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Hello Justin,

Thank you for this extra information, that explains a lot.

Cheers
Paul

JustinLDavies wrote: Paul,

The N.F.F. Casualty Roll is a 1970's type-up of the handwritten casualty returns in The National Archives (which explains many of the spelling and other errors). I can't remember the exact reference not having looked for them for 20 years.

Importantly, the handwritten returns have a last column which is not reproduced in the typed version. For your man, it will read 'Released 7.6.1900' I imagine. The transcriber of the roll merely put 'released' next to 'Missing' in the published version.

Best wishes,

Justin

coldstream wrote: I have just acquired a QSA with clasps Transvaal and Natal to 3863 Charles Davenport 10th Mountain Battery R.G.A.
He is listed in the casualty rolls as "Davenport C 3863 Bombardier Missing - released at Nicholson's Nek. 30 Oct 1899.
Source: Natal Field Force Casualty Roll, page 28 line 37"
My question to the forum is the term "Missing" would this mean he was captured and then released or would he have evaded capture.

Cheers
Paul

Hello Ian,
The rank and file BSAP can, for the period in question here, in effect, be spit into two groups, the career policeman and then the short term campaign type, these latter came from the British Empire and well beyond including America and Germany, but, I would suggest after a brief look at WO100/77, that the particular gentleman you mention was actually in the former group and I would think still actually serving when the medals were issued.
Paul's Charles Davenport was a career artillerist in the Militia and then the British Army, serving in the latter before, throughout and beyond 1896.
Regards Frank.

LinneyI wrote: Gentlemen
In a way, I hate to say this, BUT there is a "C.B.DAVENPORT" TPR, BSAP, entitled to the BSAC medal with 1896 reverse; this shown in the Owen Medal roll. The thing is, I guess, to figure out if he had time to do his time in BSAP, get back to UniK and into 10MB in time for Nicholson's Nek.
Frank, there might be something re this DAVENPORT on the BSAC Medal papers?
Guys, I am not saying it is the same person. However, could it be????
IL.

Frank
The reference to Matabeleland Expeditionary Force on papers and the fact that a chap with a very similar first name initial and same spelling of surname was on the BSACM roll was rather too good NOT to bring up! Maybe IL has been exposed to combinations of BSACMs and QSAs for too long (see posts re Panzera, Haire-Forster and Frost).
Sometimes chancy long shots do come off - although not with my Target Rifle at 800m! IL recalls once many years ago, idly flipping through one of Stan Kaplan's rolls and thinking that a certain name and marginal list of units served looked sort of familiar - and so it was. Two extra "good" clasps could have been added if they had been available.
Thanks for your update re BSAP.
IL.

Morning Ian,
I don't know why it says that in the papers for Paul's man, he was either part of the force initially or it is just an error, but, certainly not shown as being entitled anyway.
You sometimes see the Wepener clasp being mentioned in particular men's papers, now I can understand this when the War Office were unsure of the exact qualification, for example, members of the relief force, but, not for men in regiments/corps who never went anywhere near the place.
I agree, I think the best way to buy any BSA Co medal is with another medal/medals they are certainly nice things.
Kind regards Frank

Thought the medal was worthy of a photograph




Cheers
Paul

Paul
A good touch; medal with illustration of incident location! Medal is certainly in lovely condition.
IL.