OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF

THE ORDERS AND MEDALS SOCIETY OF AMERICA

VOL. 23 DECEMBER 1972 No. 12

TH-E SIEGE OF IVlAFEKING

(OCTOBER 11, 1899-- MAY 31, 1902)

The ~Y~lAb COLLECTOR is the monthly journal of the 0rdersand Medals Society of America, a non-profit society incorporated under the law of the State of California in 1950.

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Membership in the Orders and N~dals Society of America is available on application at dues of $I0.00 per year. S~Lis includes ~ subscription to THE ~l~L. COLL~.. ~TO~. All general inquiries, m~nberskip matters, and dues payments should be directed to the OMSA Secretary, John E. Lelle, at the address listed abo~e. Articles of general interest are solicited for the Journal. Illustrations and photographs suitable for reproduction are most welcome with or without articles. E~ery possible consideration will be givea all submitted material for publication in THE ~l~L COLL~TOR. Please contact the Editor, Frederic yon Allendorfer or send copy directly to him at the above address.

THE SIEGE OF MAFEKING

Ernest H. Bo~m~an

As it is pres~med that they see already well l~o~.nG to the reader no pretensions will be made in this seticle to outline the circumstances leading to the Anglo-Boer W~ or the long chain of events covering its span from October ll, 1899 to i.~y 31, 1902.

The outbreak of hostilities however had not been unanticipated by the British Gover.~J~ent, and in fact, several n~onths before, the Co~ander-in- Chief in London, Field ~J~rshal Lord Wolsley h~.d despatched to South Africa, Colonel R.S. Baden-Powell w:’.th the title of Co~m~mder-in-Chief North-West Frontier Forces. He ~.zs to organize and ts/~e charge of the Police of Rhodesia snd Bechu~n~land ~aqd to raise, mount, equip, train and supply two regiments of irregul~r mounted inf~mtry to ~.~tch the frontiers of the Transvaal in the event of war.

Baden-Powell decided to split his efforts in two: Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Plumer w~s to comn~nd the Rhodesia Regiment to be based in Bulawayo in the north and Colonel C. O. Here would assume co~and of the regiment to be raised in Bechuane~[aud and certered inside the Protectorate uuder 20 miles from the to~ of ~Z~fehing.

The orders of Lord Wolsley instructed Baden-Powell "to make as little show as possible of these preparations for fesz of precipitating war" and access to ~hfeking wz~s specifically forbidden by the a~i.ninis~ration in far off Capeto~,m.

He was permitted to accumulate stores in the town and at the end of September found a convenient way to circumvent these obstructions by liberally in%erpreting his sede~s. "I got permission from the Gape to place au seined guard in ~_fe.l~ng to orotect the stores: but as the strength of the gus~rd ~¢as not sti~uulated I mo~ed the whole regiment into the place ~ithout delay."

The possession of ~e to~m of ~fek~g was considered by the British as an element of some tactical adwmtage because of its import~mt railway yseds, situated at a point some 87e miles north of Capeto~m and about two- thirds of the way on the single-track line to Bulawayo in Rhodesia.

Its denial to the Boers was ho~mver considered of.~mch from a str~tegical or political vie~.~oint as its c%oture by most likely have con,~inced the hitherto luhe-warm people of Orc~ge Free State to come into the war on the side of their the Transv"~l.

more importance the Boers would the neighbourlng brothers from

,h~.d ~at about the to~m of ~,~_eeking itself whose wry nsne in the native tongue meant "A place of Stones"? Situated at ~,000 feet above sea level in the mfddle of the empty spaces of the veldt ~md without amy topographical feature capable of providing any significant military defence, the "Sh~ty town" consiste~ of some three hundred tin-roofed bungalows. The only two-story building was that of the Convent of the Sisters of Mercy.

The norr,~.l popule~ion numbered some 2,000 ~.~ites, men, ~mmen and c?ildren, of whom only s.bout 1,200 remained. Half-a-mile away, astride the ~lopo River ~as a n~.tive village of grass-thatched huts with about 6,0CO to 7,000 unws~rlike and predominantly Christian Bsealong tribesmen.

There would seems to be little doubt but that they were the precttrsors of the Boy Scout movement founded by Baden-Po;~,ell in 1907 ~ud for which he e~rned more f~ne throughout the world thou for his long and br!lli~ut ~lit~ry career.

The fo!lo~dn~ then is this author’s listing of the troops that would appes~ to be entitled to the bar, "DE~CE OF

Officers Cther P~n~s.

1,220

Not included in the above list was a force that w~.s recruited from the Bs~_long willage, one of the few w-lolations of the un~mitten rulas of the "~ite man’s" ~mur. These ~ounted to nearly 500 ond ~ere ~rmed~dth oleph~mt g~s and obsolete rifles to serve as ~tc~men, scouts, gusrds to the cattle

protecting their o~n ~r’±l!age.

Of the entire ~arrison only 576 men were equipped with the Lee-l.~.etford magazine rifles ~ith the remainder being ar~ed vith the obsolete single-load,:~rs.

The situation was found to be even r~ore disappointing with regard to smtillery. ~.~o broken-doom museum pieces, muzzle-lo~ing 7-po~unders from the 1820~s were found to ~;hich were s~ded two more of equ~ vintage sent up from the Cape. None of them were serviceable and had to be completely reconditioned.

The gerrison was slightly better off for light weapons. ~ll told there were seven of the invs~uable .303 M~dm machine guns, two relatively modern but lighter rapid-firers, a 1-pounder Hotck~iss ~md a 2-1nch Nordenfeldt which fired a 3/~ pound shell.

bat~e_y of oop~ums whose ~jor Panzera was .out in cor~n..and of this ~ ~ . _ effective rsmge was short of two thousand y~rds.

As the to~m was without either n~.tural or artificial defences Baden- Powell lost no time in org~mizing a practical scheme for its defence ~£nich s~so took into consideration that of the Baralong "stadt" or village.

A chain of outposts and redoubts was constructed on a perimeter of about six_miles and oatches of scm.~b were cleared to provide unobstructed fields of fire. Bs~icades and roadblocks were set up, suite~le houses were saudba]ged and loopholed, e~rthworhs rcised snd rifle pits 8nd trenches were dug. An old crumbling fort ~2s torn do~,m ~nd its stones used to build a s~mi-clrcular breastworh on Cannon Kop~e, a hill of 4,213 feet to the south of the town.

Lieutenant-General The Right" Honourable ROBERT STEPHENSON SMYTH BARON

BADEN-POWELL OF GILWELL, O.M., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., K.C.B., LL.D.,

Colonel of the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary’s Own).

22nd February, 1857--8th January, 1941.

And what of the man whose fate ~.s to defend Mafeking, the first of the three to,ms to be invested and the last to be relieved after a long arduous° siege of 217 days. The man, Baden-Powell ( a hyphen inserted by f~2ily custom,. Baden to rhyme with "maidenI’ and Powell with "noel", as he h~mself put it) was at the time Z~ years of age and had seen 23 years of wide e~erience. He had served in many lands s~ud in minor .wars; in India, Afghanistan, ~Lalta, Egypt, Ashanti ~ond South Africa. Following service at the Cape, in Natal and Zululand, he was sent to Bechuanaland in 188~. Here he made a scouting trip during ~.fnich he rode six htmdred miles alone through the Transva-~ol and Orange Free State, the very region in which he had now become involved.

A first-class marksman, a fine horseman, with his special interest in scouting, he had established a reputation in high circles by the manuer in which he had successfully out~z~tted the crafty h~atabele in the uprising in that country in 1896.

With the ~owledge that there would be little time left before ~,~feklng was attacked, Baden-Po~.~ell organized the available manpower and put the town’s defences in order.

The irregular mounted infemtry, now designated The Protectorate Regiment was brought up to strength, clothed, and equipped and both men and horses trained. To assist Lt. Colonel Here, F~jor Alexander Godley was appointed second-in-co2_mand.

Baden-Powell’s forces also included a company of the Bechuanaland Rifles under Capt~in Cowsn and a contingent of the British South Africa Police cor~manded by Lt. Colonel Walford. In addition there were two sections of the Cape Police ~ith Inspectors ~rsh and Bromine as their respective commanders.

Virtually every able-bodied msn in the town had been enrolled in the To~.~a Guard, which Lt. Colonel Courtenay Vyvyan had organized. A tough looking lot of all ages, they were drassed in a wide variety of clothing and were armed with an equally ~zlde assortment of weapons. Their numbers were predominantly English ~lth Soots, ~rish, and Welsh. In addition there were some thirty loyal Dutch, a half dozen Scandinavians and an equal number of Russians, four Germans and four from the United States along with a motley collection of a dozen or so of Jews, Arabs and Parsees.

~embers of the local rail~ay staff volunteered for service in what has variously referred to as the Railway Volunteers, Railway Detachment and Scott’s Railway Guard. This last, despite a Captain ~ore reported as having been in charge of the Rail~.~ay Detachment.

As both the Boers and the British agreed in principle that the natives were not to become belligereats in this "white man~s" war, or~ly the "coloured", ELuropean-African half-breeds were assembled to assist in the consta~uction of the urgently needed defence works. These have been variously l~qown as the Cape Boys Contingent or ~ckenzie’s Native Conti~ger.t.

According to the Queen’s South Africa Medal Roll, the members of a most unique ~nit were entitled to the medal with the coveted bar, "Defence of ~.~fekiug." This was the ~hfeking Cadet Corps, ,~hich at the suggestion of Baden-Powell had been organized by his Chief of Staff, ~.L~jor Lord Edward Cecil, the son of the British Prime ~linister. The Corps included boys from nine to fifteen years of age ~ho were _nut in uniform and mounted on bicycles or shray m~ules and served as m~ssen~ers as well as performing other garrison duties.

9

Field telephones, something of an innovation at the time, ~;ere tied-in to a network so that the Headquarters in Dixon’s Hotel could be instantly apprised of the situation at almost ~ny point on the perimeter.

The Railway Volunteers converted seversl railway flat cars into armoured cars which were given fanciful names as "H~BMosquito", "Firefly" and "Wasp." Utilizing the locomotives on hand in the local yards and one completely en- closed in steel plating that had just been received from Kimberley, these armoured trains patrolled the railway for some ~iles in either direction, north or south of the to~m.

Plentifttl military rations and stores had been accumulated and food stocks had been greatly increased when it was found that the big local merchants had received large shipments in anticipation of new customs duty to be levied by Rhodesia.

