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Hello Ian,
I had meant to add that WC's QSA is actually a six clasp medal, a brief look at WO100/274 confirms his Johannesburg and Diamond Hill clasps were issued to him in 1905.
After he escaped, he arrived back in Durban on the 23rd of December 1899 and was commissioned into the SALH on the 2nd of January 1900.
After the business in Natal had been concluded, he managed to get himself attached to Lord Robert's force on the western front, on the 11th of April, not easy, as Robert's did not care for him at all.
Just eight days later, whilst on a mounted reconnaissance with Montmorency's Scouts, he lost his horse and had to be rescued by Trooper Clement Robert's.
He was present at the capture of Johannesburg and one of the first into Pretoria, at Diamond Hill, he found a route to the summit, on his own and that gave the infantry a chance that they may not have had, he did shorten the battle at very considerable risk to himself.
He did not receive anything for that, despite being so brave on the day, the recommendations were vetoed by Lord Robert's.
I dare say that Robert's may have claimed that he was merely a civilian, but, he was actually a supernumerary SAMIF officer, he deserved a DSO at the very least, in my opinion, although, some people think he should have received the Victoria Cross.
If only he had not upset the Commander in Chief and his Chief of Staff!
Kind regards Frank

LinneyI wrote: Forum members
When searching the SALH roll searching for J.W.A. Temple, what should I find at nearly the very end of the SALH roll but an entry for a "Lt. W.L.S. CHURCHILL" entitled to clasps CC/OFS/TH/RofL. A marginal note tells us that his medal was "Issued by the King, 29/7/01".
Regards to all interested
IL.

Frank
It is funny that the roll entry I saw did not mention the other battle and engagement clasps; perhaps there was a suppl. roll elsewhere? WC really wanted a decoration - I seem to recall reading that he commented that a DSO would look nice on his robes!!!!! Big lesson here: Never upset the CinC.
IL.

Hello Ian,
He upset Robert's with his various dispatches to "The Morning Post" and Herbert Kitchener was not too pleased with his book, "The River War"
WC was certainly very keen on medals!

Lieutenant WLS Churchill SALH, note the third ribbon, the Spanish Order of Military Merit, he did not receive permission to wear this at the particular point in time and was doing so against regulations,
I salute a brave man!

Child's play!

Major-General Sir Fredierick Smith has this to say about his predecessor Sir Francis Duck in the Army Veterinary Department.

During the retreat at the Zolobane Mountain " taking a dead man's rifle he volunteered his services with the rear guard and rendered excellent service at a most critical moment" for which he was recommended a VC. His name was struck out by the C in C because he had no right to be there. Apparently he held up the column the day before doing a postmortem on the C in C's horse that had died after getting into the commissariat tea.


" I can not resist the temptation of recording an example of his chivalrous fairness. When the Zulus were broken at Ulundi the mounted troops were released from the square and went in pursuit. Duck stopped a Zulu with a ullet in the hip; he could easily have killed him with his revolver, but did not regard it as fair to a wounded man, so he fought the Zulu on foot with his own national weapon, the assegai"

Hello Ian,
The latter two clasps are on page 11 of WO100/274.
Regards Frank

LinneyI wrote: Frank
It is funny that the roll entry I saw did not mention the other battle and engagement clasps; perhaps there was a suppl. roll elsewhere? WC really wanted a decoration - I seem to recall reading that he commented that a DSO would look nice on his robes!!!!! Big lesson here: Never upset the CinC.
IL.

LOL, I really don't think the events on the 11th and 12th of June 1900 were "child's play" in fact, I would have thought that the reverse was true, moreover, I suspect many who were actually present would be of the same opinion!

David Grant wrote: Child's play!

Major-General Sir Fredierick Smith has this to say about his predecessor Sir Francis Duck in the Army Veterinary Department.

During the retreat at the Zolobane Mountain " taking a dead man's rifle he volunteered his services with the rear guard and rendered excellent service at a most critical moment" for which he was recommended a VC. His name was struck out by the C in C because he had no right to be there. Apparently he held up the column the day before doing a postmortem on the C in C's horse that had died after getting into the commissariat tea.


" I can not resist the temptation of recording an example of his chivalrous fairness. When the Zulus were broken at Ulundi the mounted troops were released from the square and went in pursuit. Duck stopped a Zulu with a ullet in the hip; he could easily have killed him with his revolver, but did not regard it as fair to a wounded man, so he fought the Zulu on foot with his own national weapon, the assegai"