TOPIC:

QSA (0) (9 SYCE HARI J S LCRS). London Medal Company £250.

Syce Hari, an animal fodder grass cutter who served with the Foreign Service Lancers in South Africa during the Boer War.


Picture courtesy of the London Medal Company.

Are there any comments about the aberrant suspender to this medal?







Also the naming is hard by the shoulder of the medal rather than equidistant from it.

djb wrote: The lovely group to Dafadar (Farrier Major) Kala Khan, Queen’s Own Corps of Guides (Cavalry)

Messrs Dix, Noonan & Webb must have laughed at my top bid. They could have at least have used my top bid as a starting point. Somehow the group gained some 30% in value in under 2 years. My own example to the Guides was bought locally off Bid or Buy for considerably less. Not that I knew it was to the Guides. 2 seconds to place my bid. Considerably longer to decipher the name.







Would still do with some help to get his name. "35 Syce" is fine as is "Corps". "of Guides" requires several brandys and cokes as well as my wife's glasses. Can anyone do better? Unfortunately the roll is missing. (see first post in this thread)

Three medal groups that I showed at the meeting of the Cape Town Medal Group last night and have not shown here. Unfortunately they belong rightly to my missing QSA collection but for the sake of completeness I show them here. All Veterinary Assistants of the Supply & Transport Corps Punjab Command Mian Meer District WO 100/297 p251-54; 256-7;260-264

The first I have illustrated previously at

angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-awar...-contingent?start=42

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V7 1st Class Veterinary Assistant Mohammed Din
I.A.V.C.

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Born 1/4/1876. Graduated Veterinary College on 8/4/1899. Appointed to the Indian Army Veterinary Corps on 7/8/1918, commissioned Risaldar on 1/10/1924. (7 Sec., Ballygunj, Calcutta)
On the roll for Supply & Transport Corps, Punjab Command Mian Meer District (WO 100/297 p251-54; 256-7; 260-264)

Telegramme 432
“Royal Indian Marine ship “Canning” left Bombay, 19th May (1900), with 46 salutries”
Telegramme 431
“is expected to arrive Durban, 5th June.”

Mohammed Din appears in the Indian Army List for 1919 as he joined the Indian Army Veterinary Corps on inception in 1918. Unfortunately the other two did not so no further information is known about them. Mohammed Din's group must be unique with a QSA and a "S' Persia" clasp to his GSM.

I include the scan of the roll in the last post because it includes the name of 408 Veterinary Assistant Naweb Khan.
Not because I have his medals but because of his history in South Africa. He was a thorn in the side of the Natal Colonial Authorities and as such has left a paper trail in the PMB archives.
Initially I picked him up in "The Indian Opinion" where he was defended by Gandhi as part of Gandhi's Satyagrahia Campaign.
Basically Naweb Khan had served The Queen Empress in the Burma, Chitral, Black Hills, Tirah and the Transvaal and therefore he was British and under no circumstances was he going to give his finger prints for the "Transvaal Immigration Act" and for this Gandhi appeared at his side. His father had served as part of Lord Roberts' Staff at Kandahar strengthening his case.
Incidentally Gandhi defended another soldier who had served in the Boer War, Samader Khan, at the same trial. This man was later to thump Gandhi so hard that Gandhi spent 3 days recovering. The dispute was that Gandhi was going to obey the law and give his finger prints. Initially Khan complied but on the way to the magistrate Khan changed his mind and floored him. I would say that the magistrate came to where Gandhi was recovering to take his prints the next day.

Next Naweb Khan appeals, on numerous occasions, to the Governer of Natal for his name to be included on the voters roll since he had served his Queen and the Natal Authorities had no right to exclude a loyal British Subject. This obviously was denied him.

But the interesting thing for us is that he applies for a job with the Colonial Authorities and his Curriculum Vitae is preserved in PMB and gives an idea of what must have been a shared experience of Veterinary Assistants in the Boer War.

Here is a transcript..

