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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Medal Identification


SteveE

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Pals

Well outside of my knowledge base so can our resident medal experts please help identify what the two medals are before the trio?

Many thanks in advance

Regards

Steve

post-1432-0-57071000-1385741930_thumb.jp

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British South Africa Company Medal 1890 - 97 and possibly an Ashantee Medal without bar. (In wrong order?)

East and West Africa Medals or African General Service Medals should have bars.

Sepoy

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Disagree - the first one is the British South Africa Company's Medal 1890-1897 without Clasp

LW.0201%281%29.jpg

and the second is the East and West Africa Medal (1887-1900)

L0279-00-east-and-west-africa-medal-awar

The ribbon looks very like the AGS but doesn't have the green stripes - and it also doesn't have a clasp which an AGS must.

The E&W Africa medal COULD be awarded wihout a clasp (see above) as it has "M'wele 1895" engraved on the rim after naming details

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Disagree - the first one is the British South Africa Company's Medal 1890-1897 without Clasp

The E&W Africa medal COULD be awarded wihout a clasp (see above) as it has "M'wele 1895" engraved on the rim after naming details

True - but otherwise visually the E&W and Ashantee Medals are identical. In the order worn you are probably correct.

Sepoy

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Disagree - the first one is the British South Africa Company's Medal 1890-1897 without Clasp

LW.0201%281%29.jpg

and the second is the East and West Africa Medal (1887-1900)

L0279-00-east-and-west-africa-medal-awar

The ribbon looks very like the AGS but doesn't have the green stripes - and it also doesn't have a clasp which an AGS must.

The E&W Africa medal COULD be awarded wihout a clasp (see above) as it has "M'wele 1895" engraved on the rim after naming details

I agree, this is the correct interpretation of the photo. :thumbsup:

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So they're the British South Africa Company's Medal & East and West Africa Medal.

Many thanks to you all, it's appreciated.

Regards

Steve

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A very unusual combination - and a gap of over a decade and a half, so a tale to tell!

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Is the name of the recipient known?

Only if you can work out what it says, I'm struggling...."John B?????"

Steve

post-1432-0-26556600-1385853196_thumb.jp

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It would be very interesting if it were John BOWER, second son of Sir Graham John Bower KCMG

Sir Graham was born 1848, and after RN service became a diplomat in South Africa, being Imperial Secretary to the High Commissioner, Sir Hercules Robinson. I do not know (yet) when John was born, but it is very likely that he was in Africa, and conceivable that he may have been old enough to qualify for the BSAC medal and the EWA.

The family name was sometimes erroneously given as BOWYER. ("And, to take a very small point, the frequent repetition of such an error as "Sir Graham Bowyer" is inexcusable." Spectator, 29 March 1902). Of course, if that is a signature on the photo, one assumes that the man knew how to spell his own name, but it may be a label written by somebody else . . .

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I have had a quick scan through the National Archives BSACo Medal roll and could not see anyone that possibly "fits the bill" but I dont believe it is complete. It could be Boyes Bryes Borges???? Good Luck.

What is the Regiment - Frontiersman????

Sepoy

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I have had a quick scan through the National Archives BSACo Medal roll and could not see anyone that possibly "fits the bill" but I dont believe it is complete. It could be Boyes Bryes Borges???? Good Luck.

What is the Regiment - Frontiersman????

Sepoy

I know of a case where an officer in Rhodesia put up the EWA even though not entitled. He was a sub-lieutenant on Boadicea, but just missed out on the Witu expedition. He had to leave the navy in 1892 and went to Rhodesia just in time for the first Matabele War, and he took to wearing the EWA, maybe to give himself a bit of cred. Maybe this sort of thing went on a bit in the colonies ?

My man quietly removed his EWA during his Great War service.

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What is the Regiment - Frontiersman????

Yes, post-Great War Legion of Frontiersmen but not necessarily ex-25th Bn. Royal Fusiliers (Frontiersmen). The signature is "Yours Sincerely John B?????" so I'm assuming the signee is the subject of the photo but I'm struggling to find anyone that fits either the signature or the medals as suggested.

Thanks for the thoughts so far.

Steve

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