Queen's South Africa Medal
Encyclopedia
The Queen's South Africa Medal (QSA) was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War
in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and South Africa), civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents. The QSA (without bar) was also awarded to troops who guarded Boer prisoners of war at the POW
camp on the island of St. Helena. Troops on the Mediterranean islands were awarded the Queen's Mediterranean Medal
, and some personnel on troopships got the Transport Medal
.
The QSA was the medal issued to all who served in South Africa up to the end of the war in May 1902. This included those such as the New Zealand 10th Contingent who arrived in Durban in May 1902, and did not fight. The requirements for the King's South Africa Medal
meant that few were issued.
added to the medal indicating each action and campaign of the Second Boer War. A “state” clasp was issued for service within that state when no “battle” clasp was issued to the recipient for a specific action within the same state. This meant a QSA medal could not carry both a “state” clasp and a “battle” clasp for actions within the same state. The "Cape Colony" clasp was not issued to recipients of the "Natal" clasp, nor "Rhodesia" with the "Relief of Mafeking". Recipients could not get both the "Defence" and "Relief" clasps for Mafeking
, Kimberley
or Ladysmith
.
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and South Africa), civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents. The QSA (without bar) was also awarded to troops who guarded Boer prisoners of war at the POW
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp on the island of St. Helena. Troops on the Mediterranean islands were awarded the Queen's Mediterranean Medal
Queen's Mediterranean Medal
The Queen's Mediterranean Medal was authorised by King Edward VII and was awarded to volunteer and militia troops who had replaced their regular Army counterparts in the various military garrisons across the Mediterranean. This allowed regular troops to be available for the Second Boer War.However...
, and some personnel on troopships got the Transport Medal
Transport Medal
The Transport Medal was a British campaign medal awarded to masters and officers of merchant ships that were used to move men and equipment to either South Africa during the South African War or China during the Boxer Rebellion...
.
The QSA was the medal issued to all who served in South Africa up to the end of the war in May 1902. This included those such as the New Zealand 10th Contingent who arrived in Durban in May 1902, and did not fight. The requirements for the King's South Africa Medal
King's South Africa Medal
The King's South Africa Medal was awarded to all troops who served in the Boer War in South Africa on or after 1 January 1902, and completed 18 months service before 1 June 1902. The medal was not issued alone but always with the Queen's South Africa Medal or QSA.The KSA was awarded only to those...
meant that few were issued.
Clasps
There are twenty-six different claspsMedal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
added to the medal indicating each action and campaign of the Second Boer War. A “state” clasp was issued for service within that state when no “battle” clasp was issued to the recipient for a specific action within the same state. This meant a QSA medal could not carry both a “state” clasp and a “battle” clasp for actions within the same state. The "Cape Colony" clasp was not issued to recipients of the "Natal" clasp, nor "Rhodesia" with the "Relief of Mafeking". Recipients could not get both the "Defence" and "Relief" clasps for Mafeking
Siege of Mafeking
The Siege of Mafeking was the most famous British action in the Second Boer War. It took place at the town of Mafeking in South Africa over a period of 217 days, from October 1899 to May 1900, and turned Robert Baden-Powell, who went on to found the Scouting Movement, into a national hero...
, Kimberley
Siege of Kimberley
The Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, Cape Colony , when Boer forces from the Orange Free State and the Transvaal besieged the diamond mining town. The Boers moved quickly to try to capture the British enclave when war broke out between the British and the two...
or Ladysmith
Siege of Ladysmith
The Siege of Ladysmith was a protracted engagement in the Second Boer War, taking place between 30 October 1899 and 28 February 1900 at Ladysmith, Natal.-Background:...
.
State Clasps
- CAPE COLONY - 11 October 1899 - 31 May 1902
- NATAL - 11 October 1899 and 11 June 1900
- RHODESIA - 11 October 1899 - 17 May 1900
- ORANGE FREE STATE - 28 February 1900 - 31 May 1902
- TRANSVAAL - 24 May 1900 and 31 May 1902
- SOUTH AFRICA 1901 - Awarded to those not eligible for the King's Medal although they had served at the front between 1 January and 31 December 1901.
- SOUTH AFRICA 1902 - Awarded to those not eligible for the King's Medal although they had served at the front between 1 January and 31 May 1902.
Battle Clasps
-
- (showing which 'state' the battle was in)
- DEFENCE OF MAFEKINGSiege of MafekingThe Siege of Mafeking was the most famous British action in the Second Boer War. It took place at the town of Mafeking in South Africa over a period of 217 days, from October 1899 to May 1900, and turned Robert Baden-Powell, who went on to found the Scouting Movement, into a national hero...
13 October 1899 - 17 May 1900 (CC) - DEFENCE OF KIMBERLEYSiege of KimberleyThe Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, Cape Colony , when Boer forces from the Orange Free State and the Transvaal besieged the diamond mining town. The Boers moved quickly to try to capture the British enclave when war broke out between the British and the two...
15 October 1899 - 15 February 1900 (CC) - TALANABattle of Talana HillThe Battle of Talana Hill, also known as the Battle of Glencoe, was the first major clash of the Second Boer War. A frontal attack by British infantry supported by artillery drove Boers from a hilltop position, but the British suffered heavy casualties in the process, including their commanding...
