TOPIC:

This is my first time in posting. Usually I do like to return my genealogy knowledge on forums rather than just taking, but I admit I am limited when it comes to that of the Boer War.
I kindly ask if someone can solve a headache I have with regards to a QSA medal my great grandfather is wearing in a photo when he was a Constable in the Met Police, taken in 1909.
His name is William Robert Powell. DOB 12th Sept 1877. Private No. 4544 of the 19th Hussars.
On his Recruitment Form B.265, it shows within the Military History Sheet that he was awarded QSA with one clasp being DoL. WO100/119 page 39 confirms this with no mention of his name in the supplementary roll.
However the only photo I have of him shows him wearing his QSA with four clasps?
Am I missing something here as I assume his military record would have been inspected before he was recruited by the Met Police?

Smashing photograph, thanks for sharing.

The medal roll and service papers (on FmP) confirm the single clasp. He left South Africa in June 1900.

Either he borrowed a medal for the picture, "improved" his own or was issued with a four clasp medal by mistake. All of these are possible.

Do you have the medal at all?

Thank you for your reply, any of these reasons make complete sense.
My great grandfather immigrated to Sydney Australia in 1912.
Sadly I, nor any of my family have the medal. I assume it is somewhere down under.
Thank you for your time in replying to my question.

I think he has simply worn that particular medal purely for the photograph, I very much doubt it was the one issued for his service in South Africa.
The only other thing I can say with regard to his papers, would be, that upon joining the Metropolitan Police, those papers would not have been available for immediate inspection as they were the property of the War Office, I would certainly think merely a "verbal" statement of service was enough when combined with his discharge certificate.
Metropolitan Police recipients are particularly interesting and it came as a surprise to me to note the number of senior non commissioned officers who were happy to subsequently serve as a Constable.
I think the portrait for your great grandfather is a very pleasing example regardless of the medal and clasps.

almcd wrote: This is my first time in posting. Usually I do like to return my genealogy knowledge on forums rather than just taking, but I admit I am limited when it comes to that of the Boer War.
I kindly ask if someone can solve a headache I have with regards to a QSA medal my great grandfather is wearing in a photo when he was a Constable in the Met Police, taken in 1909.
His name is William Robert Powell. DOB 12th Sept 1877. Private No. 4544 of the 19th Hussars.
On his Recruitment Form B.265, it shows within the Military History Sheet that he was awarded QSA with one clasp being DoL. WO100/119 page 39 confirms this with no mention of his name in the supplementary roll.
However the only photo I have of him shows him wearing his QSA with four clasps?
Am I missing something here as I assume his military record would have been inspected before he was recruited by the Met Police?

Hello

Would you consider adding this picture to britisharmyancestors.co.uk/ ?

It is a bold attempt by a friend of mine to collect as many pictures of Britain's soldiers, free to submit, free to use.

Regards
Meurig