The Queen's South Africa Medal  1899 -  1902

     Poor logistics and disease made the South African campaign a tough one for the British soldier, men often having  to go without basics such as food and water, and enteric fever (killing many thousands) was a constant drain on manpower. This combined with having to fight a guerrilla war against a disciplined and capable enemy (the Boer were excellent horsemen and marksmen) makes this a hard won medal.  The modern published casualty rolls run to over 50,000 names¹, and from personal experience of the study of the medal rolls many more unpublished casualties remain to be found.

     The Queen's South Africa Medal (QSA) is a well collected medal with the majority of the British regiments and corps represented, also a large number were issued to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines - not to mention the multitude of Colonial and local units both large and small that were also awarded this medal. This in addition to the variety of clasps issued produces an area of great diversity to occupy the collector.

     Description:  silver and bronze², 36mm diameter, swivelling suspension³. Obverse depicts the veiled head of Queen Victoria, and the Legend : VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX.  Reverse: depicts a coastal landscape with battleships standing offshore, an advancing army column heads toward the main figure of Britannia, who is holding a flag and offering a wreath. Above this scene are the words "SOUTH AFRICA"

     Three types of reverse are recorded. Initially the war was expected to reach its conclusion in 1900 and medals were struck with the reverse dates "1899- 1900"( on this type the wreath in Britannia's hand points towards the letter "R" in "AFRICA"). A small number of these were issued (approx 50) before it was realised that the war was to drag on much longer than this. Therefore the rest of the dated medals that had been manufactured had these dates machined off. It is quite common for medals to still show the remnants of these dates, and are described by collectors as "ghost dated". The third type is found with Britannia's wreath pointing towards the letter "F" of "AFRICA ".

In summary:
Type 1. (or first type 'a')  Britannia's wreath pointing towards the "R" and dated 1899 - 1900 (rare).
Type 2. (or first type 'b') As above, but dates removed - ghost dates may or may not be visible. (common).
Type 3. (or second type) Undated, Britannia's wreath pointing towards the "F" (common).

Ghost dates 1899 - 1900 machined off but still visible
in the reverse field
 

     Naming: Found engraved in sloping serif capitals and lower case, and impressed in sans-serif capitals. Engraved naming is particularly common to Officers, Cavalry and Royal Engineers. (see images below.)

     Clasps: 26 issued, (see below). Army: multiple clasp medals are the norm.  up to 6 bars common, 8 clasp and over get exponentially  harder to find. Navy: "no clasp" medals are the norm; 7000+ issued. One clasp medals a bit harder to find; 1500+.  Two clasp medals; 700+ are uncommon. Three or more clasps to the Navy are scarce.
    The above statement is a broad generalisation to give a rough picture and takes no account of scarce clasps/ small numbers to certain vessels or units or other permutations that make a medal desirable or rare. Clasps fall into three groups (1.) State clasps: Cape Colony, Natal⁴, Rhodesia, Transvaal, Orange Free State. (2.) Date clasps; South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902, and (3.) the rest; loosely termed "Battle Clasps".

     Rivets; generally uniform, but note that the date clasps (in a pair or singly) were often issued to an eligible recipient after the medal - this can also apply to a lesser extent to the other clasps, particularly the state clasps. Obviously this also means these later issue clasps are going to be frequently fit with unofficial rivets, or maybe loose on the ribbon (if the recipient didn't bother to have them fit), clasps fixed on with wire or even stitched on are not unheard of. It follows that it is a common occurrence for the collector to find a medal to which a recipient is entitled to more clasps, his additional unaffixed  issues being separated and lost over the years.

 

above: copper rivets fixing a pair of date clasps. Entitlement verified.

 
Notes:
^1. Studies of contemporary publications and reports put the actual figure for all casualties at 97,000 .
^2. Awarded to some Indian troops and "Non enlisted men of whatever nationality who drew military pay."
^3. Late issues can be found with fixed suspensions named in a WW1 British war medal style, sometimes also struck on a thinner flan.
^4. Cape Colony and Natal are mutually exclusive.

Also see King's South Africa Medal ,  Boer War VCs , and Medals of the Regiments for qualification by regiment for Infantry and Cavalry units.

