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Hello David,
A super medal to the iconic regt, I see his Natal clasp is shown in both their main roll and in their "Natal" roll.
Regards Frank

This is a conundrum I have long pondered over. The regimental history is none too clear on who, if anyone landed in Durban, but I believed I have solved the puzzle.

158 officers and men of the 9th Lancers earned the Natal clasp, this includes all the C Squadron officers who travelled from India. I don’t know how many were in C squadron but I don’t think 158 is a war complement.

Looking at the casualties who earned the Natal clasp all but two men served in C squadron; these two may have transferred out of C squadron before they became casualties. DavidH’s QSA is to Pte Ferguson a C squadron man.

Therefore was it only C Squadron who set foot in Durban to earn the clasp? Why did no more than two men from other squadrons which became casualties earn the Natal clasp. Similarly why did only C squadron officers earn the Natal clasp?

C squadron travelled in the Wardha which, of the three ships, arrived first on the 9th unloaded some cargo and left the same day. On the 10th she was caught in a horrendous gale which killed 83 horses, nine mules and a bullock. There were 150 horses and mules on board. The ships steering was damaged and she returned to Durban. The exact date of return is not clear.

In Durban the men were put aboard other transports and sent on to Cape Town on the 14th. The first remnants of C squadron rejoined the regiment at Orange River on the 19th.

The Nowshera carried D squadron and RHQ, the Nairung carried A squadron. These two ships missed the storm but no doubt unloaded stores in Durban as well.

So did C Squadron get the clasp on account of the storm? One man of C Squadron died on the 11th and, of course, only got the Natal clasp.

Comments and brickbats welcome!

Regards
Meurig

Meurig
I must confess that I don't know the answer - but would ask if the landing of a unit or sub-unit inadvertantly would count as qualifying for a clasp? I always thought that a clasp had to be because one was "on duty". Comments shooting my supposition down always welcome.
Regards
IL.

LinneyI wrote: Meurig
I must confess that I don't know the answer - but would ask if the landing of a unit or sub-unit inadvertantly would count as qualifying for a clasp? I always thought that a clasp had to be because one was "on duty". Comments shooting my supposition down always welcome.
Regards
IL.

Hello Ian

You are right - a soldier had to be "on the strength/on duty" to earn a clasp. Unfortunately there is no record of exactly what the 9L men were doing in Durban to qualify as such.

Given the speed with which stores were unloaded I am not sure the soldiers would have been greatly involved, stevedores would certainly have been used for this heavy skilled work. Equally for the men off the Wardha just stepping ashore to board another ship hardly counts as military duty.

The roll for the Natal clasp was prepared in Jan 1902, the main 9L roll in September 1901. So, they were definetely an after thought.

This is another delightful anomaly to the QSA, and like so much in life it's the interpretation of the rules and who you know that often counts.

Regards
Meurig

Meurig

Thanks for your input. The gist of your first post, but without the detail, is essentially what that cavalry collector told me a good number of years ago. All interesting stuff as you say.

Regards

David

Gentlemen,
As a collector, if I wanted more 9th Lancers, if I had the choice of two medals/pairs, one with the Natal clasp and one without, I always would be very tempted to buy the one with, but, it would come down to how infomation for each of them was available and I suspect that I would just buy the most interesting of the two.
You did not get that clasp for being part of French's Cavalry Brigade and all the hardships that came with it.
Regards Frank