This then ~as the state of Mafeking as it awaited~hat ~,s now realized ~ould be its in~Nltable siege.

In the meantime the Boers had not been idle. Waiting just inside the Transvaal border, 8 miles a~y, was a force vsriously stated as between 6,000 and 8,000 burghers and ten guns under the command of the veteran cmmpaigner, Gomm~dant-General Piet Cronje. He was perhaps the only Boer general who had made a serious attempt to study modern warfare s~d had t.~ice accepted the surrender of British forces. First at the siege of Potchefstroom in the First Boer War (1881) and then at Doornkop follo~ing the defeat of Dr. Jameson and his raiders (1896) who had launched their attack from this hateful to~m of ~ekiug.

With the odds so heavy in his favour, Cronje was certain that he would accept the t~hird British surrender at ~.~feking.

On October ll, 1899 the ultimatum from the President of the Transvaal, Paulus Kruger, "0ore Paul", expired and he declared ~r on Britain. Cronje immediately demanded an instant capitulation of ~.i~feking which was rejected and it w~s not until the 14th that any action took place.

While proceeding to search out a force of some 400 Boers whose presence had been reported by a mounted patrol, one of the armoured trains was ambushed close to Signal Hill, a paoint about ~ miles out of town. It ~zas only after two successive troops of the Protectorate Regiment and a 7-pounder gun:-were sent out and after four hours of intense fighting, the Boers finally withdrew and the train and the rescuing troops could safely return to town.

The Boers then sat down and a~.mited the arrival from Pretoria of one of their big guns, a 6-inch Greusot, manufactured in France, and soon nick- named by the British as ’~ong Tom."

Little damage was inflicted at first from "Long Tom’ s". shelling but after about two weeks of this peculiar siege, Baden-Powell ordered, on the 27th a sortie under Captain Charles Fitzclsrence to clear the Boers from their advanced tranches on the eastern edge of the perimeter. This was successfully done at bayonet-point and for this daring operation and his work on two later occasions, Captain Fitzclarence was a~ar~ed the Victoria Cross ¯

On the 31at the Boers retaliated by attempting to take Csmnon Kopje, the strong point in. the room’s southern defences, but were repulsed.

~at has ~lways remained one of the unsolved puzzles of the Boer War is why the Boers ~dth not less than 6,000 men did not oush home this attack and crush the sc~e 1,200 defenders as they could so eaBily have done. The Boers could not possibly have been unawsre of their great superiority in numbers.

Expert riders, crack shots and masters of terrain, the Boers were Ill-adapted by training and temperament to siege operations and ~ay well have concluded thatit wauld be more economical in casualties if they simply reduced the defenders by bombardment and starvation rather than by the more costly direct assault. It has been reported that under the council of war system that prevailed in the Boer "commandos", when Cronje and his higher ranking officers proposed to storm~fe~ng they were outvoted by the more numerous corporals and field cornets.

Fearing theft a night attac~k ~ght be made by the Boers up the River from the ~est, a force of some hun&red men under !,*,[-~jor Godley was sent out on l{ovember 27th to forestall it. The raiders successfully destroyed the Boer c,&mp and retired but ~ere hotly pursued by more than 700 hors~nen from Oronje~s main forces. The Protectorate men got back to Fort Ayy in safety ~nd st~rprisingly the Boers made no attempt to approach the forts and on ~.rithdra~.~ing moved their laager a nLile ~qd a half f-’~,~rther to the west of

No further action of significance took place during the ne~ seven weeks - - apparently Baden-Powell ~as waiting for Cronje to depart and Cronje in turn, ~ms hoping Baden-Powell would surrender.

Within, the to~n began to settle down to the routine of the siege. Dug-outs ~ere built to shelter the inhabitants from the ave~age of about seventy shells a day theft cs~.e in from "Long Tom" and a comp~nion Creusot gun ~icknamed ~01d Creaky".

To partia~.ly offset these big gtms, the rail~ay shops m~de ~m excellent ho~zltzer which ~ms pro~otly n~-e "The Wolf" after the n~me "The Wold that never sleeps" that the natives hs~i given to Baden-Powell.

Another gun ~as discovered by l~jor Godley while out riding on patrol ~aen he noticed that a gate-post ~as rectally an old gun. On being dug up it ~.2s found to be an old ship’s carronade ~nd after being reconditioned and mounted on a carriage it ~as appropriately given the sobriquet of ’~ord Nelson".

Meanwhile both the railway and the telegraph lines had been cut so a system of communications ~as inaugurated using native runners who slipped through the Boer lines ~ud made their way to the nearest telegraph station in British control.

With the bad ne~ just received theft both Kimberley and Ladysmith ~ere slso besieged and that ~feking would have to wait some time for its relief, Baden-PoM~ll instituted a limited measure of foed rationing on November 17th. Vegetables were still plentiful and the daily allotment of bread and meat ~s quite generous, but such essentials as salt~ sugar, tea, .milk, eggs and poultry were 1Lmited.

The n~xt day, the 18th, these trials and tribulations were quickly forgotten .~lth the sensational ne~ that Genernl Cronje~s forces were bres~ing c~p e~d t~o-tkirds of his "commando" and half his artillery ~ere tre~J~Lng south. He was later to fight at the battle~ of Modder River and ~4agersfont~in ~nnd finally on Febru~nry 27, 1900 meet his defeat at Pa~rdeber~.

The co~memd of the remaining Boer forces devolved upon ~sistant Con~ande.nt-General J.P. Sn~c~an. ~lthough he enjoyed quite a reputation from his past exploits he appears to have decided that the best policy ~ould be to simply blockade ~i~feF~ing &ud starve its defenders into submission.

On December 5th there was a furious rai~ustorm ~th accompemying gales of ~zlnd which resulted in most of l,~afeking~s defensive earthworks being washed a~ay. This ~as probably the best opportunity the Boers ever had to t~J~e the to~m hut th~j se~m to have been too bedraggled and dispirited to even atte~Tpt an attack.

Days of sporadic shelling followed but the few resulting casualties were not enough to d~mpen the good spirits of the co~mandem or the people of the beleagured to~n.

;us the strongly religious Boers abstained from fighting on Sundays, the Sabbaths became "truce days" ~ud were filled by the British with sports and entertair~ents. Band concerts followed the morning church ser~-ices and the eIternoons were given over to polo or pony racing, soccer or cricket m~.tches. Conce_~ts and sho~,~s were often given in the evenings in which Be.den-Powell frequently took a prominent pert.

Christmas Day, falling during the hot season in Africa, fell that year on a ~nd~y so Baden-Po~.~ell decided it should be observed on the preceding day Sunday. Church services were held in the morning and in the afternoon ~the children gathered around the traditione~l Christmas tree. Rationing ~as suspended for this d~.y and the con~mander, his staff and many of the local notables enjoyed a "royal Christmas dinner."

One of the shortages that arose was in h~nk notes so Baden-Powell person.~lly made new designs which°, of course, were run off locally. The one-pound note ~;as particularly interesting as it showed the to~n~s defenders aud the "Wolf", the gun made in their own railway workshops.

Postage st~nups for internal use were also in short supply so one was issued depicting Baden-Powell~s head. Though not of Baden-Powell~s design it proved to be a source of some annoyauce to Queen Victoria whose effigy h~ hitherto always appesred on al! British postage.

On December 26th, an~attackwas launched in an attempt to dislodge the Boers from Game Tree Fort, a defensive position vith a commanding view of all its approaches. Some 260 men of the Protectorate Regiment were detailed for the task together with the support of srtillery and an armoured train ~md ~ith the BechusnalemdRifles in reserve. But the Boers had greatly strengthened the position and increased the garrison and despite great courage e_ud discipline it ~s impossible for the British attackers to m~d~e ~uy headway s_ud they were finally forced to withdraw.

For their pert in this action, Serge~.nt H.R.l.£?~tineau and Trooper H.E. Re~sden were both awarded the Victoria Cross thus bringing the tote& for l~afeking up to three. Only one Victoria Cross was awarded for action at Ladysmith sr.d none for Kimberley.

Finally yielding to pressure from his impatient emd "hot-headed" senior officers, Snyman ordered, on New Year’s Day a 6-hour bsmrage, emd though it was one of the heaviest of the entire siege, as usual less th:m one in a hundred rounds did ~uy signific:mt dsmage. Probebly this ~s kno~n to Sr4yman as no further action followed the bs~rage.

To bolsZer the morole of the besieged to~nspeople, Baden-Powell ordered a "counter-demonstration" a few days later and with artillery and sharpshooters forced the Boers to move their hea~# gun "Creel~g" to a new position east of the town.

l0

By mid-January food hegsm to get short so much stricter rationing was put into effect. Sugar s~d ~y obtainable milk was reserved for the ~men ~md children while the common rations consisted mostly of horse sausages and brawn, end four ounces of oatmesJl biscuits. Tow~2d the end of 9~oril the supply of forage for the horses had become exho.usted and the matter of rations became critical. The strength ~md endurance of.the g~rrison had been greatly reduced by the long continuance of the minimum diet. It bees.me clear however that they could not be increased as that would result in all supplies being used up by the first of ~y.

Al! this while, efforts, thol~gh of ~ limited sort, were being made to come to the relief of ~:i~feking. In the North, Lieutens~.t-Colonel Pl~.~er had bro~t~ht the strength of his Rhodesia Regiment up to ~20 me~. He had under his co~and almost 1,000 British South Africa Police but they had a vast area to patrol. In addition there were the South Rhodesian Volunteers mud other such groups but their numbers veiled greatly depending upon the season~l needs of their farms. }[is total force has been given as 1,760 men plus three armoured trains that had been fitted up in the Dulawayo roilway workshops.

On October llth, ~thin hours ~fter the declaration of wsm, Plumer moved about 150 miles south with a smell force of 500 men to Tuli on the Limpopo River, almost at the junction of the borders of Bechu~aqalsmd, Rhodesia end the Trsnsvaal. Here he found himself opposed by severeJi thousand Boers end it was not tuutil after repeated skirmishing end probing that i1~ ~as deter:mlned that the Boers had.~[ispersed end gone from the On December 13th, he moved 175 miles south-west from Tuli ~o the long, exposed rail line that connected Bttlawayo ~lth Mafeking in the south.

Here he collected some additional troops that had been operating along the railway and in ~d-J~muary moved ~th 750 men, four field g~ns, two mac~d~ne guns, one armoured train ~nd auother that ~as psrtially ~rmoured, do~,m to Gaberonos, about 60 miles from Mafeklng.