The Clasps   ^N

All troops in Cape Colony at any time between 11th October, 1899, and 31st May, 1902, inclusive, who had not received a clasp for a specific action in the Cape Colony, or the " Natal " clasp.

All troops in Natal at any time between 11th October, 1899, and 11th June, 1900, both dates inclusive who had not received a clasp for a specific action in Natal or the Cape Colony.

All troops who were under the command of Lieut. General Sir F. Carrington and Colonel Plumer in Rhodesia between 11th October, 1899 and 17th May, 1900, both dates inclusive, or who landed at Beira between 11th October, 1899 and the 25th May, 1900, both dates inclusive.

All troops under the command of Colonel Mahon who marched from Barkly West on 4th May, 1900, and to all troops who were under Colonel Plumer's command between 11th October, 1899, and 17th May, 1900, both dates inclusive, and who were south of an east and west line drawn through Palachwe.

All troops in the garrison of Mafeking between 13th October, 1899, and 17th May, 1900, both dates inclusive.

All troops in the garrison of Kimberley between 14th October, 1899 and 15th February, 1900, both dates inclusive.

All troops under Lieut. General Sir W. Penn Symon's command on 20th October, 1899, who were north of an east and west line drawn through Waschbank Station.

All troops at Elandslaagte on 21st October, 1899, who were on the right bank of the Sunday river and north of an east and west line through Buys Farm.

All troops in Ladysmith between 3rd November, 1899 and 28th February, 1900, both dates inclusive.

All troops under Lieut. General Lord Methuen's command who were north of Witteputs (exclusive) on 23rd November, 1899.

Modder River

All troops under Lieut. General Lord Methuen's command who were north of Honey Nest Kloof (exclusive), and south of the Magersfontein ridge (exclusive) on 28th November, 1899.

All troops in Natal north of and including Estcourt between 15th December, 1899, and 28th February, 1900, both dates inclusive.

All troops of the Natal Field Force, exclusive of the Ladysmith garrison, employed in the operations north of an east and west line through Chieveley Station between the 14th and 27th February, 1900, both dates inclusive.

All troops in the relief column under Lieut. General French who marched from Klip Drift on 15th February, 1900, and all the 6th Division under Lieut. General Kelly-Kenny who were within 7,000 yards of Klip Drift on 15th February, 1900.

All troops within 7,000 yards of General Cronje's final laager, between midnight of the 17th and midnight of the 26th February, 1900, and to all troops within 7,000 yards of Koodoe's Rand Drift between the same dates.

All troops in Orange River Colony at any time between 28th February, 1900 and 31st May, 1902, inclusive who had not received a clasp for a specific action in the Orange River Colony.

All troops with Army Headquarters, and Lieut. General French's column, i.e. the left and centre columns, which advanced from Poplar Grove on 10th March, 1900.

All troops engaged in the defence of Wepener between 9th April, 1900 and 25th April, 1900, both dates inclusive.

All troops in the Transvaal at any time between 24th May, 1900 and 31st May, 1902, inclusive who had not received a clasp for a specific action in the Transvaal.

All troops who, on 29th May, 1900, were north of an east and west line through Klip River Station (exclusive), and east of a north and south line through Krugersdrop Station (inclusive).

All troops of the Natal Field Force employed in the operations and north of an east and west line through Newcastle between 2nd and 9th June, 1900, both dates inclusive.

All troops who, on 11th or 12th June, 1900, were east of a north and south line drawn through Silverton Siding and north of an east and west line through Vlakfontein.

All troops who were inside a line drawn from Harrismith to Bethlehem, thence to Senekal and Clocolan, along the Basuto border, and back to Harrismith, between lst and 29th July, 1900, both dates inclusive.

All troops who, on 26th or 27th August, 1900, were east of a north and south line drawn through Wonderfontein (the garrison and troops quartered at Wonderfontein on those dates did not receive the clasp), and west of a north and south line through Dalmanutha Station, and north of an east and west line through Carolina.

All troops who served in South Africa between 1st January, 1901, and 31st December, 1901, both dates inclusive, who were not eligible for the King's South Africa Medal.

All troops who served in South Africa between 1st January, 1902, and 31st May, 1902, both dates inclusive, who were not eligible for the King's South Africa Medal.