The purpose of this thread is for QSAs with the clasp Wepener.
From my research so far, there are some 2,050 Wepener clasps issued Due to the subdsequent movement of troops between units, there are a wide range of primarily South African units to which the clasp was ultimately issues.
This table shows the approximate number of clasps issue by unit.
Cape Mounted Rifles - 513
2nd Brabant's Horse - 473
Kaffrarian Rifles - 422
1st Brabant's Horse - 392
Royal Scots - 83
Driscoll's Scouts - 78
South African Constabulary - 25
Royal Engineers - 11
Prince of Wales Light Horse - 9
KFS, 2nd - 8
Scottish Horse, 1st Battalion - 7
Prince Alfred’s Own Volunteer Guard - 5
Johannesburg Mounted Rifles - 3
Royal Garrison Artillery - 3
Imperial Light Horse, 2nd Battalion - 2
Scottish Horse, 2nd Battalion - 2
Imperial Light Horse, 1st Battalion 1
Cape Medical Staff Corps - 1
Lancashire Fusiliers 1
7th Hussars 1
A good example is the group to C L Wells, of the JMR. Biography from DNW.
Charles Lionell Wells was present at Wepener as a Trooper in the Cape Mounted Rifles and was subsequently appointed to a commission in the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles. He was dangerously wounded near Driefontein on 1 May 1901 and mentioned in despatches London Gazette 3 December 1901, ‘For dash and judgement in attack on position at Waterval on 10th September, 1901’.
Wells received a commission in the Regular Army as Second Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, on 28 August 1902, becoming Lieutenant on 6 April 1903. He was attached to the North Nigeria Regiment and took part in the Kano-Sokoto campaign, January-July 1903, and was mentioned in despatches for his part in the action at Kotorokoshi which resulted in the award of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant Wallace Wright, The Queen’s Regiment. The London Gazette of 31 July 1903 reported: ‘Lieut. W. D. Wright, with Lieut. C. L. Wells and 45 men of the Mounted Infantry left on the 24th, reaching Korokoshi on the 25th. He there came into contact with and was charged by the advance party of the enemy coming down the road from Kaura but routed them with the loss of 40 killed and numerous prisoners. Continuing his advance towards Rawia he was riding up to a Chief who apparently wished to surrender, when he was suddenly charged from an ambuscade by about 30 horsemen, who broke through his men but were repulsed with a loss of 5 killed. Lieut. Wright was informed by his scouts at 8 a.m. that the enemy were advancing in force. He immediately formed square round his horsesheld by his carriers and prisoners. The enemy in great numbers charged the square repeatedly for two hours. At 10 a.m. the enemy drew off leaving 65 horsemen dead within 30 yards of the square, 11 of them being recognised as principal chiefs of Kano... Lieut. Wright makes special mention of the assistance he received from Lieut. C. L. Wells, 3rd Hampshire Regiment, who between enemy charges, was employed in cutting down thorn bushes to form a zariba outside the square.’
Another member of the JMR to receive the clasp was Capt N Johnston. He had served as a Lieutenant in the Kaffrarian Rifles and Brabant’s Horse.
One of the collecting themes of old was single clasp QSAs. My brother and I used to own a single clasp QSA with Wepener but this was because the other clasps were missing rather than it being a single issue.
Wilfred David Finlayson joined Brabant’s Horse in November 1899 having seen previous service with the Shanghai Volunteers. He was present with his regiment at Wepener, his discharge papers, dated 5 November 1901 noting that all his equipment and clothing was lost Wepener. At the time of his discharge he held the rank of Sergeant Major but shortly afterwards joined the Kimberley Light Horse at Lieutenant. With that regiment it would appear he was entitled to three additional clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal and Wittebergen. He is also entitled to the KSA medal.
Regards
David
