...both just been decorated with the Military cross for beating up the hun... What makes the groups really interesting (Tony, Ed.....quiet!)
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Why no K.S.A. for the British group, since both 1901 and 1902 bars are there?
I thought if ONLY "1901," that was on a Q.S.A., but with "1902" one got Prince Albert In A Can? -
Not often you see an ABO Medal in an MC group. Maybe the two got to talk about the old days when they were shooting at each other in the Boer War.Comment
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Bingo!
Top Group is to Colonel Edgar Bridges, as a lad he joined the Imperial Yeomanry (a unit which was mainly comprised of well off volunteers who served under the flag for a bit of adventure). after the Boer war he joined the 14th (kings) Hussars fighting against the Turks in Palestine. He took command of the 14th hussars Regt and led them for almost a year in Persia (Iraq) in support of Dunsterforce (Rick, you will recognise that name from an earlier question).
The second group is to Capt Ignatius Visser of the potchefstroom commando, he fought from day one of the Boer war (at kraaipan where the first shots were fired) till the last day at the incident where the last shots were fired, and many of the important battles in between.
he helped put down the 1914 Boer rebellion and then won the MC in german South West Africa, later serving ith the 1st South African Horse in german east Africa.
It is possible that the 2 met over a rifle barrel during the Boer war.
I will post detailed info about the careers when I have them done.
As far as the lack of a KSA goes, I think you needed to have 18 months service in South Africa to get it. Less than 18 months and you had the bars on the QSA.Comment
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I'm glad (but not surprised) Jeff got the answer (and the prize?) -- I was having problems restraining myself over this nice juxtaposition of two very nice groups.
How was the wearing of the Anglo-Boere Oorlog actually viewed in "Imperial" circles? I can imagine a good bit of official sniffing over it? Once enemies, now friends may sound nice in 1917, but how hollow was this? Any antectdotes or other evidence?
Ed HaynesComment
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Hi Ed,
In this constellation it should not have caused many problems.
As the ABO was awarded after WW1 it would be obvoius to the Brit that the Boer in Question had decided to serve the crown during WW1 and would very probably have helped the Govt put down the 1914 rebellion.
A single ABO without any WW1 service medals could mean the wearer was to old to serve in WW1... or that he did not want to. many of the men involved in the 1914 rebellion (fighting against the Govt) would have got the ABO in 1921 as they qualified for it.
In the first Staff college course in 1912 or 1913 the participants were 50% boer and 50% brit, men who had been fighting each other 10 years before and in some cases would be fighting each other again in 1914.
If you think that is a strange combination... imagine what a Brit Officer would have thought when he saw the order of precedence on this bar !!Comment
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Especially when you compare the fine gentlemen of the British cavalry to the Boer Irregular...Comment
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On the left of that photo you have Gen Botha. The medal group above was to a Scout/despatch rider on his staff.
one of the guys in this photo, but I dont know which...Comment
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Wow,
I learned some interesting history here. I am not familiar with this time in history other than knowing the war happened but never thought about the people who served. I never thought of what, where they would be later.
I am interested in lering more. I would also love to see more medal bars and pics of the people in who served.
Chris, I assume you are a big time British or UK collector. Am I right? I may need to aks you questions in the future.Comment
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