TOPIC:

Thank You Gentlemen.......

We now agree on the spelling, which is one of the things that I was looking into, the big thing now is did they have active Town Guards and were there any medals issued to them.....

Mike

POSSIBLE TOWN GUARDS

LADY FRERE or one word LADYFRERE
MATJIESFONTEIN
PORT ALFRED
RED HOUSE
STERKSTROOM
STUTTERHEIM
UNIONDALE
VELDRIFT
VOLKSRUST

There was a Matjesfontein Town Guard, disbanded on 1 November 1902.
(Matjesfontein without the 'i' was the contemporary Dutch spelling; the spelling with the 'i' is the later Afrikaans spelling).

There was a Uniondale District Mounted Troop, but I don't know if there was also a Town Guard.

Mike,

The Town Guards I have listed have, to date, been one for which medals were issued. Like the Rifle Associations in Natal, there were more Town Guards in existence. I created a page for the Philippolis TG last week to hold the few names listed from the SAFF casualty roll. These are to be added soon.

I believe there was 1 single medal issued to the Veldrift TG, the reason being that it was a late issue.

Best wishes
David

Knysna and Uniondale had medals. I have examples.

Thank You All Gentlemen......

You have been able to confirm the information that I have.....
This came from a very badly damaged copy of Boer War Services of British Officers.....
I can now attach them to the list that I have of Town Guards.....

Mike

I have the QSA medal awarded to Lieut. L.C. McLachlan which I have described as follows:

Single - "Lieut. L.C. McLachlan, Veldrift T.G."

This medal to the Veldrift Town Guard is Unique. The Town Guard is not recorded on the medal rolls.

Lachlan Charles McLachlan's name was however included on the Hopefield D.M.T. medal roll – initially as a Trooper. A note on the medal roll indicates that a second medal was later issued – this with rank of Lieutenant. This medal is clearly the second medal issued.

Six names are noted as having been engaged with the enemy as follows: (Lieutenant) Lachlan McLachlan, Sergeant John Kotze, and four troopers: Fisky Babrow, Cornelus Smith, Bertrough Van der Riet and Martin Straling.

Medal Reissued 15 March 1910. Engraved as Lieutenant. (Acually naming all impressed as per usual QSA standard)

Lachlan McLachlan worked in the fishing industry for the Stephan Brothers at St Helena Bay for many years but moved to the outskirts of Cape Town soon after the end of the war. He initially endeavoured to commence farming and as was a typical practice for farmers he established a small shop to supply the local workmen and the passing trade who were employed on the nearby brickfields. Unfortunately many of these workmen who had purchased goods on credit were unable to settle their accounts and he soon found himself in financial difficulties and all his property and belongings were sequestrated in 1904 and 1905. I presume that this accounts for his later application for a medal and in so doing he mentioned his rank of Lieutenant and the fact that he had served with the Veldrift Town Guard. This was obviously noted and approved by the medal issuing authorities and the relevant medal roll of the Hopefield D.M.T. was endorsed accordingly.

I guess that Lachlan McLachlan may perhaps have been involved in the clash with Manie Maritz on the Berg River near Veldrift when some 19 presumably coloured men (Private C. Weid being slightly wounded) are listed under the Veldrift Town Guard on the Boer War casualty roll as having been taken prisoner on 9 October 1901. As coloured men they were excluded from receiving the QSA medal.

Lachlan Charles McLachlan died 12 February 1952.

Note: It is also to be noted that a William Birchfield is recorded as having served with the Veldt Drift Town Guard Division of Piquetberg. He received the QSA Medal as a Member of the Cape Treasurer’s Ministerial Division.