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The illustrated medals surfaced late last year; just in time to qualify as a birthday present .
QSA clasps RofK, Wepener, Transvaal and Wittebergen impressed to "3418 Cpl.H.Keys. Kitchener's H".
KSA clasps SA1901/02 impressed to "452 Gnr. H.Keys Cape G.A."
14/15 Star to "Cpl.H.Heys S.A.Irish"
BWM/VM to "Sjt. H.Keys 3rd S.A.I."



A quick check of the Kaplan roll verified the RofK and Wepener clasps and the Palmer roll added that 3418 Cpl.H.Keys of KH was PoW at Wells, near DeKeils drift 13021900. The SAFF verified that quite a few of KH went into "the bag" (E Sqn) after making a creditable defence against DeWet for two days. Not, however, our Cpl.H.Keys! Whilst 70 odd KH chaps were notified as "released" 12071900 by The Times, our man clearly qualified for his RofK clasp two days after his reported "capture" - obviously he escaped or somehow evaded the fate of E Sqn and managed the 20plus miles (as the crow flies) between DeKeils Drift and Klip Drift in time for the Great Flank March.
His initial enlistment in KH as 3418 ran from 03021900 to 02041900 and he then served with 1st and 2nd Brabant's H; his service running from 02041900 to 24091901 as n/n Sjt in 1st BH. It is my opinion that he was seen as a very able NCO and immediately transferred to Brabant's H on that account.

Reference to the medal roll pages shows marginal activity! The KH roll merely records his transfer to Brabant's; whilst the medal roll of 1st BH records "returned 14/1204", then "issued 24/3/05", then "search 24/2/23" then "..illegible 18580" and finally "reissued 493.148 14/8/23". The Cape G.A. KSA roll has "returned 24/9/09" and "reissued 9/3/14".

I had planned to end this post with some reference to Cpl/Sjt Keys' service
in the Great War and had put in a search request to South African DofD some three months ago. Clearly, they must be very busy as no response so far and I will update as soon as more info comes to hand.

To conclude, I feel that we have here a quite unusual QSA clasp combination and yet another example of wishing that a Medal Could Talk!
Thanks to those who have read this far
IL.

A fabulous QSA Ian, many thanks for sharing the information and pictures.

I will check today how many, approximately, there are of this combination.

Best wishes
David

Hello Ian,
Interestingly, indeed rather surprisingly, the South African Irish celebrated their 100th anniversary last year, they do actually believe themselves to have something in common with Colonel Brennan and his lot, other than merely their name, clearly, Keys did have something in common, he was actually there, relieving the wretched hun of his smug little empire!
Kind regards Frank

Hi Ian

Superb group!! In more than 40 years of Boer War medal collecting I have never encountered this bar combination.
Ian Uys, in "Rollcall" lists a Pte H Keys, 3rd SAI as being present at Delville Wood and reported as Missing on 31 July 1916. I suggest you ask Dewald Nel [email protected] to draw his Service Cards and File and also his Medical File. WWI and WWII SA records at Ina Building in Pretoria have become a no-go for personal retrieval of documents by individuals and you have to put in a written request at Schweickard Building. Dewald may be able to get the data after x days (x = 1 - ?21?), but it is well worth paying his fee. Times have changed: many years ago they even allowed me to take records out of the building to photocopy when their machines were out of order!!

Henk

I have only so far found 3 such combinations:

Lieutenant Hale, P E, South African Constabulary, QSA (6) RoK Paar Drie Wep Joh DH

Sergeant Keys, H, Cape GA, QSA (4) RoK Wep Tr Witt

1st Class Trooper Swartz, H, South African Constabulary, QSA (7) MR RoK Paar Drie Wep Tr SA01

Ian,
Just reading your post again, I take it you have not looked for his SAMIF papers in WO126/6-14 and WO126-83-88, that would be where I would start and I would certainly want a close look at his Great War service, both, in German South West Africa and with the 1st SA Infantry Brigade in France, you will probably find him to be a founder member of the Transvaal and Rhodesia Regiment, they proved themselves to be superb in battle.
Regards again Frank