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The QSA to Corporal Howard sold yesterday for a hammer price of £850. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £1,095. R21,000. Au$1,980. Can$1,830. US$1,450

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Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (3) Talana, Orange Free State, Transvaal (4749 Pte. A. McKay, Rl. Irish Fus:);
KSA (2) (4749 Pte. A. McKay, Rl. Irish Fus:).

A member of 'H' Company, 1st Battalion, McKay was captured at Nicholson's Nek.

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (5) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (4550. Pte. N. McLeod. 18/Hrs.) engraved naming;
KSA (2) (4550 Pte. N. Mc.Leod. 18th. Hussars.);
1914-15 Star (28579 Pte. N. MacLeod [sic], 18th. Hrs.);
BWM and VM (28579 Pte. N. McLeod. 18-Hrs.).

Together with a silver Regimental prize medal, engraved ‘Cavalry Depot Football Cup 1896-97 Pte. N. Mc.Leod. 18th. Hussars’.

Neil McLeod attested for the 18th Hussars and served with them in South Africa during the Boer War, before transferring to the Army Reserve on 14 January 1903.

Having taken his discharge, he re-joined his old Regiment on 9 January 1915, and served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 18 October 1915. He was discharged on 9 January 1919, and was awarded a Silver War Badge, no. B103,642.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (1) Talana (4910 Drmr: A. Brudell, Rl. Dublin Fus:), rank name officially corrected, pawnbroker's mark to rim, very fine

Arthur Charles Brudnell was born at Lincolnshire in 1877 the son of William Brudnell of Grantham. Enlisting with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers on 16 September 1893 having previously served with Lincolnshire Militia with entered the regiment with the rank of Boy and was appointed Drummer on 17 September. Posted to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Dublin Regiment in India on 9 February 1894. While here he attained his majority and the rank of Private on 13 March 1896 but was reappointed Drummer on the same day. The Battalion was reposted to South Africa on 17 May 1897 and was present for the Battle of Talana on 20 October 1899. Brudnell was injured in the attack and he was invalided in March and posted to the Depot on 28 May 1900. Returning to service he was posted to Malta on 19 November 1902 and then Crete on 27 February 1903. Returning to Malta on 4 March 1904 he finally got back to Britain on 12 April 1905.

Discharged on 12 September 1905 Brudnell re-enlisted on September 1914 with 3rd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, posted to 8th Battalion on 15 September and promoted Corporal on 7 October. Promoted again the next year on 19 April he was posted to 9th Battalion as a Sergeant on 13 September 1915 and transferred again to 1st Garrison Battalion on 4 October. Serving Garrison duty in India from 26 November 1915-28 March 1918 he was invalided on 28 February 1920.

He died on 25 November 1949.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (4) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek, Belfast (3396 Pte W. G. Caskey, I: Leic: Regt)
[ KSA (2) ]

William Henry Caskey was born at St Marys, Durham in 1874 the son of Rose Caskey of 24 Diamond Street, South Shields. Enlisting with the 1st Battalion Leicester Regiment on 7 April 1892, he was posted to the West Indies on 17 January 1894. While here he was imprisoned for misconduct on 7 September 1895 and sentenced to 84 days confinement, returning to duty on 6 December 1895. Only a few days later Caskey joined his Battalion in their new posting of South Africa, arriving on 23 December. During the course of the war he was again imprisoned, this time for being found drunk on duty on 10 November 1901 but was returned to duty by 27 November.

Transferred to the Regimental Depot by 16 August 1902 he was discharged on 3 April 1904

From City Coins #72, December 2021

Described as:

SAGS (1) 1879 *Conductor T.H. Brokenshaw Transpt. Dept.);
QSA (1) Talana (T.H. Brokensha. Dundee Tn. Gd.);
Natal 1906 (1) 1906 (T.H. Brokensha Intelligence Officer)
All three medals have been skimmed and presumably unofficially re-engraved.

The name T. H. Brokensha is listed on the QSA medal roll for the Dundee Town Guard. However, Brokensha’s officially issued QSA medal would presumably have been impressed in the usual manner. It would seem that this group is a “made up” and contemporary renamed group of medals, the recipient’s name not being listed on either the medal roll for the Zulu War (or for Moirosi’s Mountain) or the medal roll for the Natal Rebellion medal.

Interestingly neither of the three styles of engraving on the three medals are similar. Thomas Henry Brokensha. His entry in the South African Who’s Who lists him as a J.P. and solicitor and conveyancer stating:

“Volunteered for service in the Zulu War, also in the late Boer War; two medals with bars. During the late Native Rebellion was at Pomeroy, Umsinga, while a detachment of the Natal Royal Rifles under the command of Capt. McKenzie, and a detachment of the Durban Light Infantry under the command of Capt. Henderson, were stationed there.”

Pat Rundgren in his Medal roll and biographical publication The Colonials at Talana included innumerable references to Brokensha including additional details of his “military career”.

He clearly played a leading part in establishing hospital and ambulance services during the Anglo Boer War and in other aspects of civilian life in Dundee.

References to him such as in the case of a certain James Burns, Storeman for the Dundee Municipality, for whom he “personally took up his case and he was belatedly awarded a “Talana” bar to his QSA in 1906” suggest that he was keen on “medals”. However, he was seemingly not an enlisted man and regardless of any service which he might have rendered his name was not included on medal rolls other than for a QSA medal awarded for his service during the Anglo Boer War.

One might guess that this QSA medal was “lost” at some time or other. Notwithstanding these remarks, the colonial authorities both at the Cape and Natal sometimes did strange things which still baffle medal collectors but for the purist all three medals are nevertheless renamed.