TOPIC:

This group is a conundrum (for now at least). Not listed on the Wepener roll, his medals including Wepener are for sale at British medals.


Picture courtesy of British Medals

QSA (4) CC Wep Witt Belf (Tpr H C Tottenham, 2/Brabants Horse)
KSA (2) (Lt CCCC)

Here's the relevant page from WO100/237p248




The question is, to what does the *Yes refer?

It would seem that the Wepener clasp is a late issue and he is entitled to the clasp.

I agree, I think the yes is a later entry and dated in 1905

The case of Wepener clasps to the Border Horse is interesting. There are many recipients marked on the roll as eligible for Wepener but these have all been crossed through. Some have been reinstated.

For example:



At the top of the first roll page (WO100/236p273) is this statement: This Corps is not entitled to the Wepener clasp, see reply of D.M.I. [?] dated 24/12/03.



There are some QSAs with Wepener named to Border Horse eg Capt Warren [DNW Mar 2011] but he had previously served in Brabant's Horse.

Recently sold by Medals of England is this QSA to a Private in the Border Horse:

QUEEN’S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL (WEPENER, CAPE COLONY)
To: Pte. W.N.G.NISBET. BORDER HORSE.
Killed in Action at Haarmonia (Harmony, South Africa) 28th May 1900.
Medal checked on roll and is 100% correct and is ‘officially impressed’ *over a previous medal and has the microscopic remains of the previously un-issued medal’s service number to left of rank. Medal was not issued to family until 24th February 1903.


Picture courtesy of Medals of England.

Nisbet's name appears on the example roll extract above but his Wepener clasp is crossed through and has not been reinstated. So this looks to me as though he is not entitled to Wepener.

Comments welcome.

The Wepener clasp is really a "Defence" clasp, the relief force was not entitled to the clasp.

The entitlement on the Border Horse roll is an error, as is the celebrated issue to some men of HMS Doris and IY HQ.

Going through the Border Horse roll (WO100/236), all the Wepener entitlements have been crossed through except two; one to Capt Warren (mentioned earlier) and the other to Lt Col C P Crewe (who raised the Border Horse).

Crewe's biography says:

He was the son of Captain Frederick Crewe, 17th Madras Infantry, and is descended from the Crewes of Crewe, Cheshire, of which family he is one of the few male representatives remaining. He was born in London on Jan 11, 1855, and was educated privately. Colonel Crewe has had a varied political and military career. He went to SA in March, 1878, and joined the Cape Mounted Riflemen, serving with this regiment through the Kaffir War, receiving for his services medal and clasp, 1878-79. He again saw service in the Basuto War of 1880-81, receiving medal and clasp. In 1881 he retired from the CMR and commenced farming. In 1898 he stood for Aliwal North for the House of Assembly, and was only defeated by two votes. In May of the following year he was returned to the Legislative Assembly for East Griqualand, and devoted himself to the reorganization of the Progressive party. At the general election in Feb 1904 he succeeded in ousting Mr J W Sauer from the representation of Aliwal North, and on the resignation of Sir Gordon Sprigg's Ministry immediately after the elections he joined Dr Jameson's Cabinet as Colonial Secretary. On war breaking out in SA he raised the Border Horse Regiment (Feb 1900), and served first as Major commanding and was promoted Lieutenant Colonel in May 1900, and full Colonel in May 1901. He for many months commanded a mobile column of Colonial troops in the ORC, and later on took command of the Western Div. of the Cape Colony from November 1901 to the end of the war. He retired from the CCF Dec 31, 1902. For his eminent services Colonel Crewe was mentioned in despatches, received the CB, and the medal with clasps for Wepener, Transvaal, and Cape Colony. He married Helen Orpen, daughter of J M Orpen, late Surveyor General of S Rhodesia, on July 11, 1887.

The medal roll suggests he was issued with the clasp in Jan 1904.


I cannot see any prior service to warrant the clasp being issued to him.

Has anyone seen the medals to Lt Col Crewe?

I have an appendix in the forthcoming Wepener book which discusses the clasps for the defence and relief.

For that appendix, I created these two images.