Good evening gentlemen,
Oh dear, that does sound a little like the situation in Rhodesia during it's final years, although, perhaps, not quite as bad, with anything that was worth a bit of money being sold off, with the net result that a considerable number of BSA Co medals and sadly, QSA's were not only lost to the families of the original recipient, but, were lost forever to all after being scrapped.
It is annoying, you see it time after time here, with Great War trios being sold by family members who seem to have little interest in their ancestors and even less respect for their achievements during those awful years.
On the subject of split groups, I don't give them a second glance, I would always seek to buy an alternative, very easy here, there are huge numbers of medals to be had, at a price.
I like South African trios, they are so diverse and of course, very interesting too, they are still, in my opinion, under rated, moreover on occasion, three ranks, three units, three campaigns, yet one recipient, certainly not something you would expect to see on a British trio.
I don't think I have bought one for some years now, I like the GWSA campaign in particular, I do remember the first I ever bought, Barkly West Commando on the star and Cullinan's Horse on the pair.
It was, I suspect, nothing more than a youthful CJR moment, Barkly West had been his original constituency on entry to the Cape Parliament, I suppose, in those long off days, it must have been similar to a second rate parish council here.
If I was pressed on the subject of trios, my favourite SA regiment/corps would have to be the 3rd SAI, they were really magnificent in July 1916 and you can still find interesting combinations with a star for GWSA, as well as just a humble pair.
Regards to you both down there in the last outpost!
