TOPIC:

MR. J. J. WHARTON. NATAL GOVT. RLYS.

QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL
CONDITION :GVF
CLASPS:NONE

MR. J. J. Wharton served as a Bridge Guard for the NGR. This was often a tedious duty where a couple of men would be told off to protect important bridges on the rail network.
For more information about the unit, pease see the relevant page on this forum for Natal Government Railways Bridge Guards.

W. A. GLISSON. CGR

ARMOURED TRAIN GUARD

QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA
CONDITION:NEF
CLASPS:NONE

First of all, let me say congratulations to the Springboks on their series win against the B and I Lions.
I will continue along the sporting vein with this recent addition to my QSA collection.
William Albert Glisson was born on 8th July 1882 at Port Elizabeth. During the Anglo Boer War he served as a guard on armoured trains as detailed in WO100/279 'Worked armoured trains from July 1st 1901 to end of war'.
WO126/286 also shows service with the Uitenhage Town Guard.
Neither medal roll shows any entitlement to clasps.

William married Violet Cecilia Kelly of Graaff Reinet at St. James' Church in her home town on 20th April 1914, when he was recorded as working for South African Railways.

He also enjoyed playing a high standard of cricket for Eastern Province from the 1906/07 season to 1922/23. Please see above photo for a shot of the team he played in.

As followers of cricket will know, a player's lifetime statistics can be found in publications such as Wisden's amongst other sources.
I found William's stats on cricHQ and have the pleasure of posting the following :
BATTING AND FIELDING
Matches:17
Innings:31
Not out:0
Runs:470
Highest score:81
Average :15.16
SR:N/A.
50s:1
100s:0
4s:0
6s:0
Caught:13
Stumped:0

BOWLING
Matches:17
Innings:20
Balls:1456
Runs:984
Wickets:40
BBI:7/50
BBM:10/91
Average :24.6
Economy :4.05
SR:36.4
4 wickets taken:3
5 wickets taken:3
10 wickets taken :1

He was no big hitter with the bat, but must have been unplayable in the match in which he took 10 wickets for 91!!

William Albert Glisson:Town guard, railwayman and first class cricketer died aged 82 at Uitenhage on 10th August 1964.

From the next DNW auction

QSA (0) (F. R. Robinson. Cape G.R.)

Frank Reginald Robinson served as a Guard with the Cape Government Railways Traffic Department. Sold with copied medal roll extract (for Robinson only) which states that he ‘Travelled through affected area in charge of trains and relieved at several stations within fire zone during the whole period of the war.’ Medal issued on 4 May 1908, to the recipient at ‘The Pharmacy, Potters Bar, Middlesex’.

From City Coins auction 72, 3 December 2021

QSA (0) (Mr. R. Cairncross Imp. Mil. Rly.)

QSA (1) Orange Free State (Mr. R. Spark Imp. Mil. Rly.)
The initial “R” of recipient’s name has been corrected.

From City Coins auction 72, 3 December 2021

QSA (3) CC, OFS, Tvl (Mr W.L. Penny Imp. Mil. Rly);
KSA (2) (Sergt. W.L. Penny 2nd Hants Regt (Vols)) (not entitled) renamed;
Natal Rebellion (0) (Sgt. W.L. Penny Natal Rangers);
1914-15 Star (R.S.M. W.L. Penny 12th Infantry);
BWM and AVM (Bil) (R.S.M. W.L. Penny S.A.S.C.);
Coronation Medal 1911 GV (Coy. Sgt. Maj. W.L. Penny S.A.R.E. Corps.);
Col. Aux. Forces LS Medal GV (No J 5105 R.S.M. W.L. Penny 2nd Dismtd. B.T. S.A.S.C.)

Penny served with the 2nd Volunteer Battalion Hampshire regiment from 1892 to 1894, with the I.M.R.

Volunteers from March 1901 – Sept 1902 (Sergt), with the C.S.A.R.

Volunteers from Sept 1902 to July 1913 (C.S.M.) and with the 12th Infantry Battalion, A.C.F. and the 2nd Dismounted Brigade Train thereafter (R.S.M.). During WWI Penny served in SWA.

His LS medal was awarded in 1920. Penny appears in a photograph at the Colonial Coronation Contingent Camp, Duke of York’s School, London.
The F.H. Bradley VC appears in the same photograph (photocopy included).

Penny’s rank is stated as Corporal. He also appears on the 1911 Coronation roll as Corporal.

Penny was an employee of the SA Railways. First 3 medals loose, last 5 mounted as worn.

Provenance: City Coins Postal Medal Auction 58, lot 55.

From City Coins auction 72, 3 December 2021

QSA (0) (J. Evans I.M.R.)

Clerk on the Medal Roll