TOPIC:

Hi

I am new to the site and I'd thought I'd share a happy story with you. I am a medal collector and interested in Boer war and my families heritage in South Africa. The only thing missing in my collection is any medals that belong to my family as they have been lost over the years. My great grandfather was Joseph Nicholas Reed Dixon and during the Boer war he served in Prince of Wales Light Horse. I was told that during the war that he and his regiment had to often swim across rivers to get to the other side. After the Boer war Jospeh had a farm which was burnt down during the Natal Rebellion. Jospeh and his wife Annie were warned by their faithful servants that they were going to be attacked and if they stayed they will be killed. So Jospeh, Annie and their son my grandfather then aged about 5 had to flee across country on foot. It must have been after this Jospeh joined the Melmoth Reserves and was awarded the Natal Rebellion medal.

Joseph and Annie retired to Isle of Man and they died during WW2 of old age and the story was that their possessions where put in a strong box somewhere on Isle of man for safe keeping. Unfortunately my grandfather was in East Africa serving in RAF and died in 1950's so he never got a chance to collect the box and nobody knew where it was kept. My relatives tried to find the box in 1980's and again in 1990's but the task was hopeless. After many searches on the internet I also drew a blank and lost hope in tracking down Jospeh's medals.

Recently I was contacted by a lady whose husbands family had a farm next to the Dixon's on the Isle of Man and they were friends and had helped arrange my great grandparents funeral. She had found some old postcards in boxes in her loft that where sent to my grandmother in Isle of Man (many over 100 years ago) and being inquisitive managed to track me down on Ancestry. To my surprise not only did she send me the postcards but also my great grandfathers medals!

Malcolm

Welcome to the forum and good luck in your research......

Mike

Malcolm

That is a great story with a happy ending, with the medals and other items being back with the family where they belong.

Rebellion medals to men from Zululand (e.g. Melmoth - 57, Nkandhla - 17) are good to have, because much of the action took place in their vicinity, although the Reserves were more of a "Home Guard". The largest number of men on active service were in the Zululand Mounted Rifles (155) and Zululand Police (147). Five of the eight DCM's awarded during the Rebellion went to men of the ZMR.

Regards
Brett

Brett

Thanks good to know more detail behind the medal and I will read up on the history of the Natal Rebellion and look into the DCM actions.

As well as Joseph's farm being burnt down in the Natal Rebellion his wife Annie's brothers farm shop was burnt down in Zululand by the Boers in Boer war. So this helps indicate Joseph's motivation to protect the local population and family. Joseph could speak Zulu and was respected by the local population and servants. Thats why they warned him in advance of the attack on his farm so he could escape with his family. I suspect they saw him go and once he was safely away they then burnt down the farm.

Cheers
Malcolm

Brett

Thanks good to know more detail behind the medal and I will read up on the history of the Natal Rebellion and look into the DCM actions.

As well as Joseph's farm being burnt down in the Natal Rebellion his wife Annie's brothers farm shop was burnt down in Zululand by the Boers in Boer war. So this helps indicate Joseph's motivation to protect the local population and family. Joseph could speak Zulu and was respected by the local population and servants. Thats why they warned him in advance of the attack on his farm so he could escape with his family. I suspect they saw him go and once he was safely away they then burnt down the farm.

Cheers
Malcolm

Brett

Thanks good to know more detail behind the medal and I will read up on the history of the Natal Rebellion and look into the DCM actions.

As well as Joseph's farm being burnt down in the Natal Rebellion his wife Annie's brothers farm shop was burnt down in Zululand by the Boers in Boer war. So this helps indicate Joseph's motivation to protect the local population and family. Joseph could speak Zulu and was respected by the local population and servants. Thats why they warned him in advance of the attack on his farm so he could escape with his family. I suspect they saw him go and once he was safely away they then burnt down the farm.

Cheers
Malcolm