COPIES OF CERTIFICATES
LAHORE VETERINARY COLLEGE
Instituted in the year of the Christian Era

We, the undersigned, having fully examined NAWAB KHAN, son of Beede Khan of Sialkote District,
Do hereby certify that he is sufficiently versed in the Science and Art of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery to qualify him for employment as a Veterinary Assistant.
Teachers, Henry T Pease, Vety-Capt., F.Z.S., F.R.G.S., &, Principal. W.Oxford Dawson, Vety-Lieut., A.V.D., Professor. Amir Shah Khan Bahadur, Senior Assistant Surgeon, Clinical Clerk, Lecturer on Materia Medica and Chemistry, and Senior House Surgeon. S Mahtab Shah, Khan Sahib, Demonstrator of Anatomy and Physiology. S.Sadar Shah Gilam, House Surgeon, Lecturer on Bovine Pathology and Obstetrics. Raja Ghulam Hassan Khan, House Surgeon, Teacher of Minor Operations and Handling of Animals.
Examiners. W.R. Hagger, Vety.-Major, Assistant to Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Department, President. W.D Gunn, Vety.-Major, Sup.G.C.Farm Hissar.
Lahore, 12th February, 1901

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PUNJAB VETERINARY COLLEGE, LAHORE
Certified that NAWAB KHAN, V.A., has satisfactorily performed the duties of a Dresser in the College Hospital during the Session of 1900-01.
HENRY T PEARSE., VETY.-CAPT., A.V.D., Principal.
Professor. Amir Shah Khan Bahadur, Senior House and Senior Assistant Surgeon, Clinical Clerk, Lecturer on Materia Medica and Chemistry, S Mahtab Shah, Khan Sahib, Demonstrator of Anatomy and Physiology. S.Sadar Shah, House Surgeon, Lecturer on Bovine Pathology and Obstetrics. Raja Ghulam Hassan Khan, House Surgeon, Teacher of Minor Operations and Handling of Animals.
Lahore,12th April,1901

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COPIES OF TESTIMONIALS

Nawab Khan was Veterinary Assistant to my column in South Africa, December, 1901 and January and February, 1902. He performed his duties to my entire satisfaction, and is very intelligent.
W.SITWELL, Lieut. Col.,
Kimberley, 9th February, 1902 5th Fusiliers, Co Column

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Clan William
April 7th,1902
This is to certify that Nawab Khan has served under me as Veterinary Assistant, and I have always found him industrious and painstaking.
Chas. R. Twist, Veterinary Surgeon.

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No.12 Station Veterinary Hospital, Worcester,
9th November,1902.
408, Veterinary Assistant Nawab Khan I.T.C., has during his term of employment in the Veterinary Hospital under my command, performed his duties as Veterinary Assistant in a very satisfactory manner.
F.W.WILSON, Vety.-Capt., A.V.D
O.C 12 Stationary Vet.Hospital
Worcester Cape
9th November, 1902

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Field Veterinary Hospital
Clanwilliam, C.C., South Africa
5th July,1902
Nawab Khan, Veterinary Assistant, was under my command about five months in the above Hospital. During that period I have always found him very obedient and reliable. He took great care of the cases under his charge. He has also a profound knowledge of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, and can recommend him that his services will be recognised sometimes.
HYLAND W PHELAN
Vety. Officer Comdg., No. 19 F.V.Hospl., Clanwilliam

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Mobile Veterinary Hospital
Conway, S.A., 9th November, 1901
Nawab Khan, Veterinary Assistant, was under me in this Hospital from the 6th June, 1901, to the 9th November, 1901 and during that period I found him very obedient and reliable and took great care of the cases entrusted to him. He has also a good knowledge of Veterinary Medicine. I am sorry to lose him but he has been ordered to join a column.
F.M.SKUES C.V.S., V.O.C.

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Schmidt’s Drift
2nd February, 1902
Bearer Nawab Khan has been under my command for some considerable time as Assistant Veterinary Surgeon, and I have always found him very capable and can recommend him as a thoroughly sober and good man.
H.H. JENKINS, Lt. Commandant, Capt.

David,

I found this at the back of the Gordon Highlanders QSA roll and post it in case you have not seen it before.

All best,

Justin