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This page aims to give examples of the naming styles peculiar to the King's and
Queen's South Africa Medals (KSA and QSA respectively) issued to each of the New
Zealand Contingents. It doesn't claim to be the definitive final word on the
subject, but is provided simply as a convenient way to illustrate typical naming
styles and to assist those who possess these medals in determining if their
medal is a genuine issue. As with all research of this type there will be
exceptions to the general rules stated here. These will be noted where known. |
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Queen's South Africa Medal |
As a general rule, the first five NZ Contingents all received a Type 2 medal.
These can be distinguished by determining which letter in the word 'AFRICA'
Britannia's wreath is pointing to. For Type 2 it will be the 'R'. An additional
clue to the type is the occasional presence of 'ghost dates' as depicted. Early
QSA's were made with the raised dates 1899 - 1900 on the reverse. As the war was
obviously not going to be over before 1901 commenced, medals with these dates
had them machined off or otherwise removed. The only unit to receive dated, or
Type 1, QSA's en masse was Strathcona's Horse. Type 1 QSA's were not awarded to New
Zealand units. The presence of ghost dates does not affect the value of the
medal, it is really nothing more than a numismatic oddity.
Type 3 QSA's were, in general, issued to Contingent 6 through 10 and may be
distinguished by the figure of Britannia pointing her wreath at the letter 'F'
in 'AFRICA' and a lack of 'ghost dates'.
Clasps
For various battles, theatres and dates a total of 26 clasps (bars is a term
usually reserved for additional gallantry awards) were authorised for issue. Of
these, members of the New Zealand contingents were eligible for 13. A few
Contingent members received other clasps, but these were awarded for additional
service in non-New Zealand units and were generally awarded on that units medal
roll. The 13 clasps authorised for issue on the NZ Medal Roll, including number
issued, are as follows:
Cape Colony, Rhodesia (1075), Relief of Kimberley (192), Paardeberg (102), Orange Free State,
Driefontein (165), Transvaal, Johannesberg (503), Diamond Hill (420), Wittebergen
(45),
Belfast (12), South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902.
A comprehensive overview of the QSA and its associated clasps may be found
here.
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Type 2 QSA - Reverse
Type 3 QSA - Reverse |
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Naming Styles |
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All members of the New Zealand Contingents received officially
impressed QSA's with the exception of the majority of the 2nd and 3rd
Contingents, who received unnamed medals. Officers medals, in the main, should
be engraved in seriffed lettering. The list below breaks each contingent down
into units, describes the style particular to that unit and gives an example of
an observed medal. Other than specific differences noted below, a minor
variation noted across all contingents is the presence of a dot or a comma after
the surname. A pattern as to which punctuation mark is used has not been
discerned. |
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First Contingent |
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1st NZMR medals should be impressed in slightly larger sans-serif
capitals than on later NZ impressed medals. Engraved medals should only be
named to officers, although some officers also received impressed medals.
Basic
rank is Private (PTE), rather than the more correct 'Trooper'. Both
companies have the same naming style. |
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No. 1 and 2 Company - Impressed |
129 PTE M. EDWARDS.
N.Z'LAND M.R. |
View |
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Second Contingent |
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Generally speaking, the majority of 2nd NZMR medals were issued
unnamed, and were later privately engraved. However a surprising number of
impressed medals were issued. These tended to be the medals awarded to
casualties and invalids or those who transferred to other imperial units. Of the
44 2nd NZMR medals observed by this researcher, fully 1/3rd
of them are impressed. Note, the basic rank is Trooper (TPR) for impressed
medals. |
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No. 3 and 4 Companies and Hotchkiss - Impressed |
501 TPR: F. P. BOURN. N.Z'LAND M.R. |
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No. 3 and 4 Companies and Hotchkiss - Engraved |
PRIVATE E. J. HAYDON 471 N.Z.M.R. |
View |
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Third Contingent |
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In contrast to the 2nd Contingent, almost all of the medals issued to
the 3rd Contingent were unnamed. As a general rule, medals issued to
casualties are impressed, and examples do exist of impressed non-casualty medals
but the vast majority of extant medals are engraved. The basic rank changes back
to Private (PTE) for impressed medals, and the unit becomes 'R.R.' for 'Rough
Riders'. |
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No. 5 and 6 Companies - Impressed |
736 PTE. J. A. HURRY. N.Z'LAND R.R. |
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No. 5 and 6 Companies - Engraved |
TROOPER H. V. DUIGAN 3RD N.Z. No
725. |
View |
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Fourth Contingent |
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This contingent introduces a naming style difference between companies. The
examples below show a subtle difference between the North Island companies (7
and 8 Coy) and the South Island companies (9 and 10 Coy). There is also a return
