4042, later D/20999 Squadron Sergeant Major Frederick Allsopp, 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons

Medals sought, please, for the man pictured above. His name was Frederick Allsopp and in the undated photograph above he wears the following medals:

Distinguished Conduct Medal

QSA with clasps for Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast, Cape Colony and Orange Free State

KSA with usual two clasps

1914-15 Star

British War Medal

Inter-Allied Victory Medal

Delhi Durbar Medal

Long Service & Good Conduct Medal

Frederick was born in 1878 and enlisted with the 6th Dragoons on the 12th October 1898 having previosuly served with the 3rd (militia) Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment. He extended his service in 1904 to complete eight years with the colours. extended aagain in 1906 to complete 12 years with the colours and then re-engaged in May 1910 to complete 21 years. By the time he was discharged in November 1919 he had soldiered in South Africa, Egypt, India and France and Flanders. He had three children, all born in India, two of whom died in infancy.

Frederick Allsopp's DCM was gazetted on the 26th June 1918. His son, a veteran of the Second World War, is now hoping to find his father's medals. Please contact me if you can help.

Charles Stanley George Ralph - where's the QSA?

3857 Pte Charles Stanley George Ralph, 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards; later 5101 Pte, 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons was born in Wandsworth, London and was a butcher by trade when he enlisted in London on the 15th July 1891. His stated age was 18 years and two months which suggests that he was born around May 1873. His birth though, was registered in the third quarter of 1874 and the 1881 census also records him as a six year old. He was thus probably 17 years old when he enlisted, and not 18.

Charles enlisted for a period of seven years with the colours and five years on the reserve albeit, according to clause 18a, “if, at the termination of such period of Army Service, you are serving beyond the seas, then for the first eight years in the Army Service and for the remaining four years in the 1st Class of the Army Reserve.” He indicated at the time of his attestation that he wished to serve with the 4th Dragoon Guards.

He served with the regiment in India from September 1894 until February 1899, earning the India Medal 1895 with clasps for the Punjab Frontier 1897-98 and Tirah 1897-98 in the process. He was transferred to the Army Reserve in February 1899 but recalled to the colours that same November when he was transferred to the 6th (Inniskilling Dragoons). He subsequently served in South Africa and added two more campaign medals to his collection. He was discharged to the Army Reserve for a second time in August 1902 and finally discharged on the 14th July 1903, exactly twelve years after he had first enlisted.

Charles Ralph's QSA and KSA appeared in a collectors' sale auction at Truro Auction Centre on the 23rd May 2014 (lot 582). However, the KSA had already appeared, on its own as item 651 at the same Truro Auction Centre on 7th March 2014. QC Militaria subsequently had the QSA up for sale in July 2015.

I'm at a loss to understand how the KSA appeared as a single medal two months before both medals were offered, and also, of course, why the medals were split after being together for over a hundred years. There also remains the matter of the missing India Medal 1895-1902. If anyone knows of the whereabouts of the QSA and IM, or can offer an explanation for the sequence of events above, please leave a comment or contact me directly via the research tab. A client in Australia holds the KSA - or at least a KSA with Charles Ralph's details impressed.

The photograph on this page is an edited compilation of images which appear on Dix Noonan Webb's website.

South Africa Medal 1834-1853

Instituted:
By General Order No 634 on the 22nd November 1854.

Qualification:
Awarded to survivors of the African frontier wars of 1834-5, 1846-7 and 1850-3. This was the first medal specially struck for military service in Africa which was available to all ranks.

Description:
Silver, 36mm diameter, with an ornamental scroll swivelling suspension. The obverse portrays the diademed head of Queen Victoria and the legend VICTORIA REGINA. The reverse depicts the lion of South Africa crouching in front of a protea bush. Above are the words SOUTH AFRICA; in the exergue, the date 1853.

As with the Indian Mutiny Medal, the South Africa Medal design is another father/son collaboration. The obverse of the medal was designed by William Wyon (1795-1851) who was the official chief engraver of the Royal Mint from 1828 until his death. (See also the Army of India Medal). The reverse was designed by Leonard Charles Wyon (1826-18910, William's eldest son, who became Second Engraver at the Royal Mint in 1844 and who succeeded his father as Modeler and Engraver in 1851.

Ribbon:
Watered, orange-yellow with two narrow and two wide stripes in dark blue.

Naming:
Indented in roman capitals, as seen on the Military General Service Medal.

Clasps:
None issued.