His progress was delayed here by the necessity of having to repsir a bridge theft had been destroyed by the Boers at Crocodile Pools, about 6 m~les further south. He also established severs~ bases for the storage of supplies that had to come the considerable dist~nce from Bula~ayo. 9~om the~]e bases he launched expeditions toward ~ufeking but encountered stiff opposition from Snym~n, who, on two occasions was obliged to trsnsfer a large part of his mnin force surrounding ~,£~feking to repulse these new intruding units from the north.

By April 27th, Flumer’s advcnce force was csa~ped }~thin 28 mZles of ~k~feking with his n~ain camp at Sefetili, some 30 miles a~.~y, in the hot, arid Kalahari Desert country.

Elsewhere things had not gone at all well for the main British forces that had been working their way nortbx.~rd from Capeto~m ~aqd westward from the port of Durban in eastern Natal.

GenersJ[ Lord l~theun who had been ordered to relieve ~Limberley, hsd crossed from Cape Colony into the Orsnge ~-~ree State and cfter the successes of Belmont (November 23, 1899), end Modder Fuiver (November 28, 1899), badly defeated at ~gersfontein on December llth. He ~s then ordered to ~n there end to attempt nothing fk~vther until his stores were built up sad communications restored, all of w}dch further delayed the relief of Kimberley. This ~as finally acco~olished on Febru~vy 15, 1900 when ~jor- General John French’s cavalry brigade successD~.lly chsrged through the centre of the Boer line saqd rode into Kimberley theft ever!ng.

ll

Nor had things gone ~ch better for the forces from Estal ~nder Major- General Sir Redvers B~ftler ~.~o ~ere on their ~sy to relieve Lndysmith. They suffered a series of setbacks s~d their failure in a frontal attack st Colenso on December 15th contributed yet another to those end~ed by the British at Stormberg and I~l~cersfontein d~ring ’~lack Week", Decen~ber lO-16, 1899. :Quother resulted during J~,nus~y 2~-26, !900 when some 1,733 casu~lties were incurred in a useless oper~tion at Spion Kop.

Hog, ever, at !ong last, ~fter a sequence of eng.~genents combiners.ore.ted hy the med~J[ bars, "Tugela Heights" ~.nd "Relief of Ladys.~%ith", the besieged town of Ladysm_ith ~s relieved on Februsmy 28, 1900.

With both K!~oerley and Ladysmith in ss£e hands, the Co~nnder-in- Chief, General Sir Frederick Roberts then decided that troops could be spared to bring ,Yeout the long-deferred relief of Mafeking.

Accordingly a M~fehing Relief Force was assembled at Bs~kly West, a to~a~ some 20miles northwest of ]timberley. It comprised 1,100 men of the Kimberley Mo~mted Corps; the i~erial Light IIorse; part of a battery of the Roysl Horse Artillery; 2 machine guns; 1¢0 specially selected infantry (Bsmton~s Fusilier Brigade with 25 men each from the English, Scottish, Irish smd Welsh Fusilier regiments). The "flying col~.nu’s" total strength was l, 149 men. Under the co~mnd of Colonel Bryan l~hhon it left on i~ay 4th to link up ~ith Colonel Plumer~s small force coning do~m from Rhodesia.

By ~hy 9th l~mhon had covered 129 miles and had entered V~/burg ~lthout a shot being fired as the Boers had evacuated the to~m shortly before. A Boer force of about equal strength attacked the column on the 13th but after a brisk th~.ee-quarters of ~n hot~ action, Me&on, by his decisive co~z~]and, averted wh~£ might well have been a disaster. Shortly sfter daybreak on the 15th, they sighted Plumber’s c~mp which had been set up only the night before down in the valley of the I/mlopo River below.

Plumer had just been reinforced by the timely arrival of a number of troops from v~ious parts of the ii~oire. These consisted of 6/, officers emd men and /, guns of "C" Battery, Royal C~uadi~m Artillery who were to become ~zao~n as "Plumer~s Pets". They had been escorted on their long march from the port of Beira in Portuguese East f’~/rica by 50 Australians of the Q<~,eens- land ~b~mted Infantry and 50 troopers of the N6~ Zee&and l,bunted Rifles.

As Mahon was senior to Plumer, he assumed command of the combined force.

In the interim, Snym~’s depleted forces outside ~’mfeking had been rein- forced by the arrival on April 2/,th of a detachment led by Comm~ondemt Sarel Eloff. He w~-s the grandson of President K~uger and was indignant at the indifference of Snym~-m ~o was simply containing l~,feking. His pride was such that he determined to t~.ke M~Ie.ki~ ~.ithout further delay and by exerting his considerable influence virtually took over Snym~n’s comJnand~

E~off’s plem was to infiltrate the native village a~d establish bases in it and with reinforcements to be sent in by Snymu%n, push a gap through the to~s defences, stoE~.Baden-Powell~s headquarters end by isolating units, force the garrison to surrender.

So, on the night of ~’;~y llth, ~.zith or_ly some 300 out of the 700 Boers who should have followed him, ~-~loff msnaged to reach the netive huts which he set on fire which proved to be a mistake as it alerted the garrison. Splitting his forces into three groups, he captured the headquarters of the Protectorate Regiment end then awaited the ~rrival of the reinforcements promised by Snyman.

12

The other two Boar groups had takem up strong positions in the to~n but wore surrounded by the defenders under the able command of Fmjor Gedley. Finally, at 6:00 acre., realizin8 that Snymau had made no real effort to get through, E loff offered to surrender.

Early on the morning of ~y 16th, the combined relief co]..~, under Colonel Mahon moved westw~rd ~long the Molopo River and at first met with no opposition. After advanolng for about ~ix hours an attempt was made by a Boar force of about 2,000 hors~en uuder Com~audant de la Roy (who had assumed command after Eloff’s surrender), to encircle the relief column. The British force was able to keep on the move and l~te in the afternoon gave chase to the Boers who fled from the field.

Ms, on collected his forces together at about 7 miles short of ~feking and ordered a rest. hut sent ahead a patrol of lO men from the Imperial Light Horse under ~jor W.D. Davies who entered the to~n about 7:00-p.m.

About ll:O0 p.m. Mahon ordered his men to be roused and at 12:30 a.m. they were a~ain on the move with orders to march on Mafekin~. They began striving in town at 3:30 a.m. and when the sun rose that morning the Boers wore astounded to learn the entire relief fo~rce was safely encsmped within the defences.

The next day, the 17th of May, 1900, the relief column with Colonel Nahon at the head snd Baden-Powell at his side, rode down the main street, lined by the Town Guard to be officially received by the ~.~yor and the townspeople of Mafekin8. This w~s followed by a Thanksgivln~ Service and- a parade of the troops, thus bringing to an end the 217-day Siege of Mafelchug, an event that had captured the imagination of the British Empire and the rest of the Eaglish-speaking world in those s~irring days at the turn of the last century.

13

Typi. cal Uniform worn by Cauadians in

,Relief Force at ~afekin~

Collectors of the Queen~.s South Africa medal ~e of course aware that the bs~ for the "Defence of ~,hfeking" is rated as the r~rest of the 26 bars issued for the medal. This is particularly so when related to British troops as only a few seconded officers and men took part in its defence. Why this should be the ease witch respect to South African units is not quite so clear in light of some 1,269 bars issued to those participants. The e~lanation may be due in part to the keen interest t~en by South ~dTican collectors in their o~m couutry~s history and in general to the aura of Victorian and Edwo~rdian glamour that still clings to the defence despite the fact that it all took place some seventy-t~zo years ago.

HOLT, ~gar - "The Boer Wsr", London, 1958 GIU~ELL.I.~L~, Duncan - ’~3aden-Powell at ~feking", London, 1957 P~B~TON, W..~Bea~ing - ’~3attles of the Boer Were", London, 196~ OORL.~-7~ Gen. Sir Alexander - "Life of an Irish Soldier", New York, 1939 GidlD~[FZ~, Brian- "~,o~feld~ng, a Victorian LeGend", London, 1966 ~ ~ViTL, Gen. Sir Archibald - "o~llenby", Ne~ York, 19~l };~G~S, ~hilip, Sir-"Kitchener", Ne~; York, 1959 l,%~qJIS, T.G. - "Canada’s Sons on Kopje and Veldt", Toronto, 19OO

A Note on the Author: Ernest IIerbert Bowman has milits~ blood running in his veins.

Both his father and grandfather held co..~?lssions in the Canadian militia, his father t.~!~ing part in the 18~5 Riel Rebellion. After a stint in the Canadian Officers Training Corps, ~. Boa.nan ceae to the United States ~n 1919. He lived in Chile in 1926, ret~rnlng to the United Sissies snd served during the Second World War in the !Oth Division attaining the r~3~ of cant~dm. His’ persons.1 enthusiasm in all things military lends

itself to mn_uy reports on the Military ~,~seums of ~JAu~ope ~hich will be appearing in future issues of the Medal Collector. His collection of medals includes those issued to Canadian military personnel.

F.v.A.

THP~ SOVIET SOLDIERS DIED IN PEAT BOG FiRE

Three Soviet Army soldiers died fighting a pee.t ~hog fire near Moscow in late August, the Co~_~unist P~ty ne~spaper Pravda reported.

The tbmee ~ere posthumously awarded the Order of the Red St-~r.

Official reports earlier said ~ undisclosed n~t~.~ber of oersons died in the sU~.er blamss. Pravda said the rash of pe~.t bog and forest fires that erupted during the hot, dry st~.er in the ~.:osco~ region was eD_most completely under control ~fnen the accident hap~ened.

sub.mitred by JoDm Lelle

By 1928, August Ponsot (French High-Commissioner in syria) deckled his administration could afford the local inhabitants the luxury of a =~rovisional government and by June a constituient ~..ssembly gathered to consider directions for the future. The French admin- istered what they called syria under the settlements following the First World War which de.?riv.ed the Ottoman Empire of her Arab territories--a state of affairs complicated by conflicting ..oro~ises, treaties and ambitions. Rather than cite provisions of these var- ious agreements (~e Balfour Declaration, the Hussien-McMahon Cor- resoondence, the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the Tripartite Pact, ar~ theLondon-Petrograd Agreement)as +/qey a~plied to the dispersal of that Ottoman territory, let’s examine the status quo in the area during the late 1920s. British (Iraq) and French (syria) mandates of the first class, given by the League of Nations, suploosedly could achieve indeoendence within l0 years or thereabouts while mandates of the se6ond class (Palestine, for example) would require a longer time under foreign, tutelage--yet by 19~8 Syria seemed as far from that goal as in 1919, if not further. Though the Arabs defined Syria (,’Greater Syria’) as present-day syria, Lebanon, and parts of Palestine (Israel-Jordan,) Iraq, Turkey, and even saudi Arabia the French defined Syria as she exists within her present boundries less a strip extending from the Leb~.nese border to the Turkish border about 100 miles deep along the sea. Due to French and minority pressures, this strip supported administrations in Alexandrettia (next to Turkey,) Aleppo, Latakia, and ~t~e Jebel Druze (inland close to today’s Syrian-Lebenese-Israeli border;) the British ad~inistered Palestine and Transjordan while ’,caring" for Iraq’s external relations thus removing all these areas from .Greater Syria."

