The QSA named to a cruise ship: HMS Ophir

In June 1901 HMS Ophir took the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (the future King George V and Queen Mary) on a tour of the Empire. Their route included South Africa - the war was still raging.

From EF Knight, With The Royal Tour

The ship named 'HMS Ophir' was a civilian ship of the Orient Steam Navigation Company. It only received the prefix 'His Majesty's Ship' for the duration of the Royal tour. One of the functions carried out by the Royals was the presentation of QSA medals to Australian and New Zealand recipients. These, known as "Ophir presentation medals", were issued unnamed and engraved locally, thus they have a different and distinctive naming style to other QSAs.

From EF Knight, With the Royal Tour

Example of naming on a QSA presented on HMS Ophir and named locally in Australia. Ryan Darby

To supplement the civilian crew 53 Royal Navy officers and men were seconded to the ship. Most of the sailors had served during the war, so they were correctly entitled to a Queen's South Africa medal.

The curiosity is that a number of these men received QSAs named to 'HMS Ophir', a ship that never served in a war-like capacity during the war.

From the table below it will be seen that only seven of the 53 of the HMS Ophir QSAs are known, and only three are named to HMS Ophir.

Name		Number	Rank	Unit served ABW	Medal Named To
Amos	JE	4.197	Gunner	Royal Marine Artillery, HMS Monarch
Banbury	W		Carpenter	HMS Niobe
Bath	E	5509	Gunner	Royal Marine Artillery
Blackler	ER	138.978	Petty Officer 1st Class	HMS Niobe
Brooks	AJ	355.853	Domestic	HMS Niobe
Bryer	SMG		Engineer	HMS Niobe
Coak	G	114.036	Petty Officer 1st Class	HMS Niobe
Collins	AD	341.209	Shipwright	HMS Partridge
Crichton-Maitland	CM		Lieutenant	HMS Niobe
Dilton	WJ	165.933	Stoker	HMS Powerful
Dingle	A	182.842	Able Seaman	HMS Fearless
Elmes	H	5719	Private	Royal Marine Light Infantry
Farnley	AH	147.391	Acting Chief Yeoman of Signals	HMS Diadem	HMS Diadem
Fraser	R	5.265	Gunner	HMS Monarch
Fuggle	WJ	139.794	Petty Officer 2nd Class	HMS Powerful
Game	J	Ply6.451	Private	Royal Marine Light Infantry, HMS Powerful
Gosling	JS	158.692	Able Seaman	HMS Niobe
Gregson	J	278.345	Stoker	HMS Powerful
Guyatt	F	Po7.816	Private	Royal Marine Light Infantry, HMS Powerful
Harvey	E	5.641	Gunner	Royal Marine Artillery, HMS Powerful
Herring	CR	4.540	Gunner	HMS Monarch
Hogan	AJ	180.318	Able Seaman	HMS Niobe	HMS Niobe
Holdway	W	151.709	Leading Stoker	HMS Fearless	HMS Ophir
Hutchings	F	Ply5.808	Private	Royal Marine Light Infantry, HMS Niobe
Killan	T	284177	Stoker	HMS Powerful	HMS Ophir
Knight	DJ	130.376	Petty Officer 1st Class	HMS Niobe
Land	CE	167.357	Able Seaman	HMS Powerful
Lee	WR	183.137	Able Seaman	HMS Fearless
Livingstone	J	3396	Private	Royal Marine Light Infantry
Martin	JF	142.963	Stoker	HMS Fearless
McCormack	C	109.665	Master At Arms	HMS Niobe
Millington	J	Ply6.742	Private	Royal Marine Light Infantry, HMS Niobe
Musk	W	161.890	2/Yeoman of Signals	HMS Niobe
Norris	J	4367	Gunner	Royal Marine Artillery
Raikes	GL		Lieutenant	Royal Marine Artillery, HMS Monarch	HMS Monarch
Read	WG	182.574	Able Seaman	HMS Monarch
Ridgway	F	4.260	Gunner	Royal Marine Artillery, HMS Monarch
Saurin	GL		Midshipman	HMS Diadem	HMS Diadem
Smith	AE	282.946	Stoker	HMS Powerful
Spencer	E	158.713	Stoker	HMS Powerful
Stockley	HHF		Lieutenant	Royal Marine Light Infantry, HMS Niobe
Stone	RJ	124.598	Petty Officer 1st Class	HMS Niobe
Stumbles	GE	163.303	Able Seaman	HMS Niobe
Taylor	E	153866	Leading Stoker	HMS Fearless	HMS Ophir
Tildesley	JH	Po7.134	Private	Royal Marine Light Infantry, HMS Powerful
Tillman	W	8266	Private	Royal Marine Light Infantry
Toms	E	133.659	Petty Officer 1st Class	HMS Niobe
Tye	AC	Ch4.569	Private	Royal Marine Light Infantry, HMS Monarch
Walker	FS	186.955	Able Seaman	HMS Tartar
Wemyss	RE		Commander	HMS Niobe
Winsloe	AL		Captain	HMS Niobe
Wreford	FA	112.186	Petty Officer 1st Class	HMS Niobe
Wright	H	179.875	Able Seaman	HMS Tartar

