TOPIC:

I alluded to the silver medal issued to Bhistie Lall Khan in an earlier post. Lall Khan is on the roll for a bronze medal as is Syce Painda whose silver medal I also have. I wrote an article for the Orders and Medals Research Society on these medals. I have seen 2 other examples, one of which re-appeared on Dix, Noonan and Webb's auction in June this year where it sold for £290 ( lot 1718 19th June 2013 ). The article brought to light no further examples.
For permission to reprint the article I am grateful to Dahlia Harrison and the OMRS.
"Replacement by Silver Medals in lieu of Bronze Medals Returned: Medals to the Indian Contingent to South Africa, 1899-1900" Journal of the OMRS; Vol. 46 Number 3,page 180.










The final page with the illustrations I can not get to attach to this site. If anyone wants a copy I will email it to them

WO 108/404

12th April 1900. From The Secretary of State for India to Viceroy
“War Office asks for 500 Syces, 50 Salutries, 100 Nalbands for service in remount depots and horse hospitals. South Africa.”

26th May 1900. “The Indian Marine Ship Canning left Bombay on the 19th May 1900 with 46 Salutries, 91 Nalbands and 500 Syces and is expected to arrive at Durban on the 5th June 1900.”

Queen’s South Africa Medal Clasp: Cape Colony. 765 Syce Painda S. &T.C.



WO 100/298 p 188
Issued off the roll of “Syces & Nalbands of the Commissariat, Rawal Pindi District and entitled to the clasp Cape Colony.

Silver medal issued in lieu of a bronze medal


A number of troops of Syce, each 125 strong were raised and despatched to South Africa in mid 1900. These were accompanied by a supervising establishment drawn from the Cavalry regiments of the Bengal and Madras Commands (1 Duffadar, 1 Farrier and 5 Lance-Duffadar)(C.Peterson)



Queen’s South Africa Medal (bronze) 806 Syce Gulam Mahamed S. &. T.Corps

City Coins 2002




WO 100/298 p 188
Issued off the roll of “Syces & Nalbands of the Commissariat, Rawal Pindi District and entitled to the clasp Cape Colony.

David

Thank you for the continuing education you provide. Please do not stop.

Regards
Brett

PS I would appreciate receiving a copy of the OMRS article illustration.

Many of the Officers, who came to South Africa from India to serve as special service Officers, were permitted to bring their servants with them for the campaign.

"Staff Officers were entitled to take natives of India as personal servants and grooms, when proceeding to South Africa with the Indian Contingent in September 1899. Authorised native servants are granted medals by the government of India." WO 100/297 p49

"Medals in bronze may be awarded to authorized unattested followers (public and private), including private followers authorized by the Field Service." WO 100/296






Abdul Razaq


Personal servant of Captain C.H.H. Gough. Embarked at Calcutta aboard Pundua on the 14th January 1900.

WO108/404 p64
"'Pundua' 14th January, with 199 horses for Mounted Infantry, accompanied by Captain Gough, 12th Bengal Cavalry


WO 100/296 p10
"These men were my private servants and served with me on the Head Quarters Staff S.A. Field Force from 1st February to 12th September 1900 and consequently entitled to the bronze medal without clasps"- Gough B.Major

Signed at "Remount Depot Babugarh NWP 29th November 1900"
"C.Gough B(revet?) Major Supot(sic) Hapur Remount Depot."

The medal is impressed named. No rank, number or unit as European servants. The medal was issued from Woolwich on the 20th January 1902 and as with all Woolwich issues are impressed named. Medal dispatched to 12h Bengal Lancers , Harpur Remount Depot. India


From the Jan 1908 IAL
South African War, 1900 - Operations in the Orange Free State, Feb to May 00.(Paardeberg, Dreifontein). Operations in the Transvaal in May and June 00.(Johannesberg) Operations in the Transvaal East of Pretoria, July and Aug 00. Despatches Lond Gaz 16 April 01 - medal with four clasps.( Cape Colony) Brev. of Maj.. Capt. Gough returned to England on the Dunottar Castle on September 12th 1900.
Gough had further service in India in various remount departments.

I would like to think that Abdul accompanied his master through the battles of Paardeberg, Dreifontein and Johannesberg.

Private Servant Abdulla Khan



Private syce to Capt. FW Prinsep Daniell, 8th Rajputs. Served in South Africa with the 16th Mounted Infantry (Three colony clasps)in 1902 and went on to England aboard the Bavarian August 1902.( Did Abdulla go too?)

London Times 26/08/1902 (Tuesday) p4c
The Bavarian left for England with the following on passage home: ISC – Capt. F.W. Daniell 8th Rajputs Served with 16th Mounted Infantry

Abdulla's medal is engraved in a style common to the majority of QSAs to Indians.


Kidmagar Lingoo



WO100/212 p129

Butler to Lt P. H. M. Taylor. 2nd Bombay Lancers Taylor has clasps for Paardeberg, Driefontein, Wittebergen, Relief of Kimberley and Transvaal on his QSA. He served with the Army Service Corps with the transport and I imagine Lingoo was at his side with the whiskey.

Queen’s South Africa Medal: Natal, Transvaal 1035 Sower Sal. Hayat Khan
1st Bengal Lancers
King’s South Africa Medal: SA ’01; SA’02 1035 Sower Sal. Hayat Khan
1st Bengal Lancers




Ex DNW 23rd June 2005 Lot 172







On roll WO 100/296 p 147

A salutri is an Indian Veterinary Assistant ranking as a Duffadar. One salutri in the Regiment. The Sowar Salutri is his assistant, again one per regiment.

"In 1900 a small party was sent with horses for Mounted Infantry to South Africa, and remained there on duty throughout the campaign. Captain C. Davis and Lieutenant F.D. Russell also served in South Africa, but re-joined the unit in China"
The History of Skinner's Horse - Major A.M.Daniels

A Sower Farrier appears on the roll WO 100/230 p 237 as serving with B Section No. 6 Field Veterinary Hospital.




Proposed that Sower Salutri Hayat Khan served at the Remount Depot – Mooi River and then with B Section No. 6 Field Veterinary Hospital after the Siege of Ladysmith and Belfast. On arrival in Natal the B Section No. 6 Field Veterinary Hospital deposited Veterinary Chests at Pietermaritzburg and then went on to Glencoe. Later proceeded to Ladysmith where they were besieged by the Boer Forces. Later B Section No. 6 Field Veterinary Hospital served in the Transvaal.

David,

Many thanks for another very interesting and educational post. I have not come across the salutri before.

Best wishes
David