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From: "Kieran Campbell" <>
Subject: 5773 Pte. John Ward 5th Lancers again
Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2006 18:06:59 -0000


Hello Listers,

When I enquired in December on this list about Pte J. Ward there was an apparent discrepancy between his dates of service in South Africa and two of the clasps, that he was entitled to, namely Rhodesia and Talana. Of the medal itself, only the disc survives.

Research in Kew (by Bob O'Hara) has found that Ward served in SA from 31/10/01 to 19/9/02 and was awarded the QSA with 3 clasps, Cape Colony, 1901 and 1902, and not 5 as published (?). In the medal roll (WO 100/115) the columns for Rhodesia and Talana have been crossed out for the whole battalion and replaced with hand-written '1901' and '1902'. The columns are ticked and the number of clasps (2, 3 or 4 etc) is entered for each soldier in the remarks column, most on the page adding 'Arrived in SA after 15/7/01'.

He was born and enlisted in Sligo town (28/10/1900) and was discharged on 29/10/06. He does not appear to be a relation, so I have yet to find out why his medal and two photographs of him (probably) in uniform ended up in my grandfather's house in Ardee.

This information may be of interest to someone.

Regards

Kieran Campbell

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