Great Britain – Queen’s South Africa Medal, Three Clasps
kr 2,500.00
In stock
Description
Great Britain – Queen’s South Africa Medal, Three Clasps
(QSA Medal – Boer War 1899–1902)
Instituted by Queen Victoria in 1900, the Queen’s South Africa Medal was awarded to British and Colonial military personnel who served in the Second Boer War between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. The conflict was fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics, the South African Republic (Transvaal) and the Orange Free State, over political control and sovereignty in southern Africa. The campaign became one of the largest military operations undertaken by the British Empire prior to the First World War.
The silver medal is suspended from a ribbon of orange with dark blue edge stripes. The obverse bears the crowned and veiled effigy of Queen Victoria, surrounded by the inscription “VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX” (“Victoria, Queen and Empress”). The reverse depicts Britannia holding a flag and extending a laurel wreath toward advancing troops, with the inscription “SOUTH AFRICA” above. On the rim “56 Art: Pte: C. Taylor A.O.C.”
The example illustrated is fitted with three campaign clasps:
- CAPE COLONY – awarded for service in Cape Colony between October 1899 and May 1902.
- ORANGE FREE STATE – awarded for service in the Orange Free State between February 1900 and May 1902.
- TRANSVAAL – awarded for service in the Transvaal between May 1900 and May 1902.
These clasps indicate that the recipient participated in operations across three of the principal theatres of the war and experienced a substantial portion of the campaign. The combination reflects service during the advance into Boer territory and subsequent operations within the occupied republics.
The Queen’s South Africa Medal became the principal campaign decoration of the Boer War and was awarded to soldiers of the British Army, colonial contingents, volunteer units, militia formations, and certain civilian organizations attached to the military. Individual medals often bear multiple clasps denoting the specific campaigns, battles, or regions in which the recipient served, making each medal a unique record of military service.
The Second Boer War marked a turning point in British military history, introducing modern tactics, large-scale mounted operations, blockhouse systems, and guerrilla warfare. As a result, the Queen’s South Africa Medal remains one of the most studied and collected British campaign awards.
Condition: Very Fine; original silver finish with attractive age patina; details and inscriptions clear and well preserved; three clasps securely mounted; suspension intact; original ribbon showing moderate age-related wear, minor fading, and light fraying consistent with period issue and long-term storage.
