TOPIC:

The medal is in the mail, they tell. '3113 R. Currie Drummer Seaforth Highlanders'

It is my first acquisition, and I a little excited about it.

I'm still trying to figure out why anyone would take a bagpipe or a drum to a gunfight.

My gggrandfather, I. McHarrie was a Piper and he and my freshly found medal recipient shared several battle ribbons. I suspect they knew one another.

the new guy in town,

George

I now have R. Currie's KSA. My intention is to keep it as a companion to whatever I can gather to memorialize my gggrandfather, Isaac McHarrie's service. He was a piper with the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders with service in India and South Africa. Currie was a drummer with the 2nd and they earned many of the same clasps.
Currie is entitled to clasps for: "Cape Colony" "Paardeberg" "Driefontein" "Wittebergen" The 1902 clasp does not appear to have had another clasp above it; and from what I have seen, the campaign and battle clasps go on the medal before the SA1901/1902 clasps. No?
The clasps look like they've been sat on and the back is pretty dark. What's the proper protocol for straightening and cleaning?

George

Good morning,
You have a Kings South Africa medal, which usually came with both the clasps on it, the other clasps you refer to were only worn on the Queens South Africa medal.
I would leave the back straps on the clasps alone if I were you, as for cleaning, I never do that either, however, if the appearance is not to your own liking, then you could remove the ribbon and immerse it in silver dip for a couple of minutes, then apply a small amount of foaming silver polish, with a sponge, the end result would be that it would look new, but, all the wear of the last century would be visible.
Or you could just polish it, but, if you do, it would not tone down in an even way.
Regards Frank

Hello George,
And congratulations on your first aquisition.
With reference to your question on straightening and cleaning I can only echo Franks sound advice.
Cleaning medals is a personal thing, your medal looks to have a nice aged tone which to me gives a medal its character, if it were mine I would leave it as is.
You will find that on most QSA/KSA medals the clasps show some "wear" and they do tend to get bent, again part of the medals history.
I am sure this one will be only the start of your new collection! good luck with your further research.

Paul

Hello again,

I have found that my great-grandfather, Isaac McHarrie (QSA with the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders), had a brother, Alexander, who also served in South Africa in 1901 and 1902 with the 2nd Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders. His service number is 6178 and he was awarded the KSA. The record appears to indicate he was discharged in S. Africa in November of 1902. He was later killed in France in WWI. Has anyone seen his medal?

George

Hello George,
You should also be looking for his QSA and his medals for the Great War too, Token, publish "medal news" and you can place a wanted advertisment with them, you could do similar, on line, with the BMF too, the chances for ever finding them are rather small, they may not all still exist, but, if you don't ask you don't get!
Regards Frank

amatapea wrote: Hello again,

I have found that my great-grandfather, Isaac McHarrie (QSA with the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders), had a brother, Alexander, who also served in South Africa in 1901 and 1902 with the 2nd Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders. His service number is 6178 and he was awarded the KSA. The record appears to indicate he was discharged in S. Africa in November of 1902. He was later killed in France in WWI. Has anyone seen his medal?

George