At Ponsot’s request, ~e ass~bly drafted a constitution; however, he found it unacceptable because the syrian leaders (shukri al- Kuwaytli and Hashim al Atasi especially) included articles claiming the lost territories, violating French international com~ittments and contrary to League of l~atipns stipulations. Ponsot attempted to pacify the Syrians but they remembered the many discouraging, false and misleading claims of Ponsot’s predecessors and refused to compromise with the most reasonable High-Commissioner ~rance ever sent them. He then (May 1930) promulgated new governments .for the c9astal states and emphasized Lebanon would never rejoin Syria but also implemented the constitution he disallowed in 1929 and ordered elections for early 1932. A major point of crises involved the Erench role in Syria after independence and while that debate raged Ponsot fell ill; his replacement dissolved Parliment and allowed the President (Hakki al Azm) to rule by decree ~th aid from his Cabinet~and his French advisors. Strikes, guerrilla action and gen- eral unrest convinced the High-Commissioner of his method’s failure

16

and in 1936 an agreement came in force--syria would include ail the coastal states but Le~b~non would renm~in independent. Franco-SyriaU an~ Franco-Lebsnese treaties recognized this but France failed to ratify these and G-~e overall situation rapidly degenerated.

~ k" in mid-1939 when France trans- The ,’stab in the ~yrian b~.c., ceme ferred Alez~ndrettia to Turkey. Syria expected Alex~ndrettia as a spoil-of-war and i~.yment for her activities e<~ainst the Turk but France promised tlne League of i~ations to establish a seperate non- syrism administration there becaUse of a large (figures range from 45)~-80>~ Turkish) Turkish population. ~/hen the 1936 agreement seemed

likely to result in syrian independence, Kem~,l Ataturk decided to t~ke action to protect the Turks in Alexandrettia. To avoid an open clash, 9ossibly driving Turkey closer to the Third Reich, France proposed she end Turkey set-up a condominium in July, 1938 in Alezandrettia; however, the provincial assembly resulting from the condoninium declared autonomy from Syria a~ d proclaimed itself the government of the Republic of Hatay. syrian protests led to proposed military action but t.he combined French-Turkish forces could easily smash any armed opposition and nothing Dankzscus did would alter the situation.

This short-lived Republic’s main objective aimed at enosis with Turkey and it finally joined that country in June, 1959, however, during one year of existence, Hatay either officially or unoffic- ially instituted two awards--one of which ccntinued to be given until at least 1945. This suthor ~c~ld find no substantive evi- dence and little documentation on either but the following con- jectures m~y cause additional ,,hard" information to flow from someone~ reserves.

One of the awards resembled the Lebanese and. syrian Merit Medals which are widely known--a round bronze (9erhaps it also had a silve[ and gilt class) medal of usual French design and size. Though no examples or clear photos of this award have been seen it may be detected at the end of groups worn by French officers assigned to the area. APFEARA~CE: Round (bronze?) medal (33 mm diameter?) with a (red?) ribbon. An ihscrip~ion (in French?) extends around the circumfrence and the center contains a head (Uthman Samalen, head of the governing council or allegory?.)

The other award, while not quite as mysterious physically, remains a complete enigma otherwise. APP-~ARANC~: A white enemel 8-point gilt or silver star a~proxin%-~.tely 55 mm between the longest points cont~iniug a red ceuter medallion with a gilt star & crescent laid on it. Some have another, larger star & crescent suspension device comperable to the Ottoman orders and the ribbon is usually red.

REVERSE FLAT

A certain Z~ki al ~ausoud representing the Arab inhabitants of Hatay continued the latter award in exile until 1945 (Jerusalem 9oat, Nay, 1945.)

Further reg.ding: S. Fisher, The Middle East, Knopf, 1969 E. Vere-Hodge, Turkish Foreig~ ~olicy, France-Suisse, 1950 H. Howard, The P~rtition of Turkey, ~iv. Oklahoma, 1938 E. Bisbee, The New Turks, ~niv, of Pa~., 1951

Additional comznent is welcomed as is information on other Orders end awards of the Arab states (especially the monarchies), Royal I~ulg~rien and Albanian awards. Please write and let’s exchange inforn~ztion: Ernie Fis. cher, 1735 Irving Street, I~W

Washington, DC 20010

Ku~,~pala 15 October - With the Arrival of .Foreign De!ezat:ons at the Ku~p~la Airport to assist in the celebration of Uganda’s reles.se from British control almost l0 years ago, President Idi ~min honored the high ranking members with the new Ugandan Order and several recently established medsiis. Imong others, Sudanese Vice-Premier rcceived th9 Order of the Source of the Nile, ist De~ree, w~hile several African ~mhassadors ~_nd High Commission- ers received the 3rd Grade of the Order. U~audan A~g Officers were honored ~.rlth bestowals of the Distinguished Service Order, The ~iilitary Cross, mud The Victorious Service Medal, mostly for actions during the recent clash ~ith Tsmzanis_u Forces. One Ug~dsn Asian received the Service Medal for his pe~t in striking the decorations - - but the expulsion of the Asians ~rill leave "Dada" without en~yone to strike further supplies since Asi~ms run the 9irm.

sub~Atted by ~.~nie Fisher

B0~.~ ~.:XPERTS DECORA%~ZD BY qU~i~

Sept 12 - London - Four military bomb e~oerts who parachuted through clouds ~ mid-Atlantic last lJ~y l0 to search for Bombs reported planted aboard the liner Queen Elize&eth 2, have been decorated by Q~een Elizabeth for bravery.

They were awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct. Their citation said: "There is no doubt that ttuder erdinsmy conditions the mission would have been abandoned."

The four men, one of whom had never parachuted before, were dropped into the ocean. They searched the liner, but fecund none of the bombs a gsng demanding $ 350,000 ransom claimed were planted aboard the vessel.

The drop w~s ms~e in bad weather through !ow clouds. The men carried heavy snd bul~ equipment.

They were ~m~.~y Caotaiu Robert Wil!is~us, Ar~j St~f Sergean.t Clifford Oliver, Roy~ l~.~arine L~_entenant Richsrd Clifford and Royal l,~rine Corpor~l Tho~s Jones.

submitted by Ernie Fisher

18

photo: Kai M~-er 19

J.W. Centre.y, London.

The First Earl Haig of Bermersyde, Field ~,L~rshal Haig, K.T., G.C.B., O.M., G.C.V.O., K.C.I.E. Bern 1S61. Died 1928

Field Marshal 1917. Served in Egypti~qn Cawlry 1897-1908. Chief of Stsa~f in India 1909-11. Commsmder in Chief in France and Flanders 1915-1919. Generel Officer Co~J.~anding in Great Britain 1919.

BRITISH:

Order of the Bath, Companion, ~litary 3rd Class 1900 l"mi~ht Commander

Order of the Bath, ~l~tary 2nd Class 1913 Ymight Grand Cross

Order of the Bath, Military 1st Class 1915 Royal Victorian Order, Con~.~s~uder 1903 Royal Victorian Order, Knight Gor~T2nder 19C9 Royal Victorian Order, Knight Gr~nd Cross 1911 Order of the Indian F~pire, Knight Comm~nder 1911 Order of the Thistle, Knight 1919 Order of Merit 1919 Soudan 1896-97 ~dal South Africa, Queen Victoria ~rlth 7 bars:

"Belfast" "Diamond Hill" "Johannesburg" "D~iefontein" "Paardeburg" "Relief of ~-mberley" "Elandslaagte"

South Africa, F~ing Edward VII’s medal ~rith bars "1901" "1902" Mons Star: bar "Sth August - 22nd November 1914" General Service Medal, Gr~at War Victory ~dal ~lth oak leaf [dn~ Edward VII~s Coronation Med~.~ 1902 King George V~ s Coronation and ~h~b~r 1911

FOR~IIGN:

Ehedive’s Sudan Fmd-al ~rlth 2 bars:’ "~hartoum" "The Atbara" Belgium: Croix de Guerre

Order of Leopold I Grand Cordon of Order of Leopold Order of Leopold II 1915

China: Order of Chia He France: Croix de Guerre ~rith p~Lm

Legion of Honour, Grand Officer 1915 Legion of Honour, Grand Cross 1916 Legion of Honour, Military Medal 1918

Italy: Order of St. ]~aurice and St. Lazarus, K.G.C. 1916 Japan: Order of the Rising Sun 1916 ],~ontenegro: Obilitch F~dal, Gold 1916

G.C. of Prince Danilo I, 1st Class 1916 Panama: La Solidaridad 1919 Portugal: Order of the Tower and Sword 1919 Roumania: ~l~tary ~/~d~l, 1st Class 1918

Order of St. ],~chael the Brave, 1st Class 1920 Serbia: Order of Kara George ~lth S~.~ords, 1st Class 1920 Siam: Order of Rama, Kuight Grand Commander U.S.A.: Society of ~merican Wars of the U.S.A., Companion

Distinguished Serv-lce ~dal) A~my

WHAT WAS IT ISSUED FOR? conducted by F. von Allendorfer

IDenTIFICATION # 7230

This is a decoration of the Vichy French regime .lmo~n as the "FRANCISQE GALLIQUE". It was first a~mrded 26 ~oy 191~. Worn pinned to the lapel in civilian clothes and above the left breist pocket in uniform. I% was avardcd for "acts in promotion of the National Revolution." The central shaft from~ ~ich the enameled ~e blades protrude represents the baton of a ~rshsl of France.

John Gross, # 1833

IDENTIFICATION # 7229

This is the Bavarian Prinz Alfons Ehrenzeichen, II Klasse, 1922-1931 (Prince Alfons Honor Badge, Second Class). !t was issued between 1922 to 1931 for falthfktl service in the Bavarian army.

