TOPIC:

Another newbie to the collection is the QSA with single Rhodesia clasp to no. 304 Tpr. Joseph Poole Morey of the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers.

Morey and several others were awarded the single clasp Rhodesia which, according to the qualification criteria, was awarded to

"all troops under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir F. Carrington and Colonel Plumer in Rhodesia, between October 11th, 1899 and May 17th, 1900, both dates inclusive, who received no clasp for the Relief of Mafeking."

My question is - does that mean that they never left Rhodesia or that they participated in other actions in e.g. the Transvaal but obviously not the Relief of Mafeking?

A follow - up question is - how scarce are single clasp "Rhodesia's" to the SRV?

Regards

Rory

Just bumping up my unanswered question about where those with the single Rhodesia clasp would have fought.

Any takers?

Regards

Rory

Rory - A man with a single clasp Rhodesia would have served only in Rhodesia. Plenty also had Transvaal and/or OFS clasps indicating service there. Cape Colony is much scarcer as many served in the Relief of Mafeking force thereby receiving the ROM clasp instead.

The SRV QSA rolls aren't the easiest to negotiate but running through it I've calculated 721 officers and men were awarded a QSA with 128 (17.75%) receiving the medal with single clasp Rhodesia. There were various troops in the unit including engineer and cyclist troops as well as an armoured train contingent. Morey served in 'G' Troop.

David

Here's one from my collection.



462 Tpr. S.H. Collis, Southern Rhodesia Volunteers.
Sidney Harold Collis was a member of the party who met and escorted the coffin of Cecil Rhodes to his final resting place at Matopos. Medal issued to Bulawayo 6 March 1903. Served in ‘E’ Cyclist Troop.

Thank you David - what I found confusing was the juncture of what was then Bechuanaland/Rhodesia and the Transvaal Republic. My thinking was that the Rhodesia clasp chaps were also in the skirmishes in what was then Bechuanaland before the boundaries changed.

Regards

Rory