TOPIC:

I’m trying to get my head around (mainly) battle bar combinations – some rules are clearly laid out, others can be inferred by location and distances between making it very difficult/impossible to get certain combinations.

Those involving rules are:
1. No state clasp where an engagement bar awarded (logic: state clasps were to recognize service where no engagement bar awarded) AO 94 para 16, 17, 18 , 26. Note that no engagements in Rhodesia so not needed to mention in 19.

2. Cannot have a defence of and relief of bar (logic: self evident) AO 94 para 27. In addition Tugela Heights is specifically excluded from Defence of Ladysmith garrison(AO 94 para 23)

3. No one can earn Cape Colony and Natal (logic: ????) AO 94 para 16 and 26

4. Tugela Heights always come with Relief of Ladysmith (logic: the two weeks of Tugela Heights was the real successful fight in the near 11 weeks to relieve Ladysmith which involved a number setbacks eg Spionkop) AO 94 para 23 and 24. Dates for Tugela Heights are within Relief of Ladysmith dates and area.

Then one is into combinations that involve a rare bar (DoM, Wep, Rhod, DoK) so logically combinations will be rare, OR where logistics made it difficult to be in two places;
5. Talana and Elandslaagte occurred on consecutive days, thus I would think they cannot be awarded together. However one forum article notes that 9 of these exist.( www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...-elandslaagte-clasps )

6. Defence of Kimberley can be awarded with Paardeburg but is a rare combination (per Gordon only 110 – Kimberley was only relieved on 15 February and eligibility for Paardeburg, some 20 miles away, was 17-26 February)

7. The two fronts (Natal and the Western front) were geograhically self contained so it would not be usual to earn both Natal battle bars and those of OFS / Tvl / Cape – other than Belfast where the two forces finally met up. That said, units did mix fronts and surprises abound:
a. After the relief of Ladysmith there were some movements to the Western Front from Natal eg Bartons Fusilier Brigade that achieved the distinction of getting RoL and RoM combination- about a 100 per Gordon or 200 per a recent City Coins catalogue.
b. A forum post notes that only three combination of Talana and RoM exists. ( www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...d-relief-of-mafeking )
c. Hamilton also moved from Ladysmith and was very involved in Johannesburg but not sure how many troops went with him?
d. Another forum post notes a unique Elandslaagte and Wepener combination – but does not explain how.( www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...-wepener-combination )

I would very much appreciate comment or further insight into battle bar combinations.

Hello

"d. Another forum post notes a unique Elandslaagte and Wepener combination – but does not explain how.( www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...-wepener-combination )"

The Wepener clasp for the whole Border Horse was crossed out - see WO100/236p281. The Border Horse was part of the relief force. There was some confusion as to whether the relief force should get the clasp - in the end the clasp became a "Defence of" only award.

The Elandslaagte clasp is not shown on the Border Horse roll so does not add anything to the veracity of that. Chronology allows for it, wonder whether his attestation papers show former service?

The Wepener clasp on this medal is one of those not uncommon issuing errors. I have a QSA to the 10th Hussars with the Wepener clasp - Pte Swales was part of the relief force - servant to Genl Brabazon OC IY.

Regards
Meurig

Jon,

1. You're right. While this rule was set down, the rolls did not always comply. For example, there are two examples in the medal rolls of QSAs that have the clasps OFS and Paardeberg.

2. Agreed. It is interesting to note that some of the despatch riders at Kimberley also received clasps earned during the relief but not the relief clasp itself.

3. I'm not sure why this is but again you are correct.

4. Yes, you cannot have the TH clasp without the RoL clasp.

5. There are a few people who earned with combination and others who were declined it. I have yet to see an example with this combination but, like quite a few others, would like to one day!

6. DoK and Paardeberg is a rare combination. I counted 174.

This is less an anomaly and more an unusual combination. The chase of Cronje had advanced faster than the supply lines could support, leaving the troops with very little to live on other than what they carried. As the siege of Kimberley had just been lifted, a message we sent into Kimberley asking for a delivery of bread. The bread was duly baked by De Beers and packed into wagons for the short journey to Paardeberg. Accompanying the wagons was a guard of men taken from the Kimberley garrison. The bread was delivered without incident and the guard stayed overnight in Paardeberg before returning to Kimberley the next day. Their presence entitled them to the Paardeberg clasp. Aside from the supplies requirement, it is possible that some of these men left Kimberley to go to Paardeberg and gained entitlement to the clasp in this way.

7. You do see a few combinations of Natal with the other state clasps but they are not great in number.

7a. I thought it was more like 25 from each of the fusiliers.

7b. That figure is from my research for the Talana book.

7c. I'm not sure of the numbers but it should be possible to find how many troops he commanded.

7d. Again, I'm not sure how this came to be. I think it was an recording error.

Best wishes
David

Jon

4. There are a few single clasp 'Tugela Heights' medals issued to casualties of Willow Grange and Colenso. This was an error that was evidently not corrected.

7. David is correct about the number of the Fusiliers in the RoM force. There were a larger number of ILH men in this force, who also combined Natal front clasps with the RoM one.

Regards
Brett

I have a single clasp ROL to Bearer G Doble, NVAC, KIA on 20.1.1900 and my question is shouldn't he have earned the TH clasp as well or is this yet another anomally?

Regards

Rory

Rory wrote: I have a single clasp ROL to Bearer G Doble, NVAC, KIA on 20.1.1900 and my question is shouldn't he have earned the TH clasp as well or is this yet another anomally?

Regards

Rory

You're ok Rory. Qualification for TH was:

"All troops of the Natal Field Force, exclusive of the Ladysmith garrison, employed in the operations north of an east and west line through Chieveley Station between the 14th and 27th February, 1900, both dates inclusive."

Doble was dead by the 14th February.

Nice medal.

Regards
Meurig