TOPIC:

Generally speaking, a KSA is a very common medal, but, once you start looking at particular examples, named to particular recipients, clearly some are very rare indeed, such as certain SAMIF recipients, in addition, such medals named to Imperial Indian Army recipients are quite scarce as can be expected.

I think the two bar KSA is a good medal to collect within certain parameters. The medal itself represents a minimum 18 months service during the latter part of the war, which was for many no picnic, and here the parameters start:

1. Unit awarded to - fighting, blockhouse or rear echelon (e.g. Cape Town)
2. Colonial/Navy KSAs scarcer than British Army
3. What did the recipient do to earn a QSA

This last parameter is the most interesting and where research pays off, I have single KSAs to:

Defenders of Mafeking = 2 (one wounded 31-10-1899 Canon Kopje (also Mashonaland 1897), BSAP, another to Herschel Native Police (27 KSAs))
Lindley POW = 1 (Johannesburg MR, previous service in IY)
Elandslaagte wounded = 1 (Manchester Rgt, QSA is Bf & E, an interesting combination, he bypassed the siege of Ladysmith in hospital I assume)

Of course with the price of KSAs collecting for something like the siege of Mafeking becomes very affordable.

Regards
Meurig

interesting topic... we don't see too many here in the States, but if one crosses my path I always make a point of looking at the recipient and unit. A number of years back, I found one to FID for very little $$.

Meurig
Unlike the situation in the UK, KSA's are not common on the South African market, and I have never paid them much attention. However, I now realise from your post that they do deserve a closer look. I wonder if I missed any important ones over the years? Thank you for sharing your experience.
Regards
Brett

Thanks to everybody for the responses so far to my initial questions. Thanks in particular to Frank and Meurig for prompting me to look at KSA's in a whole new light from now on!

Patrick

Well I am sure that after all this fantastic information the price of KSA's will now increase...... LOL

Mike