The tour received much press coverage. At least two accounts were published:

HMS Ophir was escorted by two Royal Navy Ships HMS Juno (7 QSA medals) and HMS St George (12 QSA medals). None of these medals are known to be extant.

HMS St George

Name		Number	Rank	Ship served ABW
Bunker	S	174.718	Able Seaman	HMS Niobe
Carpenter	AA	187.102	Ordinary Seaman	HMS Powerful
Chichester	EG		Midshipman	HMS Powerful
Clarke	F	166.379	Ordinary Seaman	HMS Powerful
Claxton	AA	145.559	Leading Carpenter's Crew	HMS Powerful
Coate	JJ	183.468	Stoker	HMS Powerful
Jacobs	W	180.568	Ordinary Seaman	HMS Powerful
Johncox	EA	190.774	Ordinary Seaman	HMS Powerful
Read	WCC	162.263	Ordinary Seaman	HMS Powerful
Stannard	WP	173.522	Ordinary Seaman	HMS Powerful
Terry	FG		Midshipman	HMS Niobe
Walker	BC		Midshipman	HMS Niobe

HMS Juno

Name		Number	Rank	Ship served ABW
Barwell	W	Po9.471	Private	Royal Marine Light Infantry, HMS Monarch
Bowes	J	153.881	Stoker	HMS Powerful
Chant	FG	193.151	Ordinary Seaman	HMS Powerful
Dowden	F	175.472	Ordinary Seaman	HMS Powerful
Gooch	JA	159.697	Ordinary Seaman	HMS Powerful
Le Quelenac	JA	172057	Ordinary Seaman	HMS Powerful
Spicer	JG	125137	Yeoman of Signals	HMS Monarch, HMS Philomel

POWs - Overseas Colonial Contingents

This post, using data collected by The Register, shows the numbers of captures of men from the Overseas Colonial Contingents - Australia, Canada, India, Ceylon and New Zealand. This includes those listed as "missing". There are 311 captures representing 309 individuals. Two men were captured twice:

Pte 201 FH Muir, 1st Queensland MI - Kroonstad June 5th and Elands River Post August 6th, 1900.
Sgt-Mjr 1 JG Price, 1st Queensland MI - Onverwacht Janaury 4th, 1901 and Familie Hoek December 6th, 1901 (as RSM 311 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen.

The vast majority of data comes from the official published casualty rolls, but other captures have been gleaned from a variety of sources. Undoubtedly other names will appear with more research.


Two men do not have an exact capture date:
Pte Hemry, New South Wales Mounted Infantry (SAFF Casualty Roll)
Sgt 110 E L'Estrange, 1st NZ Mounted Rifles (London Daily News of September 4th, 1900 as having returned to Warm Bath August 30th)