Horace R. Graff, # 12J+O

7~33 A 19~ ~oi~ medallion~ith bust of colonial of£icer ~possiblMEafaMette) ~thin a 47m~, st~r in gold ~-~th sky blue en~el e~ed ~th pink. Five small shields with fasces and R.F. A ~old crown above top ray. Reverse - B B & B STIRLING. Ribbon 1 3/8"pale blue-grey, ~th pale pink stripes 1/8" wide ~nd 1/8" from edges.

7234 A gold Statue o£ Liberty on ~ enameled, six oointed st~, deep shy blue edged ~th beige, suspended by a hinge from a ~old~reath and sword. Reverse - B B & B BRONZE. Ribbon I~" with 7 Na~ blue and 6 yellow/gold stripes.

7235 ~ gold shield on ~ 36ram. cross, ~zith red, ~nite, ~nd blue enamel ~nd military devices - sabers, cannons, bugl~s, arrows, a s~,ilin~ ship, ~nd a bell. Reverse B B & B BRON~. A 1-.~-" purple ribbon suspended from ~ gold ov,~l brooch ~zlth a laurel ~.~ee.th end flying eagle.

Note: These three medals were submitted for .identification by Lester L. McDowel!, 0~# 993

Fellows and

Full-dress Badge

(Lady’s and Gentleman’s.)

1ittle over half the tttal si~e. Co]oured Enamel.

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ST. GEORGE

by C~pt., Jo Boddington

This Society, granted a Royal Charter by the Society Patron~ Her Majesty, Queen

Elizabeth II, in 1963, has its headquarters in London, England. The function and

operation of the Royal Society of Sto George is illustrated by the objects and

program, as follows:

The objects of the Society are:

To foster the love of England and to strengthen England and the Commonwealth by spreading the knowledge of English history, traditions and ideals°

To keep fresh the memory 6f those in all walks of llfe who have served England or the Co=~onwealth in the past in order to inspire leadership in the future.

To combat all ~ct~ities likely to unde~ine the strength of England or the Commonwealth°

To further English interests everywhere, to ensure that St~ George’s Day is properly celebrated, and to provide focal points, all over the world, where English men and women may gather together°

The Society program attempts to achieve these objects:

By means of the Society Journal "England"~

By maintaining the Warriors’ Ohapel of Sto George in Westminster Abbey and by supporting organizations which strive to p~-eserve the treasures and beauties of England°

By making all holders of the Victoria Cross, the George Cross and the George Medal honorary members of the Society°

By holding Services and Parades on St~ George’s Day at Home and,throughout the Commonwealth.

And by the individual influence and efforts of mem- bers everywhere°

Something of the history of the Society can be gleaned from the following words

written by the Chairman of the Council~ Sir Irving Gane, KoC~VoO., on behalf of

the Society President, Her Grace, Sally Duchess of Westminster:

the stronger our Society is at home the greater becomes its influence in the Commonwealth and even in the United States. In thase changing times our links within the Commonwealth become of ever increasing value; and, when Anglo-American friendship is probably a ques- tion of mutual survival, our unique contacts with our English speaking ally can be of the utmost use.

Societies of St~ George were first established in America before the war of independence and some have remained alive in the United States ever since° (See Note i below) After ocr defeat the loyalists, forced to retreat into Canada, there formed their own Societies of St. George. It is from those solid beginnings that the Royal Society of Sto George was established with a headquarters in London at the end of the last century.

We are essentially an English Society and greatly enjoy blowing the English trumpet, but we are not in the least narrow minded about ito We consider that English patriotism is the very core of British patriotism, but the greater includes the less and indeed through the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, which we have the great honor to shelter within our organization, all VoCo’s and GoCo’s in the Commonwealth become full members irrespective of nationality°"

Note i: Affiliated Societies of the Royal Society of St~ George~in the United States are:

St. George’s Society ef New York, 15 East 26th Street, New York i0, New York°

St. George’s Society of Baltimore, 924 St. Paul Street, Box 383~ Baltimore 3, Maryland°

St. George’s Society of Charleston, c/o Hughes Motors Inc., 2038 Meeting Street Road, Charleston°

Society of Sons of Sto George (Philadelphla)~ 3019 Queen Lane, Philadelphia 9.

Full membership in The Royal Society of St. George is restricted to those individuals

of English descent; (Note - not necessarily of English nationality; See Note 2 below)

others who wish to support the objects of the Society are welcomed a8 Associates.

Anyone wishing to Join should apply to the General Secretary, St. George’s House,

4 Upper Belgrave Street, London, S.Wol, England.

Subscription Rates for Members of the Parent Society are as follows:

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS ~ s. d. Fellow 2 2 0 Member i i 0 Associate Member i0 0 Associate i i 0

Payable on i January annually. Members Joining after 30th June in any year pay half the above rates for that year.

On appropriate occasions the membership medal of the Society is worn on the right

breast - photographs of various Society functions show members wearing the full size

medal with formal evening dress (wearing miniatures of other awards) and regulation

uniform of Her Majesties forces.

The medal itself is a very beautiful and ornate piece, 1½" diameter consisting, on

the obverse, of a gilt representation of St. George on horseback, slaying the

dragon and embellished with enamelwork in white, blue, red and green° This repre-

sentation is sur.rounded by a full wreath of white and red roses with green leaves.

The reverse is plain, k Jump ring attaches the meda! to a lower scroll bar in gilt

and blue enamel with the words "St. George for England" thereon. The top suspender

bar is also in gilt and blue enamel and bears the words "The Royal Society of St.

George". The ribbon is 1¼" wide with the red cross of St. George on a plaln whlte

background. At the centre point, a ribbon device in the form of an Englllsh rose

in gilt and red, green and white enamel is affixed to the ribbon.

Note 2: Extract from the 1969-70 Winter issue of "England", the Journal of the Royal Society of St.. George:

"Membership is exclusively for the English men or women and all children or remoter issue wheresoever born. Those who are not of English descent, but who are in sympathy with our objects may join as Associ- ates. The Society is non-party and non-sectarlan, classless and it is emphaslsed that all who have England’s interests at heart are welcome."

H(IWTHEA~.~ICAN CO~UNISTS R~iP T~REWARI~

(prepared from news releases and clippings supplied by Ernie Fisher)

~scow - The Supreme Soviet presented Amerlc~u Communist Angela Davis with a medal commemorating the lOOth Birthday of Lenin.

Tass reported ~ss Davis as saying the medal "is the greatest honor I have ever had.

As the workmen shut down the Olympic Village in ~Ituich~ Angela Davis was across the border in East Berlin winning a gold medal of her o~n -- The Great Star of International Friendship, prssented to her by East German hee~ o~ state Walter Ulbricht. Observers said they believed~ss Davis to be the first black female &meric~ Co~mmnist to receive the award.

Said Ulbricht: "You h~e proved yourself a true Com~Luist in the battle against our mutual enemy and defended the banner of socialism and friendship mmong peoples.

[Zdss Davis o~rrived in Berlin after a two-week visit to the Soviet Union.

Haw~ua - During a visit to the Palace of the Revolution, the Playa Giron Order was awarded to the Afro-Americem Communist leader Angela Davis. Present at the award ceremony ware the Revolutionary Government Prime h~nister ~nd Party Central Committee First S@cretary, Major Fi~el Castro, and the President of the Republic, Dr. Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado. The President himself pinned on Angela Davis’ chest the medal, which was awarded by a resolution of the Council of hlinisters. The medal was previously awarded to the outstanding cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin".

Filled with emotion, Angela Davis expressed her gratitude for the honor.

26

NATIONAL CAPITAL ORDERS AND MEDALS SOCIETY

The National Capital Orders and Medals Society, host to the 1973 OMSA Convention, is in its fifth year of existence, having been organized ir~the summer of 1968. Nine collectors attended the first meeting in July of that year, the first planned gather- ing of OMSA members in the Washington, D. Co area since the late ’50s when a local group of the same name ceased to function. Meet- ing bi-monthly on a January-March cycle, NCOMS has since grown to its current strength of about 40 members, based on the metropolitan area of Washington, D. C. and Baltimore, Md. It is estimated that as many as 60 different collectors have belonged to NCOMS at some time or other during its history. While many members are primarily involved in allied fields of collecting and study, such as insignia and general militaria, most maintain a demonstrated interest in orders, decorations and medals. NCOMS has so far prospered with- out benefit of formal organization, but growth has brought with it the need for some regulation of membership qualifications. A proposed set of rules, whose spirit is "minimum regulatiohs", is now under consideration. Annual dues are $i.00, to cover mailing expenses. A permanent meeting place has also been arranged, average bi-monthly attendance having grown beyond the capacity of most mem- bers to hold meetings in their homes. 0MSA members visiting the Washington-Baltimore area are most welcome at NCOMS meetings. In- formation as to time and place may be obtained from John B. Hickman, Administrator, 1507 Menlee Dr., Silver Spring, Md. 20904.

1973 CONVENTION BULLETIN #i

For those who must schedule their vacations early, the OMSA convention this year will be held August 17, 18, and 19, 1973, at the Sheraton - Silver Spring (Maryland) Motor Inn. Details to follow in subsequent bulletins. Questions concerning the conven- tion may be directed to John B. Hickman, Chairman, 1507 Menlee Drive, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20904.

U.S. W’O~."~ HONO ~P,~D

i~ American woman who owned the world’s lcmgest collection of commemora- tive pieces of Lord Nelson, Britain’s nays& hero, was today (Nov 7) presented with the insignia of honors~y Conmsnger of the Order of the British Kmpire.

submitted by John Lel!e

"THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF THE BATH AND ITS INSIGNIA"

BY James C. Risk; Spink & Son, London, 1972; 150 ppo and XXVIII plates.

(Available from Coin Galleries, 123 West 57th St., New York, NY 10019, at $12.50 postpaid, or from Spink & Son, Ltd., 5-7 King St., St. James’s, London S.W.I, England)

Those in the collecting fraternity concerned, in the best numismatic sense, with the research and study of "orders" have ~_uevitably avoided devoting any time to matters involving the Order of the Ba~h, ~¢ith the certain ~mowledge that Mr. James 0. Risk could be depended upon for any nee,~ed Informst ~n or attribution ~ and, hopefully, might eventua!ly find t~m~ to "-.rite r~e Book’~ upon the subject. "The History of The Order of the Ba±h u~d its ~nsignia" has just appeared, and it is difficult to imagine that there ~i~ be any need for another author to tackle the subject in the fore- seeable future.

