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Ok Rob, Let me take a stab at it.
There are several medical units in the field in Natal which leads to the confusion. Besides the NVIAC there are the Dhooly Bearers from India & the Indian Hospital Corps.
To my mind Dhooly Bearers carry dhoolies & stretcher bearers carry stretchers. To add to the confusion there is also "Messrs C.Dhanji Bhai and Company's Tonga Train" which used Tongas but not in Natal. So going through your photos, The first I would say was a Tonga, the third a stretcher, & the 4th a Dhooly.
As for uniforms, I attach a picture. The dark tunics I worked out from the numbers on the rolls as being the Indian Hospital Corps. The Dhoolie Bearers were issued kit so more likely to be wearing uniform, or parts of it. The Indians, volunteered from the farms & mines were more likely a motley crew. The slouch hats of your first photo are similar to the Boer ones - I agree this is more likely to be the other 1906 unit ( BTW there is no continuity.between 1899 & 1906 other than Gandhi since he was the only one to serve in both on the rolls) since the "team" photo of the 1899 photo has Booth seated in the middle.







As far as casulties, I have found none to the Natal Indians but I can offer you these,
608 Dooly Bearer Gopal Pari of the Dhooly Bearers Mhow District served at Belfast, Elandslaagte, Ladysmith and Laing’s Nek. He received a gratuity of Rs64 for wounds sustained.
L/AG/26/11/2 (Folio 41 South Africa 36080/02)
WO 100/298 p145

142 Dooly Bearer Karati Paupiah Dead
WO 100/298 p162

242 Dhooly Bearer Yatoor Kondiah served with the Madras Dhooly Bearer Corps at Belfast; Talana; Defence of Ladysmith and Laing’s Nek. His widow Etoor Aukammah received a gratuity of Rs70.
L/AG/26/11/2
WO 100/298 p160-2

373 Dooly Bearer P.Yelliah Bellary District Deceased WO 100/298 p167

M.M.25 Dooly Bearer Binda Punjab Command-Meean Meer District Dead (Ladysmith) WO 100/298 p168

M.M.57 Dooly Bearer Ram Din from Meena Meer died Ladysmith. His mother, Sidhai was granted a gratuity of Rs 50 from 1st February 1901 (Pen Cir 141) Punjab. Caste Kahar
L/AG/26/11/2
WO 100/298 p170

M.M.27 Dooly Bearer Pitai Wounds

455 Havildar Munesar Singh served with the Dhobi Corps in Natal (attached from the 8th Rajput’s Bengal Infantry as paymaster) He shot himself on the 13th March 1902. Singh was buried at Howick. His name is absent from the memorial erected there. Queen’s Medal issued 18th January, 1905 and King’s Medal 20th January.

I have no evidence that NVIAC were at Spioenkop or Tabanyama although there were members of the Indian Mule Corps transporting water to the summit of Spioenkop.

Make of it what you can. Let me know if I can be more useful

ATB

David

Thank-you, David - that's very useful and interesting!

Regarding the British wounded on Spioenkop:
There was a dressing station on Spioenkop summit [it moved further away from the trench twice during 24th Jan because of Boer fire]. As far as I can tell, wounded men were carried to this station by their comrades.
There was a 2nd dressing station at the foot of the hill [Lt Knox RAMC]; as far as I can tell, men were carried there by Bearer Companies of their regiments.
From there, stretcher bearers of the NVAC, the "body snatchers" and/or ambulance wagons took the wounded to two field hospitals - either 1-2 hours to Fairview Farm [Maj Moir RAMC] or across the Tugela 8 hrs by ambulance wagon to Spearman's Farm [Sir F Treves]. Am I on the right track?

Then, I'd appreciate views about the accuracy of these statements, all of which I feel mis-lead the reader to some extent. I have put them in reverse order of exaggeration:

Gandhi's own words: "Though our work was to be outside the firing line, and though we had the protection of the Red Cross, we were asked at a critical moment to serve within the firing line. The reservation had not been of our seeking. The authorities did not want us to be within the range of fire. The situation, however, was changed after the repulse at Spion Kop, and General Buller sent the message that, though we were not bound to take the risk, Government would be thankful if we would do so and fetch the wounded from the field. We had no hesitation, and so the action at Spion Kop found us working within the firing line. During these days we had to march from twenty to twenty-five miles a day, bearing the wounded on stretchers. Amongst the wounded we had the honour of carrying soldiers like General Woodgate." [Ref: www.mkgandhi.org/ebks/An-Autobiography.pdf ]

"... on January 24, when British suffered heavy casualties, members of the (Natal Indian Ambulance ) Corps agreed to receive the wounded under fire and carry them from Spion Kop to the base hospital at Frere, more than twenty miles away. [Ref www.mkgandhi.org/articles/boer_war.htm ]

"During the Battle of Spion Kop, the Natal Volunteer Ambulance Corps (including Gandhi) moved into the frontline to collect the wounded". [Ref: samilhistory.com/2016/04/10/spionkop-sha...urchill-botha-ghandi ]

and the prize goes to:
"Was Ghandi the last British commander on the hill?" [Ref www.theobservationpost.com/blog/?m=201703 ]

I'd appreciate if any member can correct my misunderstandings.
I'm keen to learn all I can about the NVIAC, and if there is further reading I can do on this subject.

Rob

David, I was interested in what you said about only MK Ghandi being the sole recipient of both the QSA for NVIAC and the 1906 medal for Indian Stretcher Bearer Corps. I have the 1906 medal to Pte Ajodasing, and I note on the roll for the Natal Volunteer Indian Ambulance Leaders the name "Ajodhya J". Could these be the same person with different spellings - or am I drawing the wrong conclusion?
Nemo

I am not sure whether or not Gandhi himself or subsequent generations liked to "gild the lily" somewhat. What I have read of Reddy's is interesting but comes from a particular angle & I have not checked any of his references The NVIAC i am sure would not have been on the hill but certainly may have transported wounded to Spearman's camp. As you say Regimental bearers/comrades RAMC. Unfortunately De Vilieres omits any reference to Gandhi. I am sure Gandhi would have loved the last moniker but untrue
I have not looked through "Indian Opinion" specially for Gandhi's Ambulance. It is available on line through the Gandhi Museum in Delhi.
Perhaps it is time to move this to a previous thread on Gandhi so as not to distract from this excellent medal>

Nemo,
With the British tendency to eviscerate any language including their own I am not sure anything is certain.I would more correctly say his name was Ajodha Singh. J.Ajodhya, unless he took Sikhism in the intervening years, I would suggest is a different man & perhaps from West Bengal