Captures By Unit

Unit	Casualty Type	Total
Australian Commonwealth Horse	Prisoner of War	3
Australian Horse	Prisoner of War	4
Australian Horse	Prisoner of War - Escaped	1
Canadian Mounted Rifles	Missing	1
Canadian Mounted Rifles	Missing - Rejoined	21
Canadian Mounted Rifles	Prisoner of War	2
Canadian Mounted Rifles	Prisoner of War - Released	6
Canadian Scouts	Missing	1
Canadian Scouts	Prisoner of War - Released	3
Lumsden's Horse	Prisoner of War	11
New South Wales Citizens Bushmen	Missing - Rejoined	1
New South Wales Citizens Bushmen	Missing - Released	2
New South Wales Citizens Bushmen	Prisoner of War	7
New South Wales Citizens Bushmen	Prisoner of War - Released	1
New South Wales General Staff	Prisoner of War - Released	1
New South Wales Imperial Bushmen	Missing - Rejoined	5
New South Wales Imperial Bushmen	Missing - Released	1
New South Wales Imperial Bushmen	Prisoner of War - Escaped	1
New South Wales Imperial Bushmen	Prisoner of War - Released	8
New South Wales Lancers	Prisoner of War	10
New South Wales Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War	1
New South Wales Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War - Released	7
New South Wales Mounted Rifles	Missing - Rejoined	1
New South Wales Mounted Rifles	Prisoner of War	7
New South Wales Mounted Rifles	Prisoner of War - Released	14
New Zealand	Missing - Rejoined	1
New Zealand	Prisoner of War	1
New Zealand Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War	31
New Zealand Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War - Released	5
New Zealand Mounted Rifles	Missing - Rejoined	3
New Zealand Mounted Rifles	Prisoner of War	1
New Zealand Mounted Rifles	Prisoner of War - Released	2
New Zealand Rough Riders	Prisoner of War	2
Queensland Imperial Bushmen	Prisoner of War	1
Queensland Imperial Bushmen	Prisoner of War - Escaped	1
Queensland Imperial Bushmen	Prisoner of War - Released	28
Queensland Mounted Infantry	Missing - Released	1
Queensland Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War	12
Queensland Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War - Released	2
Canadian Field Artillery Royal	Missing	1
Canadian Field Artillery Royal	Missing - Rejoined	1
Canadian Dragoons	Missing	1
Canadian Dragoons	Prisoner of War - Rejoined	1
Canadian Regiment Of Infantry	Missing - Rejoined	2
Canadian Regiment Of Infantry	Missing - Released	5
Canadian Regiment Of Infantry	Prisoner of War	1
Canadian Regiment Of Infantry	Prisoner of War - Released	2
South Australian Citizens Bushmen	Prisoner of War - Released	3
South Australian Imperial Bushmen	Prisoner of War	3
South Australian Mounted Rifles	Missing	1
South Australian Mounted Rifles	Missing - Rejoined	3
Strathcona's Horse	Missing	3
Strathcona's Horse	Prisoner of War	11
Strathcona's Horse	Prisoner of War - Released	2
Tasmanian Bushmen
Tasmanian Contingent	Missing - Rejoined	1
Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen	Prisoner of War	1
Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen	Prisoner of War - Escaped	1
Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen	Prisoner of War - Released	2
Tasmanian Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War	10
Tasmanian Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War - Released	1
Victorian Bushmen	Missing	6
Victorian Bushmen	Prisoner of War	1
Victorian Mounted Infantry	Missing - Rejoined	2
Victorian Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War	10
Victorian Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War - Released	2
Victorian Mounted Rifles	Missing	3
Victorian Mounted Rifles	Missing - Rejoined	1
Victorian Mounted Rifles	Prisoner of War	9
West Australian Bushmen	Prisoner of War	1
West Australian Horse	Prisoner of War	1
West Australian Mounted Infantry	Missing	3
West Australian Mounted Infantry	Prisoner of War	5

