TOPIC: QSAs with the clasp Wepener

I am looking at Thomas Henry Wilson who served in the Kaffrarian Rifles, Brabant's Horse, RPR and CinCBG during the Boer War. He was MC for the Great War.

His group including QSA (4) to Brabant's Horse have been on sale at Frontier Medals for years: www.frontiermedals.com/index.php?main_pa...=2_7&products_id=392

I have come across an earlier listing of this group but from a source I do not know. This listed the same group that is listed but Frontier but including a second QSA (2) CC Wep named to the Kaffrarian Rifles. This is entirely possible as his is listed on the Kaffrarian roll.

My question is why the second QSA has been split off and where it is now?

He is also entitled to a CGHGSM (1) Bechuanaland but this is also missing.

There is a link on the Frontier site to more information but this gives a 403 error. Is Frontier still trading? They advertise a Lockdales sale in 2015.

This is his entry in the Wepener roll:

He was born about 1866. Enlisted, KR, 22 April 1897. Served in the Bechunaland Rebellion 1897. Enlisted 2nd BrH 19 March 1900. Dangerously wounded at Senekal, 28 June 1900. Discharged, medically unfit, 30 August 1900 at Rosebank Camp. Also served CinCBG(22799) 21 November 1900 to 11 May 1901 and 1st RPR (133) 1 January 1900 to 19 March 1900. Aged 34 in 1900. Nationality: English. Trade: Engineer. NOK: Mother, Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia. Served in the Great War. Enlisted in the South African Engineers as a Temporary Lieutenant, 25 September 1915. Sent to Nyasaland on road making duties. He was promoted Temporary Captain, 1 August 1917.  MC LG 4 June 1917. MID LG 25 September 1917. While serving in Nyasaland and Tanganyika in the Engineer Detachment of the SA Rifles, Wilson suffered six bouts of malaria and in April 1917 was granted 2 months recuperation leave. Report from Addington Hospital 25 April 1917 states that he " ... Is anaemic and thin. States that he has lost about 7 Ibs in weight. Heart is weak in action and systolic murmur in aortic region present. Is very short winded on exertion. Physique and nutrition poor. Other organs appear to be normal.’ Returned to Nyasaland, 10 July 1917, but gradually became very debilitated and run down and was advised to leave the tropics. Admitted No 4 General Hospital, 18 March 1918 ‘… Still anaemic. Heart dilated. Spleen enlarged. Liver slightly enlarged.’ Released from service as unfit for tropical duties, 6 June 1918.

I came across this QSA again this morning. QSA (2) CC Wep to Trooper John Beetlestone, Brabant's Horse. He DOW at Wepener.

I am currently trawling past catalogue for extant Wepener QSAs. Trooper Beetlestone represents the 400th medal found (mostly QSAs but the odd KSA, CGHGSM or SAGS have been found too). That represents 20.4% of the men present so it looks like the percentage found will be in the region of 23% which is similar to the rolls for Elandslaagte, Talana and DoK.

There is a damaged pair to 2695 Pte. F .Dixon CMR on BoB.

It is described as:

"Boer War Medals to 2695 Pte. F .Dixon Cape Mounted Rifles . QSA is correctly named as issued , replacement original silver clasps , Cape Colony, Wepener, Transvaal, Witterbergen . KSA engraved naming to 2695 Pte. F. Dixon Cape Mounted Rifles , with South Africa 1901&02 clasps , probably a replacement , suspender a bit bent "


Pictures courtesy of BoB

Not a very clear image of the KSA naming

Not sure what is going on here.

From Spink, December 1971.

Five:-D.C.M., Victoria, L.S. & G.C., with rev. erased and re-engraved, renamed (Sgt. Maj. Border Horse); B.S.A. Co.'s Medal for Rhodesia with Mashonaland 1897 bar (Lt., Carringtons Horse) (renamed); Q.S.A., 6 bars, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Wepener (copy), Diamond Hill (copy), Wittebergen (Lt., Jo'burg, M.R.); K.S.A., 2 bars, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; Natal, 1 bar, 1906 (Staff) (renamed) (Capt. L. Johnstone). In case, mounted as worn,

£15

I am not sure if you have these noted already, but these are in a private collection:

249 Hos Cpl FW Painter Brabant's Horse (with clasps Witte, Tvl, CC)

963 Hos Sjt J Shaw Kaffrarian Rifles (with clasps Witte, Tvl, CC)

Nemo,

That was very useful information. I had them both on the roll but neither as being extant.

Re Painter, I have:

Painter, 249 Hospital Corporal Frank Weymouth, Brabant's Horse | QSA (6) CC Wep Tr Witt SA01 SA02 | Enlisted 1st BrH 24 November 1899 in King Williams Town and posted to C Troop. Aged 29. Trade: Farmer. Prior service in CMP for 1 year and 8 months. Address: Blinkwater, Fort Beaufort. Business address: Cradock Loco, CGR. Discharged 3 August 1900 in Kroonstad. Also served NeH (1771) and Fort Beaufort Troop, earning SA01 and SA02. NeH attestion was signed 15 September 1900 in Fort Beaufort. Re-attested for NeH 1 February 1902. A third NeH attestation was signed 1 July 1902 in Grahamstown and gives NOK as his father in Fort Beaufort | Medals: QSA (4) excl SA01 and SA02 extant | Ref: 237p88, 262p220, 262p239, 262p271, 262p347

Less on Shaw:

Shaw, 1527 Hospital Sergeant J, Kaffrarian Rifles | QSA (4) CC Wep Tr Witt, KSA (2) | Served 22 November 1899 to 30 June 1902 | Medals: QSA (4) extant | Ref: 254p63, 362p73

With thanks again
David