The technical mr~tters of prime importance to the serious collector: the "official fabric" of the order - - statutes,~ rulings, policies and de facto practices, by date - - &nd the deteils of the insignia and regalia by varying type and sub-type over the years, ~re covered clearly and exhaustively. But more striking is the fact that this "bread-and-butter" material is really only secondary to a comprehensive and. devoted treatment of the development of the order over the panorama of British history of the last 250 yeaOs and more. The monarchs, ministers and other personalities involved in the growth of the order are treated with a specially perceptive insight, and their philosophies and acts which produced the inumerable twists stud turns of Bath development (many if not most of which haw heretofore been abundantly unclear) are interpreted in an all-encompassing and entertaining synthesis.

Facts and figttres abound, producing ne~ly-docttmented "turning Point" datings of many sorts. Revealing are the actual ~mounts paid for groups and individual pieces of insignia at many different periods. Not only is the raison d’etre of the rare and puzzling crowned military badge treated, but the holders of, and the extent of, such insignia are given. Windsor porcelain is found to be the only source for the representation of the first, tentative military badge design, while actual draftings of the final design were located in the Hague~ Indeed, all possible sources, including the prolific British archives in all their remiflcations, seem to have been combed with the assiduity of a tax auditor for all pertinent material and documentation. In most cases, it would be easy to believe that ~. Risk has been the first and only consultor of these dusty records since their deposit.

The plates are excellent, printed on enamelled stock from first-rate photos illustrating full detail in well lighted settings; there is none of the clumsy retouching which seems often to cloud the issue in European publications. There is a slightly disturbing effect, however, in plates where two specimens are photographed in a vertical configuration and it becomes apparent that a lens of insufficient focal length was used by the photographer, producing a foreshotening to~.rd the upper and lower margins.

The old rule-of-thumb that close-up photography is best agcomplished ~ith sm extended lena having a focal length at least 50% greater them the m~im~m negative dimension is still a good g~ide for professional (as in this case) as well as amateur ohotographers. %~ne t~enty~-eight plates, several in full color, illustrate 5~ piecss of insignia, of both t~Tical’ and extraordinary aspect. Of these, no fewer than 35 are from the authorls o~n collection.

The book is, in fact, a very strong argument for the private collector vs. the museum. It is hard to conceive that the obvious degree of devotion &ud co~mittment necessary to produce such a work could be lavished ~lthout the immediacy ~d.iuterest of a broad collection on ~.~ich to build. The lessons learned in a long period of searching out m~d comparing specimens; in trac~ing down the rationale for ~uo~aalous end enigmatic details turned

up in the specialization, and in the absorption in the history s.nd biography behind one’s o~.m pieces .... these are the mainsprings for such an effort. Meanwhile, splendid, scattered specimens of every sort gather dust in museum trays ~,~thout inepiring much more than the r~dom, scant descriptive ~.~ite-up.

Fm. Risk, a veteran of our Society, deserves congratulations for s work which is a model of ~hat sn "order" book ought to be, and both author and publisher for their generosity in assigning publishing proceeds to the Bath ~apel ~-ktud.

R.T. McNamar a

COLONEL G~’S ~!~S - The Life of a Soldier of Fortune - Stephen Z. Stair Louisiana State University Press - Baton Rouge - 1971 - 352pp.

In 1862 Colonel George St. Leger Grenfell cs~me to ~merica, which by then was in the midst of the Civil War. Thro~ng his lot with the Confederacy this unique soldier of fortune arned for himself a niche in the Confederate Valhs~la. A talented cavalry officer ~ose restlessness hampered his effect- iveness, his search for adventure led from the d~ll ~orld of commerce into high living and gambling. ~any legends grew up about him, some embellished by himself. He claimed to have fought~in Algeria, in Morocco, against the Barbary pirates, under Garibaldi in South America, in the Crimean War and in the Indian Mutiuy.

While serving in the Turkish Contingent in the Crimea he was in the Osmanli Irregular Cava3_~y, a group of Turkish soldiers led by British officers. I have in my collection a medal to a British officers serving in this unit~ and no doubt Col. Grenfell received the Crimea Medal for this service.

During the Civil War he served under Gen. Brsxton Brags and Gen. John H. Morgan in cavsJ_~y operations. He joined in a plot to help northern Copperheads te!~e over the governments of Ohio, Indiana, end Illinois in order to establish a Northwestern Confederacy. The plan to take over the prisoner of war camp (Camp Douglas) in Chicago was discovered and Grenfell an~ some 150 others were arrested. He and six others were implicated in the "Chica~o Conspiracy, tried, convimted and sentenced to hens. Efforts of the British minister in Washington prevailed to co2~ute his sentenge to life imprisonment. His prison was Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tor~%u~as where a fellow prisoner was Dr. Mudd of the Lincoln Assassination conspiracy. All hopes for a pardon exhausted, Grenfell and three other prisoners tried to escape in 1868 a vlolent storm in the G~lf of Mexico, they were never seen’again.

~. Starr has produced a fine hook and has researched down legend and fact to correct some of the "mcybe’s" on the historical page.

F.v.A.

FURTHE~ NOTES ON TWO ~ OF THE ALABAM~ NATIONAL GUARD

BY JO~E~ W. COOK, O~A # 14g8 (f~ll rights reserved)

In reference to ]~. Glen L. G~anon~s article in the June, 1972 issue of the I~ ~DAL COLLECTOR, I c~ offer the follo~ing.

~ile on business in Montgomery, ~Jlabama in Janusa~y 1970, I spent many hours at the Alab~mna Nat!one~l Guard Headquarters, going through old adjutant-general records ~md talking ~iWn two of the senior Alab~m~ National Guard Headquarters Personnel Officers. I raised the ssme question about which design, the ~ilitary Crest or ~the obsolete State Seal ~a~ th~ Obverse of the Veterans Service ~dal. The concensus of opinion in January, 19~O was hhat the Alab~ma ~:ilit~f Crest side of the meda! was the Obverse, as the Obsolete State Seal was the reverse. ~ce reasoning was that since the State Seal on the medsl was, in f~.ct obsolete, it should not be displayed when we~nring the meaal. When the medal was manufactured (Heraldic Art) it was assembled ~zith the State Seal side as the obverse. Since the medal was manufactured before the State Sesl was changed, this was ...~.u order° Because there is no writte~ directive spelling Out how the Veterans Service Medal will be worn, it is issued and worn with either side displayed as the obverse.

B. SPECIAL S~VICE MEIF~L :

I have seen two ~jpe Ii coinages of this medal. One is in the State Archives I~Mseum in i.lontgomery, and the other example was formerly in .my personal collection. Both exsmples had %he ribbon described as ~.~ A by i~. Gammon in his article. I have never seen a type II medal with a Type B ribbon. At the time I was in l~ntgomery, only Type II medals were on h~nd at the Alabsma Ne.tional Gu0~d Headquarters. As to the Type Ill medoJls~ they were ~anufs~ctured by Heraldic f~t and came from the mauu~actLLrer with the T~qoe B ribbon. The obverse is the s~me as the Type Ii medal, while the reverse is the Alab~na Military Crest, the exact s~m~.e design as used on the Obverse of the Veterans Service Nedal. As of Janua~/, 1970, the Special Service ~dal was no longer beinG a~rded for qualifying service. Only the ribbon bar is now issued.

Editor’s Note: ~. Cook ~nd ~. G~mon are but a few of the msny students of the medals of the United States National Guard. This field is but one of msny whose histories can be traced back numismatically to the early ~Lilitia forces of our country. The subject is one that to cover for all of the States of the Union would be an endless project. Sc~e years back I acquired some contemporary photographs of officers of the "Second Illinois N~tional Guo~rd’’ circa the early 1900’s. It is possible the/ hung in the 2d Infantry Armory for some t~ne. These officers are wearing a great v2~rioty of medals, none of which were Federal a~2rds, nor were they Veteran’s 0rg~izations (i.e. GAR or Loyal Legion, etc.), but seem to be regimental awards, some of which I have ex~ples or con identify. The Medal Collector has carried many articles on the medals of the National Gu~rd as past indexes ~ill indicate.

30

INDEX - 1972 - THE ~DAL COLLECTOR . VOLU~.~. 23

In keeping with previous indexes the same method of location for articles will be employed. The name of the article followed by: 7/1-5 (w~hich indicates article will be found in Issue No. 7 pages 1 to 5) An asterisk (*) indicates that the article is illustrated either by photozraph or line ~za~ing.

Austri~ *Order of the Starry Cross, 2/4

G~ad~ *R.C.A.F. "Op" Wings, 4/4-6 *Canada Medal Easing Out V.G., 7/6

Chad AmericanAmbassador Receives Chad’s Highest Honor, 10/33

Chink *Certificate - Order of the St2r, 4/~9 Further Notes on the Li Yuan ~hmg Medsl, 4/7 Notes on the Chinese Order of the Brilliant Jade, 2/5-7 Order of the Double Dragon, 3/8-11

Colombia *Colombia Wound Badge, 8/19

Costa Rica Notes on the Decorations and~d~ls of the R.epublic of Costa Rica, 3/7

EthioDia .~n Ethiopian Railroad Medal, 4/25

Finned *Fi~ishHal~arks, l~

Fr~qe, *Croix de Guerre

Ge~mauy, st~tes, Imoerial *A Society Badge of the Duchy of Brunswick, ll/lO-11 *The Imperial German Medal for the 1870/71 W~r, 1/23-25 1870 Iron Crosses to the Navy *The Storm of Priestewald Methyl 1915, 6/20-21 *1870-71 Iron Cross Medel Group & Documents, 9/3-19

Germany (Nazi) *Loyalty Clasp of the Fle~sh Nazis 1/16-17 *P~Rre Medal of the Dutch Nazisj 2/18

Great Byitai~ *The ~dal for the Defence of the British Legation 1861, 4/3 * The Siege of ~feking, 12/3-15

H~tl A Note on Chritophe, King of Haiti, 5/29

Haytay *Notes on the Republic of Na~,~tay &nd 2 Semi-Ephemeral Awards,~/16-18

32

*The Hungarian Vitez Order, 10/3

Hondura~ Notes on the Orders and Medals of Honduras, 7/13-14 *Honduran Order of Santa Rosa & Civilization, 11/32

