I am in the process of acquiring the following group:

- QSA with clasps OFS/TVL/RoK to 217 Pte. A. Chalmers, 1 Queensland M.I.
- KSA with clasps SA 1901/1902 to 1355 Sjt. P.A. Chalmers, W.P.M.R.
- 1914/15 Star to Colour Sergeant P.A. Chalmers of the S.A. Irish
- British War Medal and
- Allied Victory Medal as above.

My question relates to Chalmers' QSA and is twofold:

a) Are there any online attestation papers or other documents iro Australian servicemen?
b) Were the QSA's to Australians impressed differently to the other Colonial Forces?

I am unable to supply a photo, unfortunately.

According to the family Chalmers went on to loose a leg in WWI but I would have to draw his card to determine this as, with his medal entitlement, he would only have been in German South West Africa.

Regards

Rory

Rory, I have a similar group: KSA to FID and trio to "M.G.Detachment". The QSA (clasps RofK, Paar and Dreif) is impressed in square caps with the unit shown as "QNSLND: M.R" . Note, no numeral before the unit title. I do not know if attestation papers are online; try AWM site. Your man Chalmers is on the Mostly Unsung published roll for the 1st QMI with clasps as shown by you. Served A coy. Other service in Seaforths, POWLH, WPMR. From what I have seen, OZ QSA's were impressed in similar style to others.
Hope this helps. Ian Linney.

Rory,

The Queensland MI service papers for Chalmers are in the National Archives of Australia and are available free online through them. I've just had a look at them. Here's the URL:
www.naa.gov.au/collection/using/search/index.aspx
Select "search as a guest"
New window will come up and enter "A Chalmers" in keywords and "1899" to "1902" under dates and then click "search".
New window will open and your man is the second of the three records that come up. Click the "papers" graphic icon on the far right of his line next to 1901-1902 and a new window showing the two pages of his attestation papers will open up.

I made copies so if you have any trouble send me a private message with your e-mail address and I'll send them to you.

Cheers,

Mark

Thanks ever so much Mark.

Highly appreciated. I was able to download the papers.

Regards

Rory

Rory wrote:

Glad to have been able to help, Rory.

I just had a look at the casualty list for the GSWA campaign in Rayner & O'Shaughnessy and I don't see a Chalmers amongst the wounded. The list excludes the Rebellion casualties and of course, accidents.

Cheers,

Mark