British and Colonial

Queen's South Africa Medal with raised dates

QSA with raised dates
cd250ad01cb533fe96fc2c4a1bb240ac.jpg
The duration of the war was grossly underestimated because the first issues of the Queen's South Africa (QSA) bore the date in relief on the reverse '1899 1900'.  The main unit to receive a limited number of these medals was Strathcona's Horse.  This unit returned home to Canada as a complete unit before the war ended and a quantity of raised date QSAs were presented by King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace.  The story goes that the medals were named in a great hurry.

At the time, the medals were issued without clasps  The clasps were sent to Canada and attached to the medals privately.

There is uncertainty about how many medals were issues with the dates in relief.  The problem is complicated by the fact that units other than Strathcona's Horse were issued with raised date QSAs.

Recipients of raised date QSAs

The following table is in surname order. 

Surname: 
Forename: 
No: 
Notes: 
Unit: 
Search Options:
(62 Records)

 Surname   Forename   No   Rank   Notes   Unit 
BellP W396SergeantQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
BennettJ139PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
BrentW376PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
BroadbentE R356PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
BuddE J25837DriverQSA (5) CC TH RofL Tr OFS; KSA (2); 1914-15 Trio.
Sold by Lusted, date unknown, GBP 650. The QSA only was sold by DNW in June 1999 for GBP 2,700. The QSA was again sold at Spink in October 1999. The location of his other medals is not known
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		66th Battery, RFA
BurdetteA H471PrivateQSA (3) Nat OFS Belf.
Entitled to 01. The 01 clasp was returned on 15 Aug 1905
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
CameronM C J387PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
ClarkeE H15PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
CongdonE B179PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
CurtisF E397SergeantQSA (3) Nat OFS Belf (loose block); BWM and VM (Major Sir E F E Curtis, Bt).

Born in Victoria, British Colombia, Canada, on 18 December 1875, and was educated at Shrewsbury School. Returning to Canada, he was employed as a rancher before attesting for Lord Strathcona's Horse at Vancouver on 8 February 1900. He served with C Troop. Promoted Sergeant. Discharged at his own request on 15 May 1901. He subsequently served during the Great War as a Major on the General List in Egypt and Palestine, and was appointed Military Governor of Hebron in 1917. According to family tradition he 'served with Lawrence of Arabia's lot', although nothing has been found that can confirm this. Sir Francis succeeded his cousin Sir William Curtis as 5th Baronet Curtis, of Cullands Grove, Middlesex on the latter's death on 19 December 1916. He married twice but died without issue at Wimbledon Hospital on 9 August 1943, after falling in front of a Piccadilly line train at Knightsbridge Underground Station.
DNW September 2017 GBP 7,500
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
CustanceT T M358PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01; 1902 Coronation Medal
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
ElliottF515RSMQSA (3) Nat Belf CC; KSA (2)
Not on roll. Appears to have died 17 October 1900
Phillips 1926 GBP 5. Usher collection (1946)
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
FaderG D326PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01. Ackley summer 2004
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
FraserWlfred Douglas475PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01; 14-15 Star; BWM; VM (Pte 16th Can Infy).
Born 18 May 1876 in Little Hampton, England. He joined the 16th CEF on 23 September 1914.
Denby January 1979. Jeffrey Hoare June 2017
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
GamsbyG476PrivateQSA (5) Nat OFS Belf 01 02
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
GrestockH54PrivateQSA (5) Nat OFS Belf 01 02; [14-15 Star]; BWM; VM (Lt); Memorial Cross.

KIA 5 February 1917. He re-enlisted in SH on 4 May 1915, as 2499 Private, and was promoted to Corporal on 26 July 1916. Later that year he was commissioned into the 73rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Highlanders of Canada, and was killed in France. He was then aged 39 and is buried in Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez.

Spink June 1987. eBay February 2001 Cdn 7,288. DNW September 2006 GBP 5,500. Ursual January 2007 Cdn 16,500, GBP 6,300. City Coins August 2016
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
HardwickJ de H497PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
HardyA202PrivateQSA (2) Nat Tr.
Enlisted Maple Creek 6 February 1900. At Green Point Camp on 23 May 1900 listed as sick and unfit to travel
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
HazeldineF C96PrivateQSA (4) Nat OFS Belf 01; 14-15 Star; BWM; VM; 1902 Coronation Medal
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
HeygateW A N602PrivateQSA (3) CC OFS Belf, KSA (2) 01 02 (Cornet SAC).
Joined Canadian Contingent of SAC as a QMS, was MID by Lord Kitchener on Baden-Powell's recommendation LG 23 June 1902, and was commissioned as a Cornet on 1 July 1901.
Spink October 1999.
Source: List of QSAs with raised dates		Canada, Lord Strathcona's Horse
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My thanks to Cpl Lee J Ramsden CD, Jim Godefroy ([email protected]), Mark Reid and Mike for their help in the compilation of this information.

Further information

After the Boer War and upon return to Canada the unit known as 'Strathcona's Horse' was disbanded.  In 1909 'A' Squadron Royal Canadian Mounted Rifles based in Winnipeg were renamed 'Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)'.  The abbreviation of LSH did not come into use until May 1911.  This was subsequently changed on 24 April 1942 to 'LdSH(RC)' and this name is in use today.  It is interesting to note that several variants of the unit name are seen on medals to SH.

The web site for Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) can be found at http://www.strathconas.ca/bmenu_history.php.

In addition to the named medals list above, two unnamed (not erased) medals with raised dates are known to exist.  One has no clasps and the other has the standard clasps for SH (Nat OFS Belf 01).  A bronze QSA with raised dates is also known.

Raised date QSAs identified on this page:  8 on 24 Nov 2004.  16 by Dec 2004.  49 by Feb 2005.  51 by Mar 2006.  54 by 1 Jan 2007.  55 by 1 Sep 2010.  62 by April 2018.

 

Details
Parent Category: Medals and awards
Category: Boer War period medals
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