Queen's South Africa Medal & King's South Africa Medal
(Kitchener's Fighting Scouts)
&
1914-15 Star Trio (R.F.C. S.A)
("Trio re-named and possibly bogus").
An unusual, very enigmatic and mysterious group of medals.
To:
(QSA)
422. TRP. H.C. WARREN. KITCHENER'S F.S. (Officially Impressed)
(KSA)
422. TPR H.C. WARREN. KITCHENER'S F.S.(Privately Engraved,Caps)
(1914-15 Trio)
90234. SGT. H.C. WARREN. R.F.C. S.A.(Privately Engraved in Block Capitals)
This is one of the most perplexing and strangely compelling groups of medals I have seen for a long time. Trooper H.C. Warren is indeed fully entitled to his QSA which is a perfectly correct and Officially Impressed medal. His KSA, to which he is presumably also entitled is a privately engraved replacement.
Warren is shown on the Nominal Roll as being in (2nd Btn) Kitchener's Fighting Scouts as firstly 37815 and then 422. WARREN. HENRY CHAS, (C.T.) Cape Town
28.8.1901. Discharged 13.3. 02 (C.S.) Completion of Service.
This much about his career is therefore certain.
Now comes his WW1 Trio and his "assumed" Great War service in the South African branch of the Royal Flying Corps. His 1914-15 Trio is all privately engraved in a high quality capital style, particularly the star which shows a high degree of skill in its execution. Interstingly the star used here is has not previously had a name erased, but was, before being engraved, a fresh and original un-named medal. The war and victory medals have previously been erased and re-engraved in block capitals with Warren's "assumed" RFC details of: 90234. SGT. H.C. WARREN. R.F.C. S.A.
The Service number '90234' which does indeed exist in the U.K RFC records does not however belong to an H.C.WARREN, and we are unable to confirm if indeed this number is recorded against his name in any RFC South African roll or other S.A. records.
When we obtained the group we also purchased three associated photographs, one of which proports to show Warren as a passenger about to start on a pleasure flight in a converted AVRO.504K (G-EBIZ) belonging to the then well known Cornwall Aviation Company of St Austell and flown by Captain P Phillips. D.F.C.
Another 'advertising card' shows Captain Phillips and his 504k and is notated on the rear "With my old friend Capt Phillips D.F.C." and is dated July 1929. (shown below)
The Third picture shows a group of four RFC N.C.O.'s a lady and a girl outside a news, tobacconist and confectionary shop (presumably just pre-August 1914 and in the London Area) as the Evening Standard Headline Board is saying " GERMANS AND THE COMING CAMPAIGN" which of course, at the outset was what the upcoming conflict in France was only supposed to be !
So, to summarise ..We have one 100% genuine QSA medal and proof this man existed and did indeed serve in 2nd Bt Kitchener's Fighting Scouts and a renamed WW1 trio to which he "may ot may not" be entitled.
The group at some early time (c,1920's) was clearly mounted on original ribbons, presumably for the recipient, and cased in a bespoke leather and velvet case by the well known numismatic firm of A.H. BALDWIN of 3 Robert St. Adelphi, London. The medal bar is also stamped by AH BALDWIN.
If anyone can shed any light on this man's service or has any idea as to the situation surrounding the story of this man we would be pleased to hear from them. We would also like to know where the news, confectionary and tobacconist shop in the picture was located and the name of the business, and /or the names of any of the RFC men in the picture.
Note:
Due to information kindly supplied by a client in New Zealand we are able to further confirm that (a) This man is NOT entitled to the KSA (b) That he was with W.P.M.R. (Western Provance Mounted Rifles) for 4 months before enlisting with Kitchener's Fighting Scouts and (c) He claimed to be an engineer at time of enlistment (d) His Next Of Kin was his mother who lived at 68 Salisbury Road, Manor Park London. E.. and that was his intended address when he discharged from the K.F.S.
£ PLEASE ASK