TOPIC:

Good Morning Everyone……

Here is what I consider my favorite Imperial Yeomanry Medals/Groups…..

Mike


JENNINGS, P. J. (Percy John)

REG. NO.: 22749
RANK: LANCE-SERGEANT

REGT: 33rd COMPANY, ROYAL EAST KENT, 11th BATTALION, IMP. YEOMANRY
BARS: CAPE COLONY, ORANGE FREE STATE, TRANSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902

REMARKS / HISTORY:

1. MILITARY OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, 1st TYPE.
2. 1914 - 1918 WAR MEDAL
3. INTERALLIED VICTORY MEDAL c/w MENTION IN DESPATCHES EMBLEM
4. CORONATION MEDAL KING GEORGE VI
5. ONLY 2 MEDALS WITH THIS COMBINATION OF BARS ISSUED TO UNIT.
6. AWARDED CIVIL OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE,2nd TYPE BUT WITHDRAWN AS IT WAS FOUND THAT HE ALREADY HAD THE O.B.E. MILITARY.
7. PAPERS ON MAIN FILE.
8. SUPERINTENDENT OF BANFF NATIONAL PARK 1931 TO 1947.
9. BURIED IN BANFF, DECEMBER 1947.

Major Percy John Jennings
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
33rd Company Imperial Yeomanry
4th Pioneer/Construction Battalion - C.E.F.

Obituary from Calgary Herald December 1947.

Percy John Jennings was born at Canterbury, Kent, England on August 31st, 1881. After completing his elementary education he studied science and was articled with an engineering firm in England for three years. In 1903 to 1908 he was assistant engineer engaged on preliminary surveys, estimates and design of water supply dams, pipelines, river crossings, etc. at Port Elizabeth, Cape Colony, South Africa. Later he was resident engineer on the construction of Sand River Dam, and Bolk River Dam, in South Africa.

He came to Canada in 1908, and contracted in Manitoba to build 250 miles of telephone lines. The next year he joined C.P.R.'s (Canadian Pacific Railway) irrigation department. He first worked under Col. J. S. Dennis on the construction of the company's irrigation system north of Stathmore, Alta. In 1911 he joined the irrigation branch of the Department of the Interior.

After service in World War One he returned to the Department of the Interior and worked on various irrigation systems in Southern Alberta. In 1931 he was made Superintendent of Banff National Park where he remained until retiring in 1946. He was also in charge of the Royal Visit in 1939 of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. He had then been superintendent of Banff National Park for fifteen years. During World War Two he was in charge of finding the locations and setting up the internment and prisoner of war camps in the Banff and Kananaskis area.

Major Jennings served from 1900 to 1902 in the South African campaign with the 33rd Company (Royal East Kent Mounted Rifles) Imperial Yeomanry, and he joined the 4th Canadian Pioneers as a Captain and Adjutant when the First World War broke out, serving overseas for three and a half years. On arrival in England with the 4th Pioneers he was seconded to the British Army, Royal Engineers. He received a mention in dispatches and the O.B.E. [Military], (Officer of the Order of the British Empire), for services in East Africa working along the border, where he met local chiefs to arrange terms of punishment for treachery during the war (serving with the German Forces in the area). He had been the first white man to enter some of the territories in two years.

Major Jennings was again awarded the O.B.E. in 1946 for "special and extra services rendered during the war" but as he had already been awarded the Order in that grade, the second award was canceled. He was re-nominated for the C.B.E. [Civil] (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) but passed away before the award was confirmed.

Major Jennings was one of the original members of the Alberta Military Institute, he was director in 1928 and 1929, while serving in 13th Detachment Corps of Guides (Militia) from 1921 to 1925 he was appointed district intelligence officer at M.D. (Military District) 13 Calgary. He was a charter member of the Calgary Branch of the Engineering Institute, Chairman of the Branch in 1922-23 and Councilor representing the Branch in 1928. He was also a member of the Alberta Association of Professional Engineers.

Mike,
Superbly presented, I can see why it is one of your favourites

Paul

Good morning Mike,
I felt sure I could be reliant on you to add a Canadian twist to Paul's thread, love his entry in WO100 for his South Africa 01 and 02 clasps, complete with his forwarding address.
Regards Frank

Stephen,
Perhaps we should start a Kiwi NZMR/NZRR post?
Regards Frank

Frank Kelley wrote: Stephen,
I have to agree, if I were looking for such a clasp today, I would deffo buy a kiwi!
Regards Frank

Stephen Bayley wrote: Those Rough Riders are a tuff (sic) bunch and they tossed the mould after the NZMR finished the task. A Rhodesia clasp on an honest Kiwi QSA is not an easy find these days.

Hi
Members of the Imperial Yeomanry were quite often Mentioned in Despatches and for some of the men particulars were given in the London Gazette.
I attach images of two such QSA’s:
· 21687 Sgt E C McKechnie 91st Coy Imp Yeo, in civil life a Clerk from Plymouth, was 22 years old when he was Killed in Action on 20 Dec 1901 in Col Damant’s action at Tafelkop. He was MiD in the LG of 25 April 1902 (p2775) with 7 others from the 91st Coy, of whom 4 were also killed : “Specially noticed from the 91st Company, Imperial Yeomanry, which was escort to guns in same action and sacrificed itself almost to a man”.
This was the action in which Shoeing Smith A E Ind, Pom-Poms, was awarded the VC
· 27525 SSgtMaj W Evans 53rd Coy Imp Yeo. He was MiD in the LG of 18 July 1902, p4603 : “For good service on 7th May, 1902, in night surprise of Meintjes’ laager.”In the Boer PoW Rolls it is noted that S W V Meintjes, age 33, of the Vrede Fieldcornetcy was captured on 6 May 1902 and he is described as an “Adjutant” in the marginal notes. This incident seems to have taken place during one of the very last “drives” in the North Eastern Free State, just over 3 weeks before the end of the war.

Henk

Henk,
Those are really nice examples, I like the former in particular, despite not going out of my way to buy casualties, a superb QSA!
Regards Frank