Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal is a distinguished British campaign medal established to recognize the service of military personnel and official civilians during the Second Boer War. Instituted by Queen Victoria in 1900, the medal serves as a historical record of one of the most challenging conflicts in the history of the British Empire, fought across the rugged landscapes of South Africa.
The conflict, which spanned from October 11, 1899, to May 31, 1902, was characterized by grueling conditions. British and Colonial forces faced a disciplined enemy of expert marksmen and horsemen who utilized guerrilla warfare. Beyond the combat, the campaign was plagued by poor logistics and devastating outbreaks of enteric fever, which claimed thousands of lives. While official casualty rolls list over 50,000 names, contemporary research suggests the actual number of casualties, including those lost to disease, reached approximately 97,000.
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Key Facts
- Established: 1900 by Queen Victoria.
- Conflict: Second Boer War (1899–1902).
- Total Awarded: Approximately 178,000 medals.
- Eligibility: British and Colonial forces, official civilians, and certain non-enlisted personnel.
- Clasps: 26 official clasps available to denote specific actions or regions.
- Material: Silver (standard) or Bronze (for non-combatant Indian troops and other non-combatants).
Award Eligibility and Criteria
The medal was awarded to all British-led forces serving in South Africa between October 11, 1899, and May 31, 1902. This broad eligibility included the British Army, Royal Navy, and hospital nurses. It also extended to colonial forces from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India, as well as locally raised units from Natal and the Cape of Good Hope.
Interestingly, the award also included "hensoppers" (collaborators from the Orange Free State and South African Republic), war correspondents, and non-enlisted men of any nationality who received military pay. Some recipients, such as the New Zealand 10th Contingent, qualified for the medal despite arriving in May 1902 and seeing no active fighting.
Certain roles received the medal without any clasps, including nurses, Royal Navy personnel who remained offshore, and troops guarding Boer prisoners on Saint Helena. Other specific roles were recognized with different awards: the Queen's Mediterranean Medal for militia in the Mediterranean and the Transport Medal for Merchant Navy officers on troopships.
Design and Physical Characteristics
The medal is a disk 38 millimeters in diameter. The obverse features a crowned and veiled effigy of Queen Victoria facing left, surrounded by the legend "VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX".
The reverse, designed by G. W. de Saulles, depicts Britannia holding the Union Flag and a laurel wreath, with troops marching inland and men-of-war ships in the background. There are three distinct versions of the reverse:
- Version 1: Features the years "1899" and "1900" (approximately 50 awarded).
- Version 2: The years were machined off, often leaving "ghost" dates.
- Version 3: A new die without dates, where the wreath sits lower, almost touching the "F" of "AFRICA".
The ribbon is 32 millimeters wide, consisting of a central 10mm orange band flanked by 4mm dark blue and 7mm red bands in reverse order.
The System of Clasps
To denote specific participation, 26 official clasps were authorized. A single recipient could earn a maximum of nine. These are categorized into three types:
- Battle Clasps: Awarded for specific actions (e.g., Relief of Mafeking). Recipients could not receive both "Defence" and "Relief" clasps for the same location.
- State Clasps: Awarded for service within a specific state (e.g., Cape Colony, Transvaal) when no specific battle clasp was earned.
- Date Clasps: "South Africa 1901" and "South Africa 1902" were issued to those ineligible for the King's South Africa Medal.
| Clasp Name | Qualifying Period | Primary Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Colony | 1899–1902 | Service in Cape of Good Hope (no specific battle clasp) |
| Natal | 1899–1900 | Service in Natal (no specific battle or Cape clasp) |
| Rhodesia | 1899–1900 | Service under Gen. Carrington/Col. Plumer or landing at Beira |
| Defence of Ladysmith | 1899–1900 | Garrison of Ladysmith during the siege |
| Transvaal | 1900–1902 | Service in South African Republic (no specific battle clasp) |
Order of Wear and Precedence
In the British order of wear, the Queen's South Africa Medal follows the East and Central Africa Medal and precedes the Queen's Mediterranean Medal. For those who served after January 1, 1902, and completed 18 months of service, the King's South Africa Medal was awarded in addition to the Queen's medal.
In South Africa, the order of precedence differs slightly, placing the Queen's South Africa Medal first, followed by the Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog and the Lint voor Verwonding, before concluding with the King's South Africa Medal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was eligible for the Queen's South Africa Medal?
Eligibility included British and Colonial military personnel, hospital nurses, official civilians, war correspondents, and non-enlisted men of any nationality who drew military pay, provided they served in South Africa between October 11, 1899, and May 31, 1902.
What is the difference between the silver and bronze versions?
The silver medal was the standard issue for combatants. The bronze version was specifically awarded to non-combatant Indian troops and other non-combatant personnel who received military pay.
How many clasps could one person receive?
While there were 26 different official clasps available to indicate various battles and regions, the maximum number of clasps awarded to any single recipient was nine.
Why do some medals have "ghost" dates on the reverse?
The first medals were struck with "1899" and "1900" because the war was expected to be short. When it became clear the conflict would continue, the dates were machined off the dies and existing medals, often leaving faint traces known as ghost dates.
What is the relationship between the Queen's and King's South Africa Medals?
The King's South Africa Medal was instituted later (1902) for those with at least 18 months of service after January 1, 1902. It was always awarded in addition to the Queen's South Africa Medal, never as a replacement.