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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (5) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Diamond Hill, Belfast (5506 Pte. H. Dawson. Welsh Regt.)

SA01 on WO100/190p101. Other clasps on WO100/190p20.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (5) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast (5101 Corl. N. Mc’Namara, Welsh Regt.);
KSA (2) (5101 Serjt: T. McNamara. Welsh Regt.) suspension slack, edge digs, top clasp on KSA slightly misshapen

T. McNamara attested into the Welsh Regiment and served as a Sergeant in South Africa during the Boer War with the 1st Battalion.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (4) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Belfast (5771 Pte. E. Payze, Welsh Regt.);
KSA (2) (5771 Corpl: A. [sic.] Payze. Welsh Regt.)

Edward Charles Payze, a Clerk from Dalston, London, was born around 1879. He attested into the Welsh Regiment on 26 November 1898 and served in South Africa during the Boer War from 4 November 1899. Wounded at the Battle of Dreifontein on 10 March 1900, he was advanced Corporal on 15 October 1901, and was discharged in the rank of Staff Sergeant, at his own request, on payment on 3 August 1903.

Picture courtesy of Morton and Eden

QSA (1) Cape Colony (8293 Pte. H. Jones, Welsh Regiment);
[ KSA (2) ]

Corporal Harry Jones has several mentions in the regimental defaulters book.

M&E say the KSA was returned.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (3) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Belfast (5267 Pte. J. James, Welsh Regt.)

J. James was wounded at Paardeberg on 19 February 1900 whilst serving with the 1st Battalion, Welsh Regiment.

QSA (3) listed on WO100/100p39. SA01 listed on WO100/100p108.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Diamond Hill, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (7420 Pte. J. B. John, Vl: Co: Welsh Regt.)

John Bevan John was born at Longhon, Glamorgan in 1876. He enlisted in 1900 with 1st Volunteer Service Company, Welsh Regiment and is confirmed on the roll medal for this unit with four clasps. Further entitled to the King's Medal & clasp.

He is entitled to SA01 (WO100/190p217) rather than the KSA.

DJB posted the above just over 4 years ago.

It is always nice to put a face to a medal, and John Bevan John can de seen below, third from the right in the middle row, as a member of the 3rd Glamorgan Rifle Volunteers contingent just before they departed for South Africa as part of the 1st Volunteer Service Company attached to the 1st Battalion Welsh Regiment.



At the medical JBJ weighed in at 168 lbs (exactly 12 stone) making him the second heaviest of the 3rd GRV contingent – you don’t have to look too far to identify the heaviest.

JBJ was born on 3rd May 1875 in Loughor (rather than Longhon), which lies about 7 miles to the to the north west of Swansea and five miles to the east of Llanelli. Excepting his 15 months in South Africa, JBJ spent his whole life living in Loughor. His father was a grocer who augmented the family income as a Rate Collector. The 1891 census shows that 15 year old JBJ did well at school and had been invited to stay on as a “Pupil Teacher” who would have taught younger children with his reward being an opportunity to further his own education.

JBJ stayed the course in South Africa and as his clasps show was involved in the Battles of Diamond Hill & Belfast. On returning home unscathed he married Llanelli born Lizzy Annie Roberts during the summer of 1903. The 1911 Census shows JBJ had secured employment with the Llanelli Board of Guardians as their Registrar of Births & Deaths and, like his father before him, augmented his income as a part time Rate Collector.

JBJ would have been 39 when the Great War started and as a married man with two sons would, I think, just have escaped conscription. Also I think a Registrar of Briths & Deaths was a reserved occupation. He was definitely at home in Loughor in April 1916 when he presided over a concert to raise money for war charities,

The 1921 Census & 1939 Register found him still the Llanelli Registrar of Births and Deaths and the latter showed his eldest son following in his footsteps. His younger son had emigrated to Canada.

JBJ passed way in Loughor on 24th August 1946 aged 71 and he was buried in the Gorseinon Congregational Chapelyard. Lizzy passed away nearly eight years later and was buried alongside her husband.



JBJ sailed to South Africa during February 1900 and returned during May 1901 so there is no doubt that he was not entitled to the KSA.

GRV photo courtesy of the Peoples Collection Wales.
Headstone photo courtesy of Find A Grave.