India Recipients of the Param Vir Ch~kra, 3/13

Ir~elan~ *The "Aud" Medal, 1/18-19

*T~,e Italo-German Medal for Africa, 7/15-19

*Order of the Rising Sun Document, 7/19-21 The Siege of Tsingtao, 1914, 6/28

Lao~s *The Order of the Million T~Llephants, 6/3-8

~nchukuo *An Un_uublished l~nchukuau Medal, 3/25

Montenegro *An Audience ~ith Prince Nichol~ of F~ntenegro, 3/If~-18

F~xico *Ladies Badge of Honor ef the Mexican Imperial Court, 2/3

Pope Honors Statue Defender, 7/32

Persia *~,~dal for Science and the Arts, 3/8-11

A Note on the "Polish Resist’~Rnce" Medal, 4/7

Philippine Constabulary Medal of Valor Recipients, ll/12~13 Philippines Honor Flood Relief Units~ 11/29

South Africa South Africa Police A~ards, 4/2

So~ Order of Isabella the Catholic, 3/ll

Tunisia *Tunisian Orders since Independence, 5/21-28 Notes on the Order of the Tunisian Beydom 6/9-10

*Independence Medal of the Turkish Republic, 7/3-5

Two SieilieT Sideli~hts on the Kingdom of the T~;o Sici!ies :~md its Orders, 11/24-26 ~’A-Note on the meda! for the Siege of Oaeta, 11/26

United St~te~ *A Not too Com~on C~u.:p~dgn Meda! 4/8-9

f~labama - Here on ?~o l,~ed~ls of the Al~.b~ Na~on~ Gu~md, 6/12~13 *2~ab~na - ~ther notes on 2 ~d~s of the fdabnma N.G., 12/3~wl B~.ttle of Lahe ~ie ~..nd the St~.te Veter:ms Med~&s, 8/3-12 *City of Brookl~ to Wne Cre~ of the U.S.S. Broohl~ 3/3-5 The Brookl~ Medical, 3/6 *~gznd Ashore, Project l,£~agers Designs A?proved, 8/21 *E~ly Indium Peace Medals of the Uni~d States, 1/5-15 Elegibility ~nd Wearing of Vietnam Aw~ds ~/6 Four Streo~ers added to the l~Lorine Corps Bo~ttle St~nd~d, ll/15 ~.~ine Corps ~edition~ ~d~ "Abyss~ia 1903", ~/25 *~ine Corps Brevet Mednl ~cipients, 5/3-20

*Med~-~.l of Honor - The Cable Cutters of Cion~egos, 3/19-~ Medal of Honor - List of ~i~ers - U.S.S. N~.sh~lle,3/19 Medal of Honor - Nane to be ch~ged 10/33 Medial of Honor - l~bre on N~e~e to be ch~mged 11/29-30 Notes on U.S. Federal Aw~ds 9/28-30 Opere.tion~ De~ce for Coast Guumd Ready 9/30 Precedence for Pdbbons, Med~i B~s, 4/10 *Police and Fire Dept. ~4ed~ls of V~:or, City of L.A., 8/34-36 *~,~sso~i - ~ Service Medals, 4/i~!8

De *South Comolina - - Link }ruth ~h~fest ~stiny, 2/19-29 *Texas - Congression~ Te:~s Cavalry Medal, 12/3-~ *T~as - Special U.S. let ~.~’; Texas I.[.G. Cavalry Brizo.de ]~dal, 12/~7 *Texas - ~e Tex~s Cavalry Ser~ce ~ied~, 12/7-8 *~soortation Dep~ment Medals, ~6/l~ll *U.S. ~tillery Badges (}~y) - 10/~29 U.S. }~rine ~s N~bered C~p~gn [.~dsls, 2/35 Vietn~ C~p~igns, 7/8 War ~pt. stud Dept. of the 7~m4z V~ieties -~:ceptional Civil. Serv. 7/3~31

Oivi~ War Medals 1861-65 *A Unique Medal of the Civil War, 3/30 *The Orleans Gu~rd Battalion A%~ard, 6/30-32 *The Gen. Jo~hn ~,&0rgan Medal, 6/31-32 *The Civil War Med~-~l of the l%th Confederate Cawalry, 8/20-21 *The Stonewall Brigade Medeil - ~iditions :-~nd Corrections, ll/9

Notes on Life Savine }Zedals *The GoldFmdal of the RoyalLife-BoatNnstitution, 1/26-30 *The Valor Medal of the luner~c~n Bureau of Shipping, 3/27-29 Vignettes of Co~monwealth Life Saving Awards, ~/19 *A Medal for ~nimsl Life Saving, 1/20u21 ~ttos on the },~dals of Life-saving Societies, 6/19 The Cadet Awards for Bravery of Canada, 6/25 *Carnegie Funds Commission Life Saving l~ds.ls, 8/25-30 *The President’s Eedal of the National Safety Council, 9/25-27 Royal Life-Saving Society - l~untbatten medal for 1971, 11/33

,C, F~van-~len. the Coo~z-hook of:

3~

Biogr aohical/Awarded To *Australia-Profile of an Australi~n Hero, 1/31-32 * " -Corpor~ E.Ao Corey, 1/33

" -Pvt. J.L. Williams, CI~ " -i~j. Re~ Cl~k Member of ~he 0. of St. ~ohn, 4/ll

Cuba- ~Ln~ela Davis receives Cuban Awerd, 12/26 *Do~cark ~- Bent Lersen and his collection, 6/16-17 Great Britain - Bomb Experts decorated by Queen, 12/18

*F~mous Chests: Field ~o~shal Sir Douglas ~L~ig, 12/19-20 -R.A.F. C~ok Wins the Empire Medal, ll/30 -U.S. Wom~m Honored, 12/27

Greece - Colonel John R. White, Corporal Greek Foreign Legion, 11/13-15 Kenya - Kenyon George Medal Holder Dies 10/33 Papal - Pope Paul Honors Scots Presbyterian 8/32 Russia - Three Soviet Soldiers Died in Peat Bog Fire 12/15

Tire A~arded the Order of Lenin 7/32 Castro A~¢arded Lenin Order 8/32 Podgorny A~rds ;~gentine, Austrians Party Members, 8/32

Ugsnda - A~zards Besto.~zed by Idi Amin, 12/18 United States - The Generals Gerhe~dt, 2/8-12

A Note on the Generals Gsrhardt 4/12 Decorations and Service Medals of Gen. C.E. Le~ay 2/3~0-31 The 0rders,~cora"~ions and Medals of Gen. Eisenhower, 8/16-18

F~rnous Chests - Gen. Omar Bradley, 7/9-q2 Gen. D.D. ~Lisenho~2r, 8/!3-16 Gen. Douglas ~cArthur 11/19-22

General Willoughby dies at 80, 11/23 Sophia Loren ~dal to Aid Farms, 8/32 Dr. Pericles Voultsos zentioned in Congressional Record, 6/29

Book Revie~ British Gallantry A~2rds - Abbot & T~nplin, 1/22 Flashman & Royal Flash - Fraser, 1/30 Insignia, Decorat~ons and Badges of the 3rd Reich &nd Occ. Countries,2/36 Five Ye~s to Freedom - Ro~e, 2/36 Unite@ States ~.~litary Medals and Ribbons - Robles, 4/22 Badges of the Hungarism Peoples Republic - Geza, 5J34 Internationa~l Heraldry- Pine, 7/22-23 Reproduction Nazi Insignia - Stockton & Charlton, 9/22-24 Officers and F~n at the Battle of ~nila Bay, 9/~ Hitler Youth, 9/34 !~nericau Colonial History Illustrated by Contempora~j Medals - 11/28 Coins and Currency of Pan~ma - Grigore, 11/28 Order of the Bath and its ~Insignia - F~isk, 12/28-29 Colonel Grenfell’s Wars - St2~r, 1~/29

Win~s ~oL~n~ the ~’~rld ll/~

Kollector’s Kulls from~

Police War Cross, O. of St. Gregory title, 3/31 Feldherrnhalle Device, 3/31 Japanese Order Replicas 4/27-28

Thefts~ ~ssin~ ~nd Lost 3/32, 6/1~, 10/30~31

Librari~,s Renort

SLCRETIJ{Y’ S "REP, 0RTS Members 187.3 to 1856, 1/38

1857 to 1861, 2/37 1862 to 1875, 3132 16~7 to 1890, 7./31 1891 to 1907, 5/33 1908 to 192J+, 6/33-34, 1925 to 1937, 7/33-35 1938 to 197.6, 8/33 197.7 to 1957., 9/36 1955 to 1975, 10/35-6 1976 to 1987,, i1/35 1985 to 1997., 12/35

COI’~TiON *Pictures at a Convention 1971, 2/13-17 /+,25, 6/13-17., 6/18-!9 !3th ~nu~ Convention, 7/24-25 Reoort of the 1972 Annual Convention Bauquet, 9/35 *O~.~A Awards - Exhibits at the Convention, 10/30-32

SOCIETIES Impsrial German Milit~ry Collectors Ass’n, 2/35, 6/35 l,dlitary Collectors C~l, ub~ of Cs~nada, 2/37, 6/36

Medal of Honor Histor~ Roundtable, 3/ll, 6/8 Orders ~nd ~.~dals Society of Northern C~difornia, 7./18 ~,~xiP~z[lian N~mismatic and Historical Soqiety, 6/24 l-~ew s-~.glsnd l,~litary Col? ector ’ s Club, 6/37. South~rn California Orders ~md l.ledals Society, 6/35 f~eric.sn Society of l~lits~y Insignia Collectors, 6/36 Deutschlands ~,£1itar Verein 7/31 Florida Orders -snd Medals Society (F0~,~S), 8/12 ~i[dwestern Orders stud Medals Society (l..iID01,~),. 8/21 Northeast Orders :_~md Medals Society (NO~), 8/34. Orders s_ud Medals Resesmch Society, 9/24 G.A.R. Badge, ll/16-18 National Capital Orders and Medsls Society, 12/27 Royal Society of St. George, 12/23-26

W~$ IT ISSUED FOR ? .. 7201 to 7204, 1/20-21 7205 to 7208, 2/32-34 7209 to 7210, 3/26 7211 to 7212, 4/23 7213 to 7215, 6/26-7 7216 to 7219, 7./2.6-8 7220 to 7223, 8/30-31 7227* to 7228, 9~31-33 7229 to 7230, 10/37.. 7231 to 7232, 11/37. 7233 to 7235, 12/21-2 ID~,~TiFICATIONS 7104,7203,7205,7206 - 7211, 7212- 6/26 7207,7217 - 9/31 7215 - lO/37. 7229, 7230 - 12/21