Captures by Unit and Location

Date	Location	Unit	Number Captured
16/01/1900	Rensburg	Australian Horse	3
16/01/1900	Slingersfontein	Australian Horse	1
16/01/1900	Slingersfontein	New South Wales Lancers	9
09/02/1900	Jasfontein	Tasmanian Mounted Infantry	4
12/02/1900	Hobkirk's Farm	Victorian Mounted Infantry	11
20/02/1900	Paardeberg	Canadian Regiment Of Infantry	1
24/02/1900	Kuilfontein	Tasmanian Mounted Infantry	1
05/03/1900	Auchteetarn	Tasmanian Mounted Infantry	5
06/03/1900	Slingersfontein	New South Wales Lancers	1
21/03/1900	Not stated	Canadian Regiment Of Infantry	2
26/03/1900	Arundel	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	2
31/03/1900	Koornspruit	New Zealand Mounted Infantry	17
31/03/1900	Koornspruit	Queensland Mounted Infantry	5
07/04/1900	Spytfontein	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
23/04/1900	Bloemfontein (2)	Canadian Mounted Rifles	3
23/04/1900	Karrefontein	South Australian Mounted Rifles	1
30/04/1900	Bloemfontein (2)	Canadian Regiment Of Infantry	4
30/04/1900	Houtnek	Victorian Mounted Infantry	1
30/04/1900	Houtnek	Victorian Mounted Rifles	1
30/04/1900	Os Spruit	Lumsden's Horse	10
01/05/1900	Karee Siding	Victorian Mounted Rifles	1
01/05/1900	Marendellas	Canadian Field Artillery Royal	1
04/05/1900	Kareekloof	Victorian Mounted Rifles	1
05/05/1900	Bloemfontein (2)	Canadian Mounted Rifles	4
10/05/1900	Kroonstad	Canadian Regiment Of Infantry	2
10/05/1900	Nr Kroonstad	West Australian Horse	1
10/05/1900	Virginia Kopje	Australian Commonwealth Horse	3
10/05/1900	Virginia Kopje	Australian Horse	1
20/05/1900	Lindley	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
23/05/1900	Nr Kroonstad	South Australian Mounted Rifles	1
23/05/1900	Nr Pretoria	Victorian Mounted Rifles	1
26/05/1900	Driefontein	West Australian Mounted Infantry	4
27/05/1900	Houtnek	South Australian Mounted Rifles	1
28/05/1900	Nr Johannesburg	South Australian Mounted Rifles	1
29/05/1900	Nr Pretoria	Victorian Mounted Rifles	3
29/05/1900	Pretoria	Canadian Regiment Of Infantry	1
04/06/1900	Nr Pretoria	Canadian Mounted Rifles	1
05/06/1900	Kroonstad	Canadian Mounted Rifles	2
05/06/1900	Kroonstad	New Zealand Mounted Infantry	1
05/06/1900	Kroonstad	Queensland Mounted Infantry	3
12/06/1900	Pretoria	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
22/06/1900	Katbosch	Canadian Mounted Rifles	5
28/06/1900	Lindley	South Australian Imperial Bushmen	3
30/06/1900	Spitzkop (3)	New South Wales General Staff	1
01/07/1900	Waterval	Strathcona's Horse	2
05/07/1900	Greylingstad	Strathcona's Horse	6
05/07/1900	New Denmark	Strathcona's Horse	2
05/07/1900	Pienaars Poort	Victorian Mounted Rifles	3
11/07/1900	Bethlehem	West Australian Mounted Infantry	1
12/07/1900	Plat Kop	Strathcona's Horse	4
13/07/1900	Rietvlei	Canadian Mounted Rifles	1
16/07/1900	Rhenoster	West Australian Mounted Infantry	2
16/07/1900	Rietvlei	New Zealand Mounted Infantry	1
16/07/1900	Witpoort	New Zealand Rough Riders	1
18/07/1900	Pretoria	Lumsden's Horse	1
19/07/1900	Bloemfontein (2)	Canadian Mounted Rifles	1
19/07/1900	Paardeplaats	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
21/07/1900	Kosk's River	West Australian Bushmen	1
21/07/1900	Koster River	Victorian Bushmen	1
21/07/1900	Rustenburg (1)	New South Wales Citizens Bushmen	2
22/07/1900	Kosk's River	New South Wales Citizens Bushmen	5
25/07/1900	Klerksdorp	Tasmanian Mounted Infantry	1
26/07/1900	Rietvlei	New Zealand	1
26/07/1900	Rietvlei	New Zealand Mounted Infantry	17
01/08/1900	Magato Nek	Victorian Bushmen	2
01/08/1900	Not stated	New South Wales Mounted Infantry	5
05/08/1900	Elands River Post	New South Wales Imperial Bushmen	5
06/08/1900	Elands River Post	Queensland Mounted Infantry	2
11/08/1900	Nr Horensnek	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	2
