TOPIC:

This notice appeared in The Times on 12 Nov 1903 bemoaning the exclusion from issue of the Transport Medal to men of this association who had helped to fit out the ships.

From The Times, 29 Dec 1902:

Again David,
Fascinating and an unfair mistake in my opinion, very unfair, they could and indeed should have given the crew a medal, even if it had just been a bronze version, it would have been the correct thing to do, moreover for us, it would be very interesting indeed, the value of these existing silver medals has rocketed in recent years to where we are at now.
Thank you and kind regards again Frank

Yes, I can imagine there was widespread disappointment with that decision.

If they had widened the scope to the officers of other ships and then enlarged further to all those who supported the movement of men, freight and animals, what would those numbers have looked like?

Kind regards
David

Well, I think the numbers would be huge, but, it would have been the right thing to do from the moral point of view, actually, though, it is rather nice for any collector of this period to get hold of a silver medal, that was only available to an officer, it does account for the very high prices now being paid for these medals too!

Frank,

When the medal was first announced on 10 Nov 02, the intention was that it should have a longer life than just the Boer and Boxer campaigns and was to be used more like a GSM.



I am trying to think of other medals of the period that were issued only to officers in this way? Now I think of it, the issue does seem strangely anachronistic.

Regards
David