Other:
The medal is commonly called the Kaffir Wars medal. Royal Mint records show that 10,558 medals were struck between 24th April 1855 and 31st March 1862; this number including two patterns presented to Queen Victoria, those issued to deserters and later cancelled, replacements, duplicates etc. The actual number of medals awarded is, according to British Battles and Medals, 8,540.

Acknowledgements:
The obverse photograph is courtesy of Dix Noonan Webb; the reverse courtesy of Neate Auctions. British Battles and Medals has been invaluable in putting together the information.

South Africa Medal 1877-1879

Instituted:
1879

Qualification:
Awarded for operations against various African tribes between September 1877 and December 1879.

Description:
Silver, 36mm diameter, with an ornamental scroll swivelling suspension. The obverse portrays the diademed head of Queen Victoria and the legend VICTORIA REGINA. The reverse depicts the lion of South Africa crouching in front of a protea bush. Above are the words SOUTH AFRICA; below the lion a Zulu shield and crossed spears.

As with the Indian Mutiny Medal, the South Africa Medal design is another father/son collaboration. The obverse of the medal was designed by William Wyon (1795-1851) who was the official chief engraver of the Royal Mint from 1828 until his death. (See also the Army of India Medal). The reverse was designed by his eldest son, Leonard Charles Wyon (1826-1891) who became Second Engraver at the Royal Mint in 1844 and who succeeded his father as Modeler and Engraver in 1851.

Ribbon:
Watered, orange-yellow with two narrow and two wide stripes in dark blue.

Naming:
Engraved capital letters.

Clasps:
Seven clasps were awarded and these are listed below. The medal could also be issued without a clasp (also below). After a good deal of deliberation on the part of the War Office, and after three Royal Warrants had been issued it was decided to issue only one clasp per medal, that clasp representing the year, or number of years, that the recipient had been employed against an enemy.

1. 1877
The second least common of the clasps with approximately 150 awarded.

2. 1877-8
Approximately 5,820 awarded.

3. 1877-8-9
Approximately 3,520 awarded.

4. 1877-9
The rarest of all the clasps. Approximately eight awarded.

5. 1878
Approximately 2,000 awarded.

6. 1878-9
Approximately 1,180 awarded.

7. 1879
Approximately 18,330 awarded.

Men entitled to any of the above clasps who were already in possession of the earlier South Africa 1853 medal were supposed to declare this to the authorities so that the appropriate clasp from the 1877-79 campaign could be added to their earlier medal.

In all, 36,600 medals were struck, 5,600 of these issued without a clasp to men who took part in the Zulu operations between 11th January and 1st September 1879 but who did not cross into Zululand from Natal.

Operations:
The operations for which the above bars were awarded were as follows:

1. Operations against the Gcalekas and the Gaikas (1877-78).

2. Operations against the Griquas in 1878.

3. Operations against Sekukuni in 1878 and 1879.

4. Operations against Moirosi in 1879.

5. The Zulu War of 1879.

Other:
The medal is also referred to as the Zulu War Medal and the South Africa General Service Medal.

Acknowledgements:
The photograph is taken from Dix Noonan's September 2009 auction catalogue whilst British Battles and Medals has been invaluable in putting together the information.

King's South Africa Medal (KSA)

Instituted:
1902

Qualification:
Boer War. Issued to all those who were in a theatre of war on or after 1st January 1902 and who had completed 18 months’ service in the conflict before 1st June 1902.

Description:
Silver, 36mm diameter, with the same swivelling suspension as that on the Queen’s South Africa Medal (QSA). The obverse portrays the bust of King Edward VII (facing left) in field marshal's uniform with the legend EDWARDUS VII REX IMPERATOR. The reverse is the same as the reverse of the 3rd version QSA, namely Britannia, her trident and shield on the ground behind her, holding a standard in her left hand and offering a wreath (pointing to the letter F of AFRICA) with her right. A column of soldiers advances towards and past her whilst at her back, battleships can be seen offshore. The words SOUTH AFRICA are written above.

Ribbon:
From the left, equal widths of green, white and orange.

Naming:
Impressed in sans serif capitals. There are some known examples of officers’ medals which have been engraved.

Clasps:
Two clasps were awarded: South Africa 1901 (awarded to all those who served in South Africa between 1st January 1901 and the 31st December 1901 inclusive)and South Africa 1902 (awarded to all those who served in South Africa between 1st January 1902 and the 31st May 1902 inclusive).

Other:
The KSA was never issued on its own and was always paired with the Queen’s South Africa Medal (QSA). Nurses received the KSA without clasps.

Alexander Burns and George A J Welch, commemorated on this site, both served during the Second Boer War and received the QSA and KSA.