TOPIC:

Thank you very much for that information.
I had no idea that the medals were issued several years later.

So in my great grandfathers case he left his wife in Scotland in April 1901 and arrived in South Africa in May 1901 and served with the SAC until his death in February 1902.

His wife and now his widow certainly gets a shock to find her fully fit husband has died just 8 months or so later !
And then she gets a medal sent out to her 5 years after she last seems him.
When he was shipped overseas with the promise of a new life and land for his family after the conflict ended, a piece of metal for her sadly its not much of a reward.

I am not sure if this is known - but how were the next of kin notified of deaths ?
My great grandfathers address is on the attestation papers so would they have written, telegraphed his wife(my great grandmother) or used some other method ?

Re your point about the medal classification (in this case 3rd Class Trooper) being taken off the November 1901 and also the 1903 papers as seen above - the Record of Conduct and Service form clearly shows that my great grandfather Alexander McNaughton was promoted from 3rd Class Trooper to 2nd Class Trooper by divisional order on 20th October 1901.

Why would the November 1901 document have not noticed that he was a 2nd Class Trooper as of the previous month ?
Is this just a case of officialdom and forms simply not catching up fully with updated records etc ?

Alan

Hello Alan,

Just speculation but I would have thought that the military authorities would have written to his wife shortly after his death notifying her of his demise. Also his personal effects would have been returned to the NOK at some point.

With regards to the rank on the medal I think you are spot on and this would have been a very common occurrence.

Regards
Adrian

Thanks Adrian

This is clearly going to be a rookie mistake question but ... what is the NOK ?

Ignore - Next of Kin
I could kick myself !!