36

Autho~ Research & ~Li,d,~,

Editor ll~, ~l~s, 71~, lll~O

Letters to ~ne ~_to~,.,, ~I~, ~I~,

President I s l~ssage 1/37, 2/~1, 3/22, 6/22-2/+

The Slmll end Crossbones, 7/23 Tourist Treat, 7/25 Awards of the Medical ~md Nursing Professions, 7/29 Art Medals, Themes ~.~ud Designs, 7/32 You C~]’t Tell the Players ~ithout a Scorecard (or Can You?) 8/22 The P~rty’s Over - the Convention in Retrospect 8/22 What ~;as Issued For it? No. l, 8/2~ A Decor~ted Plate, 9/27 A Fe~ References 10/36

ADVERTISEMENTS

Selected Soec~,a~ Items

PEEU-

RUSSIA

- Sil~er pinback cross for the Battle of Laugemarc~, deep relief for the 26th Reserve Kompanie (W.W. !)~ $35

Order of the S~n (Orden de Sol), large gilt & enameled breast sts~c a golden suuburst ~ith hallmark plate on reverse. $ 65

- Imperisl Insignia (Cross) of Distinction to the Order of St. George, ~th Cl, "No. 82 588", official issue in silver struck loop, impressed .numbering. $50 Imperial Romsaaov Tri-centen~y medal, 1613-1913, in bronze, official coinage pattern. ~35

- Order of Gustavus Vasa, 2nd Class Plaque, "Diamonte cut" ¯ silver plnback, nice heavy piece! $ lOS - Soldierls Medal df Valor, original issue piece in d~ll bronze

.Jith ~_mpressed No. "251~" on edge. T.V. $6~ Spanish C~p~_Ign Medal in yellow toned bronze w~[th 5-diglt number on edge along ~lth special W~ Department repl~.cement document giving n~me of recipient & service, ~ramed. T.V~ $65 Set of 3 W.W.2 Theater (Asiatic-Pacific, RUropean, ~neric~u) medols in original U.S. F~Lut l~.~heled boxes made on. special U~S. Coast Gu~rd Contract, ea. pc. in seoarate cont-~iner U/~abel. T.V. $15 U.S. Army of Occupation (Europe) ~J~litary labor Service’s German Labor Corps Service Bad~e, gilt snd enameled numbered pinback large oblong badge w/impressed numbering. $&5

GARY G.~KRUG, 9308 Jefferson, Brookfield, If. 605-13 (312-Z~5-3837)

FOR SALE: German DPJ~ plaque, sl~ilng medallion by IF~S, Knight Cross of War. Set. Cross cravat, alpine badge, Bayern s~tisan plaque, Legion of Merit Chief Con~.,. Co~z~tuist North China 1950 c2Japaign medal all included in free lO page illustrated list. VK. AGER, 33 CROSSBOW DR., ROCH~JSST~, N.Y. 1~62J+ Germ~m ~EIKOHPS items ~anted. Correspondence welcome.

37

SECRETARY’S REPORT FOR OCTOBER

NEW MEMBERS

The following have applied for membership to our Society. If no written objection to such application be received from any member within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of said notice, applicant shall forthwith be admitted to memT bership (Art III, Sec 3 of the OMSA Constitution and By-Laws).

#1985 - Eugene G. Ursual (Gross. #1833) 837 Eastvale Dr., Unit 42, Ottawa 9, Ontario, Canada

#1986 - Captain Frank C. Foster~ Jr. (Secretary) U.S. Army Element~ HQ, Cen’tral Army Group (NAT0), AP0 New York, NY09099

#1987 - Allan M. Fladd (Ho~brook LM#4, HM#6, #499) P.,O.Hox 324,~uebec 4, P.Q.~ Canada

#1988 ~Pierre Moreau (Gulgnard #1198) "Faveraye"? 49. Thouarce. France

#1989 - John R, Schanhaar (Secretary) ¯ ¯ 268 Lovell Avanue,~Mill Valley, CA 94942

#1990..T....Dr. Linda Stewart (KC area 0MSA members) Box ~. Hazelt~n, KS1670~I ~

#1991 - John A. Karniewski (Secretary) ~O4 WashingtOn" Avenue, Waterburyl, CT 06708

#1992 - Reginald D, Williams (Jacob #1364) ^ 12 Merton Street~ Box Hill, Melbourne 312~, Victoria, Australi~

#199B - Jo Ivan Lock (Jacob #1364) 7 MaJore Street, Hawthorn, Melbourne 3122, Victorls~ Australia

~I$~4 - Howard B.,..Reed.~ Jr. (Bruce #1956) 4 cary Place, St. Johnsbury, VT 0~819

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

# 378 - St~ey J.. Rabold P.O. Box 3675, Memphis, TN 38103

#1395 - James M~ Diehl 8912 Forest View Rd., Evanston, IL 60203

#1872 -..SSgt. Gary R~ Glaesgr 2911 Washington Sty, Apt 41, Bellevue, NE 68005

#1895 - Ronald W~ Ellsworth ’ 53~ Valleyview, Wichita, KS 67212

REINSTATEMENT

# 837 - John Lang~on. Jr. 1106 S. Daniel Way, San Jose, CA 99128 (Void NE~M.EMBER number 1910 and reassign old membership number 837)

#1376 - Robert H.~ Reynolds NHA, Inc.~ Avlitlon Supply Activity, Ist A~n. Bde.. APO San Francisco, CA 96309 (Void NEW MEMSER n~ber 1693 and reassign old membership number 1376)

I want to take this opportunity to wish~ alI members of OMSA a Very Merry Christmas, Happy Holldays~ and a Happy New Year.

Respectfully submitted - John E. Lelle~ Secy.

Buy ysur S®uth ¥1etnemese Me~als nsw6Neme wlllbe available

mllitarY~lneludim~ rare Fed~ratiem TA~ Order ef Civil Merit

& equally r~e ??rrite~re Autem-~--~N~~8.0thers are Army I~0 1st Clo~6~nd~5~Navy IkS0 lst~G~nd~5~AFl~0 Zst ~6~ ~nd $4~Civll Actions Ist or ~nd $~ea~Ps¥ch~lo~Isal-~arfare Ist $5~nd $4,RuralRevolutlona_ry Development ~4.Veteran’s iSt~$5~Snd ~4~Police ~erlt ist $4,~n~ ~3,~0~3r~ ~3,~thn~s Development Is~ $5,Snd %4,People’s Self D~ns~ is~ ~a e.~

~l~50~aster $1.75,in oloth~50~Pa~a Instructor Win~s~etal $S.50,oloth 75~.Cloth patches of AR~N,~Harines,Pollse~UDT @50~.Other metal insi~nia~win~s~cap badges,patches f~om~N~ Laos~or~Thailand avaliable~Free list for stsmped (16~) self addressed-envelope.Please spesify medal~Insi~nla or both llsts~Other nations £/B~Sp~Forees~et~.Insi~nla often on hand~ Also rank badges. ~.D.Kelly~ PO Box 5~l~Covln~ton~La~V0433

~WANTED

D.!E RITTER UND VERDEINSTORDEN DES KONGRICHS BAYER by LESER

DEL BASSETTI~ 680 FOOTHILL BLVDo~ SAN LUIS 0BISP0, CALIF. 93~01 nd/

I~qEPJ_AL RUSSIAN ORI~°~ 2~D MEDALS

John McNulty #647 42 High Street

Wakefield, Rhode Island 02879 asond

SHEET SIZE 9 3~8 x 11114 POCKET $17J~ 2a]16 x 3 5/8

Plastic sheets to hold twelve decora- tions. 10 sheets~ $5. postpaid. See both sides. Fits 3 ring binders.

I. Rath~ 1102 Wyoming ~tre~t~ St. Louis~ M0 63~1~

39

ADVERTISING RATES°- Continuous copy, 60 character spaces per line constitu~es"i’CLASSIFIED advertising. Cost is $1.00 per each 6-line unit or frac---~n thereof. DISPLAY copy wi!l be done on a line ~orline basis according-~ advertiser’s in- structions and spacing or sample provided. Maximum 60 lines per page. Display rates are as follows:

KJLL PAGE - ~20.O0 FOURTH PAGE - $5.00

~LLF PAGE - ~10.00 THIRD PAGE - ~7.00 FIFTH PAGE - $4.00

The inside back cover is available for full-page display ad- vertisements on a first come first served basis. The back cover will be reserved for classified advertising only. 0MSA regulations require that all ads be prepaid. Checks to be made payable to the Orders and ~edals Society of America. Advertising is p~esently being handled by the Secretary and all inquiries~ advertisement copy, and fees should be direc- ted to that office. Our Journal is read by al! interested medal collectors, enthusiasts, and historians. Take advantage of our lo]¢ rates and advertise in these pages.

The Board of Directors has ruled to disclaim all responsibility by the Orders and ~edals Society of America, its officers elect- ed or appointed, and by the editor of this publication, for the accuracy of description or any merchandise offered in adverti- sing herein, or for the ethics or character of any advertisers making use of these pages. Advertising is published exactly as received and no inquiry is made into the reliability of vendors. Advertising is also accepted from the general public. In con- sequence, dealings between or ~ong such persons are entirely at the risk of those concerned.

ADVERTISE IN T~ MF~DAL COLLECTOR ~!!

~ : AI~ ORDERS__DECORATIONS AND PERIODS. SPECIALLY INTERESTED

IN THE FRENCH INTERVENTION PERIOD, BOTH RE- PUBLIC AND E~PIRE. WRITE FIRST.

DON BAILEY, P.O. BOX 4281, Y~MA, ARIZONA 85364

FOR SALE - Loyalty Clasp of Fl~mish Nazis, bronze two lug type back ~s shown on page 16 of the January.issue of THE MEDAL COL- LECTOR - $7~.00; SS Badge, hallmarked ~29 - $40.00; Warthe- land Gau Badge, only 5% of original finish left, flat pin back - $40.O0;~E~stern Peoples Badge, Ist Class, Gold w/s in original ~ase - ~18o00; Infantry Assault-Badge, bronze, hallmarked M.K.I. ~12.00; f~Infantry Close Combat Badge, hallmarked FEC Peekhaus, Berlin(~; Wound Badge, Silver, hallmarked 28 - $10.00. All items original. One (I) week inspection. U.S. Money Order on37.

Ernes~ C. Hunter, 10 Edwin Ct., East Rockaway, Ne?~ York 11518 n,~,1/