20 October 1899 (Natal) - ELANDS-LAAGTEBattle of ElandslaagteThe Battle of Elandslaagte was a battle of the Second Boer War, and one of the few clear-cut tactical victories won by the British during that conflict...
21 October 1899 (Natal) - DEFENCE OF LADYSMITHSiege of LadysmithThe Siege of Ladysmith was a protracted engagement in the Second Boer War, taking place between 30 October 1899 and 28 February 1900 at Ladysmith, Natal.-Background:...
3 November 1899 - 28 February 1900 (Natal) - BELMONTBattle of Belmont (1899)The Battle of Belmont is the name of an engagement of the Second Boer War near the town of Belmont, 23 November 1899, where the British under Lord Methuen assaulted a Boer position on a kopje....
23 November 1899 (CC) - MODDER RIVERBattle of Modder RiverThe Battle of Modder River was an engagement in the Boer War, fought at Modder River, on 28 November 1899...
28 November 1899 (CC) - RELIEF OF LADYSMITHSiege of LadysmithThe Siege of Ladysmith was a protracted engagement in the Second Boer War, taking place between 30 October 1899 and 28 February 1900 at Ladysmith, Natal.-Background:...
15 December 1899 - 28 February 1900 (Natal) - TUGELA HEIGHTS 12-27 February 1900 (Natal)
- RELIEF OF KIMBERLEYSiege of KimberleyThe Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, Cape Colony , when Boer forces from the Orange Free State and the Transvaal besieged the diamond mining town. The Boers moved quickly to try to capture the British enclave when war broke out between the British and the two...
15 February 1900 (CC) - PAARDEBERGBattle of PaardebergThe Battle of Paardeberg or Perdeberg was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near Paardeberg Drift on the banks of the Modder River in the Orange Free State near Kimberley....
17-26 February 1900 (OFS) - DRIEFONTEIN 10 March 1900 - Awarded to troops serving with Army Headquarters and LtGen FrenchJohn French, 1st Earl of YpresField Marshal John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, ADC, PC , known as The Viscount French between 1916 and 1922, was a British and Anglo-Irish officer...
's column which advanced from Popular Grove on 10 March 1900 (OFS) - WEPENER 9-25 April 1900 (OFS)
- RELIEF OF MAFEKINGSiege of MafekingThe Siege of Mafeking was the most famous British action in the Second Boer War. It took place at the town of Mafeking in South Africa over a period of 217 days, from October 1899 to May 1900, and turned Robert Baden-Powell, who went on to found the Scouting Movement, into a national hero...
17 May 1900 (CC) - JOHANNESBURG - Awarded to those troops who, on 29 May 1900, were north of an east and west line through Klip River Station and east of a north and south line through Krugersdorp Station (Transvaal)
- DIAMOND HILLBattle of Diamond HillThe Battle of Diamond Hill took place on 11 and 12 June 1900 during the Second Boer War. Fourteen thousand British soldiers squared up against four thousand Boers and forced them from their positions on the hill....
11-12 June 1900 (Transvaal) - WITTEBERGEN 1-29 July 1900 (OFS)
- BELFASTBattle of BergendalThe Battle of Bergendal was the last set-piece battle of the Second Anglo-Boer War. It lasted from 21–27 August 1900 and took place on the farm Bergendal near the town of Belfast...
- Awarded to troops who, on 26 or 27 August 1900, were east of a north and south line drawn through Wonderfonein, and west of a north and south line through Dalmanutha Station, and north of an east and west line drawn through CarolinaCarolina, MpumalangaCarolina is a town situated on the Johannesburg to Swaziland route in Mpumalanga province in South Africa. It is a mixed farming and on a small scale coal and precious stone mining community. It was established by Cornelius Coetzee as a permanent outspan for wagons when gold was discovered in 1883...
(Transvaal) - LAING'S NEK 12 June 1900 (Natal)
- DEFENCE OF MAFEKING
- (showing which 'state' the battle was in)
Description
- A circular, silver medal, 1.52 inches (3.9 cm) in diameter. The obverse shows a crowned and veiled effigy of Queen VictoriaVictoria of the United KingdomVictoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, facing left, with the legend VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX. - The reverse has BritanniaBritanniaBritannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...
depicted holding the Union FlagUnion FlagThe Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
in her left hand and a laurel wreathLaurel wreathA laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
in her right hand. In the right background are troops marching to the coast and in the left background are two men-of-warMan of warThe man-of-war was a Royal Navy expression for a powerful warship from the 16th to the 19th century. The term often refers to a ship armed with cannon and propelled primarily by sails, as opposed to a galley which is propelled primarily by oars...
. Around the top are the words SOUTH AFRICA. The first medals, awarded to Strathcona's Horse, bore the dates 1899–1900. The dates were removed from subsequent medals because the war continued beyond 1900. Some medals still show the 'ghost' of 1899–1900. - The ribbon is 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) wide, and consists of five stripes: red (5 mm), dark blue (5 mm), orange centre, dark blue (5 mm), and red (5 mm).
- Bronze medals were issued to non-enlisted personnel (including Indians), though some silver medals were issued to native troops.