A renamed, raised date QSA on offer the London Medal Co
Pictures courtesy of the LMC
Described as:
QSA (0) with raised dates to reverse with unofficially re-engraved naming; (5129-TPR- F.H. FALLOWS – 7TH DRAGOON-GUARDS.)
British War Medal and Victory Medal; (3661 A.R.Q.M.S. F.H. FALLOWS. C.A.S.C.)
Frank Howard Fallows was born in Birmingham, England on 7th October 1880, an accountant by trade he would see service in South Africa during the Boer War as a Trooper (No. 5129) with the 7th Dragoon Guards. At some stage Fallows obviously lost his medal and replaced it with the renamed one that is now in the group.
He would re-enlist during the Great War, initially at Vancouver into the 238th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force on 27th July 1916 and then again at Shorncliffe, Kent on 27th September 1916, subsequently seeing service on the Western Front as an Acting Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant (No. 3661) with the Canadian Army Service Corps.
The expected duration of the Boer War was initially greatly underestimated with the first batch of Queen’s South Africa Medals being minted with the raised dates in the relief of the reverse (1899-1900). The main unit to receive a limited number of these medals being Strathcona’s Horse. This unit returned to Canada as a complete unit before the war ended and a quantity of raised date QSAs were presented by King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace. The medals originally being issued without clasps, with these being forwarded to the recipient at a later date.
It is unknown exactly how many raised date QSAs were issued and those that occasionally appear on the market are typically named to men who served with Lord Strathcona’s Horse. This grouping until very recently had been in a collection in Canada so it is highly likely that the Queen's South Africa Medal was originally named to a member of Lord Strathcona's Horse.
A rare opportunity to purchase an example of a raised date QSA.
£2,500.