Original British Second Boer War Named Version Two Queen’s South Africa Medal With Visible “Ghost Dates” and 5 Clasps – Private Sydney Cole, Dorset Infantry Regiment Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The Queen’s South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to British and Colonial military personnel, and to civilians employed in an official capacity, who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Altogether twenty-six clasps were awarded, to indicate participation in particular actions and campaigns.

Poor logistics and disease, combined with having to fight against a disciplined and capable enemy of excellent horsemen and marksmen who perfected guerrilla warfare, made this a hard-won medal. In addition to men often having to go without basics such as food and water, enteric fever killed several thousand and was a constant drain on manpower. The published casualty rolls run to over 50,000 names, while studies of contemporary publications and reports put the actual figure for all casualties, including caused by disease, at 97,000.

The Queen’s South Africa Medal is a silver disc, 38 millimeters (1.5 inches) in diameter. The bronze medal was awarded to non-combatant Indian troops and other non-combatant men of whatever nationality who drew military pay, although some silver medals were awarded to native troops. The suspender is attached to the medal with a claw mount and a pin through the upper edge of the medal.

Obverse
The obverse shows a crowned and veiled effigy of Queen Victoria, facing left, with the legend “VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX” around the upper perimeter.

Reverse
The reverse, designed by G. W. de Saulles, shows Britannia holding the Union Flag in her left hand and a laurel wreath in her right hand. In the right background are troops marching inland from the coast. In the left background are two men-of-war, with Neptune’s Trident and Britannia’s shield on the ground in the foreground. Around the top perimeter are the words “SOUTH AFRICA“. Three types of reverse exist.

The first medals were awarded to Lord Strathcona’s Horse and bore the years “1899” and “1900” below Britannia’s wreath, with the wreath almost touching the “R” of “AFRICA”. Approximately fifty of these medals were awarded.

The years were machined off both the dies and the remaining minted medals, although ‘ghost’ years are sometimes still visible. This example actually does have the “ghost years” visible. You have to manipulate the medal in light revealing the years 1899 and 1900.

Clasps
The clasps were attached to the suspender and to each other in roller chain fashion with rivets. Clasps were often issued after the medal, in particular those for South Africa 1901 and 1902, with the result that they were sometimes attached with unofficial rivets, or worn loose on the ribbon.

The clasps on this example:
– LAING’S NEK (2–9 June 1900): Awarded to troops of the Natal Field Force employed in the operations at Laing’s Nek Pass, north of an east–west line drawn through Newcastle, Natal.

– TRANSVAAL (24 May 1900 – 31 May 1902): For service in the South African Republic where no clasp for a specific action in the South African Republic had been received.

– RELIEF OF LADYSMITH (15 December 1899 – 28 February 1900): Awarded to those in Natal north of and including Estcourt.

– ORANGE FREE STATE (28 February 1900 – 31 May 1902): For service in the Orange Free State where no clasp for a specific action in the Orange Free State had been received.

– TUGELA HEIGHTS (14–27 February 1900): Awarded to those of the Natal Field Force, exclusive of the Ladysmith garrison, employed in the operations north of an east–west line drawn through Chieveley Station.

Naming
The recipient’s name and details were impressed on the rim of the medal, with some officer’s medals engraved.

About 1,500 medals were presented unnamed to members of Australian and New Zealand forces during the 1901 tour of those countries by the future King George V. Many were later named locally, either officially at public expense, or privately.

This example is named as:

3017 PTE. S. COLE DORSET RGT.

Ribbon
The ribbon is 32 millimeters wide, with a 7 millimeters wide red band and a 4 millimeters wide dark blue band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 10 millimeters wide orange band.

The overall condition is quite nice with the only “real defect” is the silver now has a lovely blue tinted tarnishing present. The tarnish that is present does not subtract from the beauty of the medal.

Comes more than ready for further research and display.