TOPIC:

From today's City Coins auction, 27 November 2020

QSA (5) CC, OFS, Tvl, SA01, SA02 (985 Tpr. C.T. Cole. S.A. Constabulary.)
Date clasps loose on ribbon.

Charles Thomas Cole served as “Enrolled Volunteer” in 3rd Middlesex Artillery Volunteer Corps from 2 September 1896 to 1 November 1899. He enlisted in the SA Constabulary on 5 April 1901 and was promoted from 3rd Class Trooper to 2nd Class Trooper on 1 February 1902. He was killed in the Rooiwal battle: his name, together with those of the other SAC casualties, were telegraphed from Potchefstroom to Johannesburg using ZAR telegraph forms.

Cole is buried in Ottosdal.

From today's City Coins auction, 27 November 2020

Buffelsdoorn, 30 May 1902

As the war was coming to an end, Lord Kitchener moved part of “A” Division, South African Constabulary from Grenfell’s column back to their former area of operations in the Gatsrand to clear that district while the peace talks continued.

On May 30, 1902, 250 men from “A” Division, including 16/A and 18/A Troops, were in action under Captain Fowler near Buffelsdoorn in the Gatsrand. After coming on a fresh spoor, the advance guard came under fire from some kopjes around a homestead at Deelkraal. Fowler attempted to surround the place, but the two wings of the encircling force mistook each other for the enemy. While the two wings exchanged fire, the Boers got through the cordon and slipped away. Trooper Edwin Woods was killed in the action. Lieutenant Ernest Tredennick and Trooper Percy Devereaux were mortally wounded. Both died at Buffelsdoorn the following day, the day the war ended.
“No Colours, No Drums”, Jim Wallace p180.

QSA (5) CC, OFS, Tvl, SA01, SA02 (1808 Tpr. E.A. Woods, S.A.C.)
Date clasps loose on ribbon.

Trooper Edwin Archibald Woods was a Canadian.

He is buried in Olen Park Cemetery, Potchefstroom

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Major G. L. Derriman. S.A.C.);
KSA (2) South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Maj: G. L. Derriman, S.A.C.);
1914-15 Star (Capt. G. L. Derriman. G. Gds.);
BWM and VM (Capt. G. L. Derriman.).

Gerard Lysley Derriman was born in 1870, the son of Admiral Derriman, Royal Navy and was educated at Eton. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards in 1899, during the Boer War he served on the Staff of the Imperial Yeomanry and then with the South African Constabulary until 1904.

Appointed the Chief Constable of Shropshire in 1908, he returned to the Grenadier Guards and served in France with the 2nd Battalion and died of wounds on 7 August 1915, aged 45. Derriman is buried in the Le Treport Military Cemetery.

His Medals were issued to his widow, living at Longfield, Market Drayton. He is commemorated upon the Shrewsbury Police Great War Memorial at Police HQ on Monkmoor Road, the most senior serviceman commemorated.

DCM Medals are offering this QSA:


Picture courtesy of DCM Medals

It is described as:

Queens South Africa, clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Defence of Mafeking, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902. 127 Tpr. T. Cross. S.A.C.

Earned Defence of Mafeking in the Protectorate Regiment.

All clasps confirmed on different medal rolls, but correct.

Condition – VF, surface scratches.

Note – later 2 clasps attached by unofficial pins.

An English butcher, Thomas Cross did serve in the PRFF 26 August 1899 to 16 October 1900 during the siege. He then served in the SAC 18 November 1900 to 20 February 1902.

His QSA was issued from the SAC roll.

The correct 3 clasp medal (OFS DoM Tr) was sold by Baldwins back in 1956 so some unnecessary and incorrect reconstruction has been undertaken by someone.

The KSA roll (WO100/366p70) has crosses and asterisks by his name, the meaning of which is not clear. P58 of the roll suggest a grey asterisk after the name means the medal was issued to Johannesburg while a black asterisk marks those sent to London.



However, that he earned entitlement to the KSA from his service is clear so I cannot see any reason why a KSA was not issued to him.

A demonstration of the importance of rank. The recipient, S Miles, has carefully engraved ‘1st C’ between other typical impressed details to record that he was a First Class Trooper.


Picture courtesy of Morton and Eden

QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (1139 1st C Tpr: S. E. Miles. S.A.C.)

Trooper Miles is confirmed on the rolls as having served with ‘A’ Division of the South Africa Constabulary, with this entitlement.

To highlight the service either side of these; i only have one QSA to the SAC, to Trooper Edwin Robert Brew Gardner. My interest came from the fact that he had had 10 years previous service with the 1st Essex Artillery Volunteers.
I bought it as a single, and found that he had stayed after the ABW, settling in Jeppstown near Jo'burg.
What i only found out much later was that he had returned to the UK on the outbreak of War in 1914 and joined the RNAS, serving as a PO Mech on Armoured Cars! He served in France and Russia - earning a 1914-15 Trio; now that would be a trio I would like to find - although given his rank and unit i think it would cost me an arm and a leg.

David