THE QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL

Obverse: The Crowned and Veiled bust of Queen Victoria surrounded by the legend "VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX".

Reverse: Britannia with a flag in her left hand and holding a laurel wreath towards an advancing party of soldiers. In the background are two men-of-war. Around the edge are the words "SOUTH AFRICA".

Size: 31mm in diameter.

Ribbon: 32mm wide. Orange with a 5mm red stripe on each edge and two dark 5mm blue stripes inside these.

Suspension: By a plain straight suspender.

Clasps Issued: 26

Awarded for service during the Boer War between 11th October 1898, and 31st May 1902, this silver medal was usually accompanied by clasps denoting the particular action or theatre of war in which the recipient took part.

The following clasps were awarded to New Zealand troops;
Belfast
Cape Colony
Diamond Hill
Driefontein
Johannesberg
Modder River
Orange Free State
Paardeburg
Relief of Kimberley
Rhodesia
Transvaal
Wepener
Wittebergen
South Africa 1901
South Africa 1902

In all, ten contingents totaling 6,128 men of the Mounted Rifles, and a small contingent of nurses were sent to South Africa from New Zealand.

While most medals were issued with clasps denoting a particular action or theatre of war in which the recipient took part, those issued to nurses and to members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade were issued without clasps.

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