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Pictures courtesy of DNW

QSA (1) Defence of Mafeking (Pte. R. Moore, Mafeking Town. Guard.) officially re-impressed naming, brooch-pin affixed to rear of clasp carriage

Sold with original envelope cover from ‘Independent Order of Good Templars, Grand Lodge of Central South Africa’, addressed to ‘Mr Rupert Moore, Mafeking, B.B.’, halfpenny green stamp postmarked ‘Johannesburg 11. Aug. 99. 5-30 N.m.’; and accompanied by manuscript family note: ‘His home was in Stourbridge, Worcs. He returned home in a debilitated condition, caught a chill, developed rheumatic fever and died soon after, his wife, my great aunt, never married again, she was about age thirty four when he died.’

The QSA to Atherstone sold on the 17th for a hammer price of £950. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £1,224. R24,100. Au$2,210. Can$2,050. US$1,640

The re-impressed QSA to Rupert Moore sold yesterday for a hammer price of £1,200. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £1,546. R29,700. Au$2,800. Can$2,590. US$2,050

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (1) Defence of Mafeking (G. N. H. Whales. Mafeking Town Gd:)

George Nathaniel Henry Whales was born in 1851 and was the publisher and editor of the Mafeking Mail, who put out his Special Siege Slips throughout the Siege, with the note on the top:

'Issued Daily, Shells Permitting.'

Dr Robin Pelteret has written:

'In Mafeking, there was to exist a fragile peace between the publisher and editor of the Mafeking Mail Special Siege Slip, G. N. H. Whales, and the military authorities. Whales was somewhat acerbic of tongue. He once publicly thanked the press censor for saving his life, a Boer shell having destroyed his editorial chair whilst he was submitting his newspaper copy for military scrutiny elsewhere in the village. He was to be briefly imprisoned on one occasion for publishing querulous criticism on the conduct of the siege and the restrictions on the availability of news. In protest, he was known to publish empty columns (No. 47) and indeed cancelled one whole edition (No.45) as visible disregard and mute testimony to the censor's liberal use of a blue pencil.'

That 94lb shell which smashed his office was the second to have penetrated it, with his first comment being '...that the slip would not be issued tonight.' (A diary of the Siege, refers)

Whales also wrote for the Daily Mail and Daily Chronicle during the Siege and served the Town Guard. He died on 11 June 1932.

The QSA to George Whales just sold for a hammer price of £3,000. Totals (inc VAT on the commission for the UK only): £3,720. R73,600. Au$6,590. Can$6,050. US$4,860

Interested Forum members
On a current popular on-line auction site is the QSA single clasp DofM impressed to "8190 Cpl. E.Perrin, A.S.C.".
The seller notes that the recipient was also entitled to the Ashanti Star (found him on that roll under same number, rank 2nd Cpl.) Colin Walker's Register shows him as serving with 38th Coy., ASC and links him with D Sqn., Protectorate Regt.
An unusual entitlement, to say the least!
Regards
IL.