ww1 medals & insignia
 

Hello all,
Pardon my ignorance in these matters.
Any help would be most appreciated in trying to establish which medals were awarded to ww1 South Africans. I assume the Victory Medal, and what else if any?

The recipient would have been Private Erenst Ebenezer Waspe, 14367 4th Regiment SA Infantry. Born 1888, Bathhurst, Eastern Cape.

He left South Africa 20 April 1917 on H.M.S. Euripedies. Sadly six months later almost to the day he was killed in action on 21 October 1917. He is one of 5 South Africans buried at St. Julien Dressing Cemetery, Belgium.

Also any other information about the battle he may have been involved in. The insignia worn by the 4th etc. would be helpful.
Thanks, Tony.

If he had served in GWSA he would have certainly been entitled to the 1914-15 Star, if not it would have just been the BWM and bi lingual AVM.
The 4th SAI wore the attached.

Thanks Frank. A beautiful little collection you have.
Tony

With regard to the dates you mention, the SA Brigade was in the Monchy-Breton district at the end of April 1917, they were their divisional reserve in the Arras sector in June and provided two composite battalions to attack Greenland Hill, but were not needed, so the men returned to the brigade.
Your man would have been one of over one thousand four hundred men who had been sent in April to replace losses incurred on the Somme.
The strength of his regiment on the 3oth of June was given as 39 officers and 818 rank and file, it was the largest of the four regiments at that point in time.
In July the brigade returned to the Somme, on the 28th it went into the line at Trescault, it was a relative quiet area.

Afterwards, of course, came the wretched Third Ypres and by October just between the 13th and the 23rd alone, the brigade took over two hundred and sixty casualties, so dark days and it should be remembered these men were all volunteers, they did not have to do what they did.

They are very common badges and you would certainly have absolutely no issue in getting them, but, why the interest?
You man's papers and medal cards will be extant in Pretoria.

Hi Frank
I'd have to disagree with that. The collar badges come up occasionally but the springbok head & thistle shoulder titles have become very rare and hard to find.
Cheers,
Alex

Are you in South Africa, Alex?

Thanks once again Frank for your informative info.

E.E. Waspe was a nephew to my paternal great grandmother. I think I got that right.

Attached images that may be of interest.
1. News clipping from the E.P. Herald.
2. His burial place in St. Julien Dressing which was forwarded to me from another member 'Chipper' in France last year.

Do you have info on the appropriate contact in Pretoria?

Thanks once more, Tony.

Death Plaque
 

Would there have been a death plaque issued? OR is that something that had to be ordered/requested?
Tony

Hi Frank
Yes. I've seen one pair and one single on sale in the past 15 years. Obviously there could have been any number that I haven't seen but I still consider those titles to be quite rare.
Cheers,
Alex

Well, that would account for our thoughts, which differ, badges tend to have had a considerably lower value in South Africa, as a direct result, a great many were brought here in the 1970's and 1980's, so much so, that many things, once commonplace in South Africa are now virtually impossible to find there.

Yes, sadly, plenty of plaques, a great many members of that regiment did not make home.

I would perhaps ask Audrey Portman to take a look at his papers if I you. from memory, she is at rhino.research@icon.co.za

That is very true. In the '90's a few dealers used to come out and hoover up badges for next to nothing. I have bought a few back from the UK over the years, some of them are ones that I've never seen on sale down here.
Cheers,
Alex

Guys

The common consensus these days regards those "scarce' Springbok shoulder titles is that they were private purchase in the UK. Hence the theory being they were only worn by officers.

There was the common issue "South Africa INF" Brigade shoulder title in various variations, and these are still in abundance BUT the SA Scottish are really scarce, one just does not see them at all.

I stand to be corrected but if I recall correctly Mark Smith once said that Sam Foote agrees with this.`

Brian