to the rank of Private (PTE). |
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No. 7 and 8 Companies - Impressed |
1265 PTE B. PENNY, NEW ZEALAND M.R. |
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No. 9 and 10 Companies - Impressed |
1084 CORPL: D. TURNER. 4TH N. Z'LAND R.R. |
View |
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Fifth Contingent |
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Typical the medals issued to the five main companies are of a similar style to
that issued to 4th Contingent, 7 and 8 Company. Medals issued to 5th
Contingent reserves tend to have the unit as NEW Z’LAND: M.R. There is a variation
in the basic rank, which again reverts to Trooper. The
abbreviation TRPR is prevalent in all companies except the Reserves and 14
Company. |
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No. 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 Companies - Impressed |
2594 TRPR: W. C. GOSLING, NEW ZEALAND M.R. |
View |
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Reserves - Impressed |
2707 TPR: J. SMITH, NEW Z’LAND: M.R. |
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Sixth Contingent |
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This contingent sees a return to the basic rank of Private (PTE) and has a
uniformity of naming across all companies. |
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No. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 Companies - Impressed |
3272 PTE G. P. OSBORNE, N: ZEALAND M.R. |
View |
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Seventh Contingent |
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Following a fairly regular pattern, this contingent reverts the rank of Trooper
(TPR) and again, has a uniformity of naming style across all companies. |
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No. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 Companies - Impressed |
4038 TPR: W. J. McNAUGHT. 7TH N. Z'LAND M.R. |
View |
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Eighth Contingent |
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This Contingent is named in a uniform style as per the example. |
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North Island and South Island Regiments - Impressed |
5673 TPR: W. C. LAKE. N.Z.M.R. 8TH CONT: |
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Ninth Contingent |
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This Contingent is named in a uniform style as per the example. |
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North Island and South Island Regiments - Impressed |
8107 TPR: W. M. MATHIESON. N.Z.M.R. 9TH CONT: |
View |
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Tenth Contingent |
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This, the last of the New Zealand Contingents, has a naming style which
differentiates between the North Island and South Island Regiments.
Additionally, some medals are simply named to the 'NZ Contingent', and are
possibly late issue or replacement medals. |
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North Island Regiment - Impressed |
8925 SADDLER W. BURDETT 1ST REGT 10TH N.Z. CONT: |
View |
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South Island Regment - Impressed |
9261 PTE J. BROWN. 2ND REGT
10TH N.Z. CONT: |
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Kings's South Africa Medal
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The standard term of engagement for the volunteers of the New Zealand
contingents was around one year. The terms for the issue of the King's South
Africa Medal (KSA) stipulated 18 months service, and so the vast majority of New
Zealanders did not qualify for this medal. Those that did tended to have
completed a tour with an early contingent (1st to 5th) and
transferred to either the 6th or 7th Contingent. Those
that served a second time, but with a 1902 contingent (8th, 9th
or 10th) usually fell short of the qualifying period by a month or two.
Some New Zealanders qualified for the KSA whilst serving with a non-New Zealand
unit, consequently their KSA is named to that unit, whilst their QSA is named
to the NZMR.
Naming Styles
Essentially all New Zealand KSA's should be impressed in small sans-serif
capitals. This applies to both Officers and Other Ranks. There is at least one
known engraved Officers KSA, which appears to be officially-issued, but this
would require independant verification to confirm.
There appears to be two main styles of naming, the variation being in the unit.
NZMR - Impressed Type 1
426 SDLR: C. BUTLER. N. ZEALAND M.R.
View
NZMR - Impressed Type 2
4696 SJT: J. W. BROWN. N.Z.M.R. |
KSA - Obverse |
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Distinguished Conduct Medal |
Aside from the Victoria Cross, the only other named medal for which New Zealanders qualified was the
Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM). There were only thirteen New Zealand Contingent
recipients of this medal, and so it is an extremely rare medal.
New Zealanders received two types of DCM: the original Queen Victoria issue with
the Trophy of Arms obverse (Type 1), and the later Edward VII obverse (Type 2).
Using extant medals as a guide, it is surmised that only three New Zealanders
received the Type 1 medal (Langham of the 4th Contingent and Free and
Rouse of the 6th., the remaining 10 recipients receiving a Type 2
medal.
Naming Styles
Due to the rarity of these medals, no definitive naming style has been
established. The two examples given cover both Type 1 and Type 2 medals and are
provided out of curiosity rather than for any establishment of naming standards.
NZMR - Impressed Type 1 FARR: SGT G.
ROUSE, 6TH N. ZEALAND RGH: RDRS.
NZMR - Impressed Type 2 SERJT:-MAJOR:
G.C. BLACK. N.ZEALAND CONT: |
Type 1 DCM - Obverse |
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