TOPIC:

QSA: CC, OFS, TR. Lieut. G Strangwayes 3rd Wilts IY (officially engraved naming)
Yorkshire Tribute Medal (type 2) with 3rd Battalion reverse for South Africa 1901-1902

Giles Edmond Neville Swainston Strangwayes was born in Skelton, Yorkshire, in 1871. He was the son of John Swainston Strangwayes, and initially served during the Second Boer War as a Sergeant with the 2nd (Wiltshire) Company, 1st Battalion Imperial Yeomanry, prior to being commissioned in the Yorkshire Hussars in October 1901.

QSA: CC, OFS, TR. Lieut. C Peel Imp Yeo (officially engraved naming)
Yorkshire Tribute Medal (type 2) with 3rd Battalion reverse for South Africa 1901-1902

Clarence Peel was born in Heslington near York, son of the Reverent Frederick Peel of the Vicarage in 1880 and enlisted in the Yorkshire Dragoons 6.2.1901. His trade was apprentice in the North Eastern Railway at York, later becoming a Member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He served in South Africa from 28th January 1901 and was commissioned 26.2.1902 into the 4th battalion IY. He died in 1959 in Poole, Dorset.

This medal group is not one for the medal collecting purist but an interesting story.
Queen’s South Africa 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, S.A. 1901, S.A. 1902, RENAMED 26795 Trp. G. Myers, 66 Coy Y. Imp. Yeo.
British War Medal 270608 Spr. G Myers, R.E.
Yorkshire Tribute Medal (type 2) with 3rd Battalion reverse for South Africa 1901-1902 RENAMED 26795 Trp., Y.I.Y.
Doncaster Tribute Medal, hallmarked Birmingham 1904



The renaming on the QSA is interesting in that this is clearly an imperial yeomanry medal but skimmed and crudely renamed with name, number and unit (Y before correctly impressed Imp Yeo).



The medals are mounted as worn and the BWM is correct and has a corresponding medal index card



George Myers entitlement to the Doncaster tribute is confirmed by a Newspaper report of the presentations in the Sheffield Independent on 20th November 1902 and on this website (that it is a 1904 hallmarked example is unexplained as yet).

So who was George Myers? No man of that name served with the 9th, 11th, 109th, 111th, and 66th Companies 3rd IY or the 66th Coy,16th Battalion IY (the Yorkshire Yeomanry). A George Myers attested for the Imperial Yeomanry at Doncaster on 15th February 1901. The first page of his attestation papers indicates he attested for the Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry and the Statement of Services page is annotated in manuscript with "No 66 Co IY". Despite this he served with Paget's Horse, 51st Company, 12th Battalion. This George Myers was born in Doncaster in 1881, a carpenter by trade. At the time of joining the Imperial Yeomanry he was serving with 2nd Volunteer Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment.. Medal rolls confirm his entitlement to the 5 clasps to his QSA. I think it probable that George was a proud Yorkshireman, frustrated in his desire to represent his county and who has modified the naming on his QSA and self-awarded the Yorkshire Tribute medal.
In 1905 he attested for the York and Lancaster Regiment Militia, declaring previous service with the "Imperial Yeomanry Yorkshire Dragoons".

On 1st September 1914 George joined the Q. O. Yorkshire Dragoons, correctly declaring previous service with the 51st IY but was transferred to the Royal Naval Division in December 1914. He was transferred back to England in 1916 to serve with the Royal Engineers from 13th March 1917.

Thank you Paul,

Corrected on the Doncaster Tribute Medal page.
I had him down as 39976 Trooper George MYERS, 127th Company, 28th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry (from Newcastle).

Neville

Happy to have been of help Neville. Do you have any thoughts on why he had a 1904 hallmarked tribute apparently presented in 1902. Is it possible that the Freedom certificates were presented without the Medals?

Queen’s South Africa 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, S.A. 1901, S.A. 1902, Date clasps loose on riband 26765 Pte E H Charlton 9th Coy Imp Yeo.
1914/15 Star 2691 L-Cpl E H Charlton York Hrs.
British War and Victory Medals 2nd Lieut, E H Charton.
Yorkshire Tribute Medal (type 2) with 3rd Battalion reverse for South Africa 1901-1902

Second Lieutenant Ernest Henry Charlton, born Beverley, Yorkshire, 1879; educated Central High School Hull; enlisted, aged 18, 1st (Territorial Force) Battalion, East Yorkshire Yeomanry; attested for the Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry at Doncaster on 14th February 1901 and served during the Boer War with the 9th (Yorkshire Hussars) Company 3rd Battalion Imperial Yeomanry; discharged 30.8.1902. With the outbreak of the Great War re-enlisted as a Private, Yorkshire Hussars, 2.10.1914; served with the regiment on the Western Front from 27.2.1915; Lance-Corporal March 1917; nominated for a commission by the Colonel of the East Yorkshire Regiment Territorial Association; completed officer training, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant, 1/4th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 30.10.1917; he was killed in action, at the end of March 1918, as part of the German spring offensive; he is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France.

Recipient's MIC at variance with CWGC reference over killed in action date, the former gives '25.3.1918' whilst the latter gives '31.3.1918'.



Of particular interest with regard to the Yorkshire Tribute Medal is this rather fragile typed letter which implies that this medal was posted to the recipient rather than presented.