duncan
After Elria Wessels (my contact at the Bloemfontein Boer War Museum for some 30 years) retired, I haven't tried to get a copy of the Curran diary.
However, I have a transcript of an Afrikaans article "Theo Curran : 'n ware rustelose gees" that appeared in Knapsak 3:3, Desember 1991[/I (a short-lived journal published by the Bloemfontein Museum) This was a synopsis of his time in Ceylon.
I also have copies of his WWI Service Cards and Service File and the recommendation for his OBE.
Are you within easy reach of where I live (Rosendal, between Senekal & Ficksburg)?
Henk

Picture courtesy of Morton and Eden

SAGS (1) 1877-8-9 (Lt. J. A. Liebmann. Stutterheim. Vol:), official correction to rank and first letters of unit;
CGHGSM (1) Transkei (Capt. J.A. Liebmann P.A.B.) officially re-engraved in upright capitals;
BSACM Rhodesia 1896 (0) (Prof. J. A. Liebmann. St. John Amb. Brigade.), officially corrected / re-engraved;
QSA (4) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Transvaal (Capt: J. A. Liebmann, Imp: Yeo:), officially engraved in mixed italics;
KSA (2) (Capt: J. A. Liebmann. Imp: Yeo:);
1914 Star, with contemporary copy clasp ‘5th Aug. – 22nd Nov. 1914’ (Major J. A. Alexander General List), renamed in contemporary capitals;
British War and Victory Medals, 1914-1919, the latter with MID (Major. J. A. Alexander, General List), renamed in contemporary capitals;
Jubilee Medal, 1897, St John Ambulance Brigade issue (Supt. Jas. A. Liebmann);
Coronation Medal, 1911, St John Ambulance Brigade issue (Asst. Commr. Jas. A. Liebmann.);
Service Medal of the Order of St John, with 3 clasps, each for 5 years’ service (District Chief Supt. Major J. A. Liebmann. N.S.W.);
Germany, Prussia, War Merit Medal, 1870-71, in steel as issued to non-combatants, unnamed as issued;
Germany, Prussia, Kaiser Wilhelm I Honour Medal, 1897, bronze-gilt, unnamed as issued;

Group loose, with matching set of miniatures, and additional miniature, Knight of Grace badge of the Order of St. John, in silver and enamels, and small brass plaque.

Knight of Grace: Order of St. John of Jerusalem: London Gazette: 2 April, 1914:
Order of St. John of Jerusalem: London Gazette: 13 June, 1910

Major James A. Alexander [born ‘Liebmann’] (1857-1826) was born on 10 May 1857 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, the son of Carl Liebmann, a Prussian-born merchant, and Eliza Alexander. Becoming a naturalized British citizen, he volunteered to serve with the English Ambulance during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. In this war, despite Britain’s choice to remain neutral during the conflict, Britain nonetheless sent various ‘ambulances’ and medical units to treat military and civilian casualties, and for this service Liebmann received a Prussian Merit Medal as a non-combatant.

Returning to England, he appears to have returned to his studies – apparently a student of modern languages – he emigrated to South Africa in time to serve during the Gaika-Galeka and Zulu Wars of 1877-79 with the Stutterheim Light Infantry Volunteers, in which he was apparently wounded. Many of the men in this small unit were also of German (and Jewish) extraction, to whom just 40 medals were issued (and of which, 13 were returned to the mint).

He then served as Lieutenant during the Transkei uprisings of 1880-81, and in the Bechuanaland Expedition of 1884-85 under Sir Charles Warren, acting as a Company Commander with the 4th Pioneer Regiment (for which no medal was awarded, as stated in an article from published by City Coins in their postal auction of 9 December 2005).

Having taken up a position as a ‘flamboyant Professor’ of Modern Languages at Bishops Diocesan College, Rondebosch, it was in 1891 that Liebmann founded the St. John Ambulance Association in South Africa, using his experience from previous conflicts to start an ambulance class at Bishops that year. It was a few years later, however, when his foresight would prove invaluable. During the Christmas holidays of 1895, in a break from his teaching duties, the ill-fated ‘Jameson Raid’ took place. On 1 January, 1896, as the news broke, Liebmann assembled a group of volunteers to serve in a St. John Detachment during this new conflict. By 6 January, just days later, Liebmann and his group of 8 men were in Johannesburg and reportedly ‘did excellent work’ in attending the wounded from both sides, however by early February he was back ‘at his post’ in the classroom.

Once again, however, he was called into action, helping to equip a field hospital on the edge of the Matopos during the Matebele Rebellion, and similarly in Mashonaland in 1897 (for which he received the BSACM.

As a respected and highly-experienced local figure, his role changed during the early phases of the Second Anglo-Boer War. He was taken on as a Captain in Lord Roberts’ staff, and was given the responsibility of acting as messenger between Lord Roberts and General Cronje during the Battle of Paardeberg on 19 February 1900. He also served as a scout and interpreter to Lieutenant-General KellyKenny’s VI Division, and was D.A.A.G. Intelligence to Lieutenant-General Chermside and Major-General Knox’s Divisions, utilizing his local knowledge and proficiency in languages. He latterly served with the 24th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, which is reflected – in a somewhat understated way - on his QSA and KSA.

After the Second Boer War he resigned his commission on 23 January, 1902, and appears to have returned to England, living in Regent’s Park, North London. However, upon the outbreak of the Natal Rebellion of 1906, research states that Liebmann was ‘most disappointed’ that his offer of continued assistance was declined – thus denying him what would have been a sixth medal for the various South African wars between 1877 and 1906, and a remarkable ‘grand slam’ of medals. While in London he was first appointed Esquire of the Order of St. John on 13 June 1910, and in 1911 he was given the honour of leading the Colonial Contingents of St. John’s Ambulance on the occasion of the coronation of King George V, while stationed in the Palace Yard, Westminster Abbey, on 22 June (the day of the coronation itself), and at Scotland Yard Gate, Whitehall, on the 23rd June, with further duties on the 29th and 30th – as stated in a contemporary newspaper report. A few years later he was appointed Knight of Grace on 2 April, 1914, just a few months before the outbreak of hostilities for the Great War. During this, the 9th conflict, incident or war in which he would be involved, Liebmann served as a Major and accompanied Dr. G. Casalis’s Ambulance detachment to France. In early 1916, in an understandable move given the atmosphere of suspicion and hostility to men of German heritage, Liebmann opted to revert to his maternal surname, Alexander, as stated in the London Gazette on 28 January 1916. This directly explains the nature of his ‘renamed’ medal entitlement from the Great War, and after this he apparently saw further service on attachment to the 11th Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and in the Malay States (MID currently unconfirmed).

He died in London on 4 June, 1926, and was buried in Willesden United Synagogue Cemetery.