TOPIC:

Hi Its Jonathan.
I was wondering if anybody on the site could shed some light on a pair of medals that I acquired, one a QSA CC bar to Cape RLY: SHPTERS named to Pte H Lee, as well as a SAGSM to the same person but a corp, engraved with Sississons:HRSE. I am unable to find this unit at all. Does not appear on the lists that I have for that period?

Any body can help? is this also his only medal entitlement?

Regards

Hello Jonathan

Congratulations on what I view as a an exceptional pair of medals. I rather think that the Sississon on the rim of the 1878 is spelled incorrectly and should be Sissison with "one S" - that said and one it brings us no closer to the mysterious unit. Going by the snap you provided the rim looks as though it's named correctly and yet, like you, I find no mention of this outfit. Very perplexing.

What I can offer are the following references to whom I think best fits the bill as the Sissison of the Horse fame. Possibly a glance at these files might shed some light on the unit and its founder.

DEPOT KAB
SOURCE CO
TYPE LEER
VOLUME_NO 4196
SYSTEM 01
REFERENCE S78
PART 1
DESCRIPTION MEMORIAL. JOSEPH SISSISON FOR MURRAYSBURG CAVALRY. REQUESTING
AMMUNITION.
STARTING 18770000
ENDING 18770000
DEPOT KAB
SOURCE CO
TYPE LEER
VOLUME_NO 4201
SYSTEM 01
REFERENCE S35
PART 1
DESCRIPTION MEMORIAL. CAPTAIN JOSEPH SISSISON. REGARDING MARCH OF THE PRIESKA
VOLUNTEERS.
STARTING 18780000
ENDING 18780000
DEPOT KAB
SOURCE CO
TYPE LEER
VOLUME_NO 4211
SYSTEM 01
REFERENCE S90
PART 1
DESCRIPTION MEMORIAL. JOSEPH SISSISON. OFFERING TO RAISE A CORPS AT CLANWILLIAM.
STARTING 18800000
ENDING 18800000

I have located a baptism certificate iro a Henry Edward Lee (September 1879) wherein the father is HENRY LEE an Engineer and the mother a Mary Lee. I suspect that this Henry is your man who either has a brother or a father names Joseph - the "Jos" on the medal roll for the Cape Rlwy Sharpshooters.


Regards

Rory

Hi Jonathan
There are mentions of Capt Joseph Sissison on pages 33 and 34 of "History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Twelve Eventful Years" vol II by the historian Geo McC Theal.





Henry Lee's SAGS medal is confirmed



What is most interesting is that he is listed as a Corporal and the medal engraved as such, but his rank at the time of earning the medal is Captain!!

Using the above and Rory's references may help you to solve the puzzle

Henk

Hi
The pages should have been 32 and 33!!
Herewith page 32




Henk

Thank you, its starting to come together now, I found this article in on one of the Karoo sites regarding Murraysburg Volanteer Cavalry. I have attached it for you. The other interesting thing is that with the pair I also received a QSA originally thought a duplicate until closer inspection revealed that it is to a pte T Lee, Kimberley Vol Reg, it has CC, OFS, and SA 1901. The roll it would appear that it should have been SA 1902, Adrian kindly assisted me with this, what a nice chap, always helpful.

It may be a sub unit to MVC?

Jonathan

Very nice indeed, both medals and clasps are verified, the Queens South Africa medal in WO100/270 and the South Africa War medal in WO100/49, in addition, this latter also clearly shows Captain Joseph Sissison late commanding Sissison's Horse serving in the Civil Service of the Cape of Good Hope.
Surviving rank and file papers for the Cape Railway Sharpshooters are in WO126/127-129, I would certainly think this pair to be Henry Lee's complete entitlement.

griffiths wrote: Hi Its Jonathan.
I was wondering if anybody on the site could shed some light on a pair of medals that I acquired, one a QSA CC bar to Cape RLY: SHPTERS named to Pte H Lee, as well as a SAGSM to the same person but a corp, engraved with Sississons:HRSE. I am unable to find this unit at all. Does not appear on the lists that I have for that period?

Any body can help? is this also his only medal entitlement?

Regards