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Picture courtesy of DNW

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902 (E. Mason, A.B. HMS Monarch.);
1914-15 Star (174565. E. Mason. A.B., R.N.);
BWM and VM (174565 E. Mason. A.B. R.N.);
Royal Navy LS&GC GV, 1st issue (174565. E. Mason, A.B. HMS Isonzo.)

Edward Mason was born in Preston, Lancashire in May 1877. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in July 1893, and advanced to Able Seaman in September 1897. Service included with HMS Monarch, January 1897 - April 1900, and with the Proserpine (cruiser) the Egmont and the Fleet Messenger Isonzo during the Great War.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (2) Cape Colony, South Africa 1901 (Capt. R. D. Beith. R.M.L.I. H.M.S. Monarch.);
1914 Star, with clasp (Lieut. Col. R. D. Beith, R.M. Brigade.);
British War and Victory Medals, with MID (Lt. Col. R. D. Beith. R.M.L.I.)

Robert Douglas Beith was born in Plymouth in November 1864, and was the son of Robert Beith, Deputy Inspector General of the Royal Naval Medical Service. Beith was commissioned Lieutenant, Chatham Division, Royal Marine Light Infantry in September 1884. He saw various service afloat and on shore, and advanced to Captain in March 1895.

Beith was posted to the Royal Marine Depot, and appointed Acting Superintendent, Gymnasia North East District in July 1900. He was posted for service with H.M.S. Monarch in November 1900, and landed for service in South Africa. Beith was attached as a Staff Officer to the Colonial Defence Force, serving in the North East Cape Colony, April 1901 - August 1902. He was promoted to Major in August 1902, and returned to the Portsmouth Division. Beith served with H.M.S. Albion, on the China Station, July 1903 - November 1905. He was made Brevet Lieutenant Colonel in August 1909, and advanced to Lieutenant Colonel the following September.

Beith was posted to the R.M. Depot at Deal in October 1911, and transferred to Portsmouth two years later. He was appointed to the command of the Deal Battalion, Royal Marine Brigade in September 1914, and took part in operations at Dunkirk, Cassel and Antwerp. Beith served with the Royal Naval Division in Gallipoli, and was graded as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General whilst in command of the RND Base there, April 1915 - March 1916. He was seconded for service with the War Officer in September 1917, and held a special appointment at the Press Bureau. Beith was held a special appointment as Officer Commanding British Troops, Turin, Italy from July 1918, and was demobilised in February 1919. Colonel Beith died at the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar in 1937, and is buried in Clayhill Naval Cemetery, Gosport.

MID unconfirmed.

Pictures courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (0) (P. A. Knee, Ck’s Mte: H.M.S. Monarch);
[ 1914-15 Star trio ];
Royal Navy LS&GC EdVII 158483 P. A. Knee, Sh. Cook, H.M.S. Hampshire.)

Philip Arthur Knee was born in Bristol in February 1872. He joined the Royal Navy as a Domestic 3rd Class in February 1894, and advanced to Cook’s Mate in February 1896. Service included with H.M.S. Monarch, January 1897 - July 1900, and H.M.S. Hampshire, December 1906 - August 1909 (awarded LS&GC in August 1907).

Knee advanced to Acting Chief Ship’s Cook in May 1909, and subsequent service included with MFA Chinkoa, 10 August - 23 November 1914, and at HMS Victory. On 7 January 1916, Knee was ‘Discharged Dead’ from there, and is buried in the Portsmouth (Eastland or Highland Road) Cemetery, Hampshire.

Pictures courtesy of JB Military Antiques

QSA (0) (J. FULLARTON. E.R.A. H.M.S. MONARCH.);
British War and Victory Medal (268347 J. FULLARTON. C.E.R.A. 1. R.N.);
Royal Navy LS&GC EdVII (268347 JAMES FULLARTON. C.E.R.A. 2CL. H.M.S. BLENHEIM)

The description says:

Court mounted for display and comes with copy service record and medal roll. Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class James Fullarton was born on 28/7/1871 at Saltcoats, Ayrshire. The 1891 census records him as living in Ardrossan and workings as an Engineer Apprentice Fitter. He enlisted into the Royal Navy on the 13/11/1894 as a Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class, his occupation being recorded as a fitter and turner. Over the next 26 years he served on a variety of H.M. ship and shore bases including: H.M.S. Monarch (guard ship at Simons Bay, South Africa) from 26/1/1897 – 27/7/1900, qualifying for the Queen’s South Africa Medal. During WW1 he served on H.M.S. Thames (submarine tender and served at Sheerness) 5/8/1914 – 30/9/1917. H.M.S. Maidstone (the principal depot ship for the 9th Submarine Flotilla at Harwich for the duration of the hostilities) 1/10/1917 – 5/12/1917, H.M.S. Dolphin (submarine depot ship) 6/12/1917 – 6/10/1918, H.M.S. Eaglet for the Kilfullert (anti-submarine sloop) 16/10/1918 – 30/9/1919. Post war he continued to serve finishing at Pembroke II being invalided to shore on 7/1/1920. He was awarded his LS & GC Medal 1909. Promoted to Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class 1/10/1911.

Quick pre-amble...I recently joined the "angloboerwar" forum and want to say thank you for all the welcomes and help. I also only recently purchased my 1st Boer War medal, and yesterday purchased my 3rd....a QSA presumably to a Seaman on the HMS Monarch.

So obviously I'm a newbie....

Admittedly this was a bit of an impulse buy as the price was in that gray area that seemed like a bargain, but not alarmingly cheap. So now I'd love for you seasoned collectors to tell me if I was a daft idiot or did OK.

A quick search on this forum confirmed there was a P. M. Downs on the HMS Monarch, but it said the medal was "returned".....I am not sure what that means exactly. I'm guessing the recipient was not around to collect it for whatever reason, so it went back to where ever unwanted medals go. The description said it was privately engraved, and I notice that the font doesn't match the other pictures in this string, but it also doesn't scream hack job. I've seen with other medals the terms "officially", "regimentally" and "privately" named....so this fact didn't really send alarm bells.

Finally I noticed my Token Publication Medal Yearbook for 2023 that a QSA with bar Transvaal (to RN) might be valued at 450-600 quid. So here is where I start scratching my head. Even saying a privately engraved example wouldn't command the same price as an official, the price I got this for (about 200 quid) seemed like it might be worth the risk. The quality and appearance of the naming seemed show similar age as the medal itself. And that this even at a full theoretical value of 600 seemed like a low enough value to not be worth the trouble of faking.

So I'd really appreciate your thoughts and advice. Thanks in advance!!!

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The Fevyer and Wilson roll of the QSA for RN and RM shows "188.532 AB Downs P.M." as being entitled to a no bar QSA for Extended Period service. And that the medal was returned (presumably unclaimed or unable to be issued). There were 969 such no bar QSAs awarded to HMS Monarch; of which 157 were returned - which means 912 were issued. I assume that his medal would be held for a certain time and then returned to the Mint.There are many and diverse reasons why A.B. Downs, P.M. never got his medal and it may well be that at some point he decided to have one made up with his name upon it. The naming on the QSA you illustrated is certainly not standard and Downs was certainly not entitled to bars "Cape Colony" and "Transvaal".
Should you need to go down that path, Downs' RN service may be accessed by means of a research job undertaken by a professional researcher in the UK. I recommend Kevin Asplin.
BTW, many of the crew of HMS Monarch travelled far and wide during certain stages of the ABW - and Able Seaman Downs put his time in on board the vessel instead.
Regards
IL.