12/08/1900	Kaalfontein	Queensland Imperial Bushmen	1
12/08/1900	Kaalfontein	Queensland Mounted Infantry	1
12/08/1900	Kaalfontein	Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen	1
18/08/1900	Buffelshoek	South Australian Citizens Bushmen	3
19/08/1900	Otto's hoop	New South Wales Imperial Bushmen	1
27/08/1900	Otto's hoop	New South Wales Imperial Bushmen	4
31/08/1900	Not Known	New South Wales Mounted Infantry	1
01/09/1900	Badfontein (1)	Strathcona's Horse	1
01/09/1900	Warm Bath	Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen	1
02/09/1900	Elands River	New South Wales Citizens Bushmen	3
02/09/1900	Elands River	Queensland Mounted Infantry	1
02/09/1900	Elands River	Victorian Bushmen	4
05/09/1900	Nooitgedacht	Canadian Mounted Rifles	6
08/09/1900	Nr Thabanchu	Victorian Mounted Infantry	2
10/09/1900	Nr Rustenburg	New South Wales Mounted Infantry	1
12/09/1900	Malopo Oog	New South Wales Citizens Bushmen	1
29/09/1900	Doornlaagte	Queensland Imperial Bushmen	1
07/10/1900	Nr Wonderfontein	Canadian Dragoons	1
24/10/1900	Zeerust	New South Wales Imperial Bushmen	1
27/10/1900	Jacobsdal (1)	Tasmanian Contingent	1
02/11/1900	Nr Belfast	Canadian Field Artillery Royal	1
07/11/1900	Nr Belfast	Canadian Dragoons	1
10/11/1900	Nr Frederikstad	Strathcona's Horse	1
11/11/1900	Ventersdorp	New Zealand	1
08/12/1900	Wolmarans Drift	New South Wales Imperial Bushmen	4
04/01/1901	Onverwacht (1)	Queensland Imperial Bushmen	1
16/01/1901	Nr Avontuur	Victorian Mounted Rifles	1
07/02/1901	Not Known	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	2
13/02/1901	Zwartkopjes	Queensland Mounted Infantry	3
19/03/1901	Nr Winburg	Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen	2
27/03/1901	Rondal	New Zealand Rough Riders	1
07/04/1901	Nr Pietersburg	New Zealand Mounted Rifles	1
16/05/1901	Grobbelaar Recht	West Australian Mounted Infantry	1
24/05/1901	Nr Bethel	New Zealand Mounted Rifles	1
01/06/1901	Blesbok Spruit	New Zealand Mounted Rifles	1
03/06/1901	Rietspruit (2)	Queensland Imperial Bushmen	2
06/06/1901	Graspan (2)	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
21/06/1901	Kaffirstad	Victorian Mounted Rifles	1
03/07/1901	Waterval Randbergen	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
13/07/1901	Witkopjes	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
15/07/1901	Wonderfontein	Queensland Imperial Bushmen	1
25/07/1901	Palmietfontein (9)	Queensland Imperial Bushmen	1
26/07/1901	Nr Heilbron	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	2
29/07/1901	Grunvlei	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
10/08/1901	Roberts Drift	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
17/08/1901	Zaaihoek	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
31/08/1901	Zand River	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
25/09/1901	Vaalkrans	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
27/09/1901	Bastersdrif	New Zealand Mounted Rifles	1
27/09/1901	Mokari Drift	Queensland Imperial Bushmen	12
12/10/1901	Kromdraai	Canadian Scouts	3
13/10/1901	Niemandskraal	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
21/11/1901	Nr Castrol Nek	New Zealand Mounted Rifles	1
23/11/1901	Familie Hoek	Queensland Imperial Bushmen	2
06/12/1901	Familie Hoek	Queensland Imperial Bushmen	3
20/12/1901	Nr Tafel Kop (5)	New South Wales Mounted Rifles	1
04/01/1902	Onverwacht (1)	Queensland Imperial Bushmen	6
13/02/1902	Nr Rolfontein	Victorian Mounted Rifles	1
25/03/1902	Nr Klerksdorp	Canadian Mounted Rifles	2
27/03/1902	Tafelkop	Canadian Scouts	1
31/03/1902	Boschbult	Canadian Mounted Rifles	4
15/04/1902	Oorbeitjesfontein	Canadian Mounted Rifles	1
31/12/2009	Not stated	New South Wales Mounted Infantry	1
31/12/2009	Not stated	New Zealand Mounted Rifles	1