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Hi Brett and others

I append an image of the Bronze QSA impressed NATIVE SCOUT SIMON F.I.D. as well as a scan of the relevant medal roll page.

He must have been one of the very few "special cases" to actually receive his QSA. The medal was impressed in the UK not engraved locally.

Henk

Hi all

David Grant mentioned the Mbongwe silver QSA.

I append a photo of the medal, impressed CONSTABLE J MBONGWE D.M.P. and a scan of the QSA medal roll page.

Probably due to a clerical error, the word "Native" did not appear next to his rank, and the issue of the QSA "slipped through" unqueried. The names of the other Coloured and Black Policemen on the DMP roll were all ruled through.

Constable Mbongwe's service is indicated as "Guide to Col Gorringe's Flying Column in Sterkstroom District". Mbongwe seems to be a fairley common Zulu surname, as is evident from the Durban telephone directory. Question : How did he acquire the intimate knowledge of the Sterkstroom District (between Queenstown and Molteno in the Eastern Cape)to be able to act as Guide to Gorringe?

Henk

Hi everybody

ERRATA!! The Bronze QSA is impressed "SCOUT" not "NATIVE SCOUT"

Henk

Henk

I was hoping we would hear from you! Now we know that at least some bronze QSA's were officially issued to black FID Scouts, I hope we will find out that others were indeed issued locally and unnamed. I am a pessimist about most things in life, but this matter is an exception.

Presumably, the other names on that page of the roll were of men awarded silver QSA's. I wonder why none qualified for clasps?

Regards
Brett

Henk

I missed your 'Errata' post. However, the significance of Simon's medal remains unchanged. Presumably it was this selective awarding of medals to black FID scouts that prompted the complaint to Natal's Zulu newspaper and the local government. We will find out more in the New Year.

Brett

Gentlemen,
The Field Intelligence Department made very extensive use of natives scouts during the Boer War, even a very brief look in WO100/301 shows this to be the case.
There are in fact fourteen pages of them an the end of the main roll, before the supplementary roll begins with two hundred and eighty four men listed.
Moreover, it is possible to get them impressed "Native Scout"
One wonders if the medals to Jacob also had the roman numerals after each mans name
Regards Frank