Above: Sergeants Scott, Duggan, and Hooper of the Kimberley Regiment. Sergeant Scott inscribed the photograph a few months after the end of the town's 124-day siege.

Cabinet Photograph
Middlebrook - Photographer
Kimberley, Cape Colony
South Africa
26 November 1900

Sergeant Scott, who inscribed the photograph was No. 263 Sergeant D. A. Scott. He was entitled to the QSAM with the clasps “Defense of Kimberley” and “South Africa – 1901”. The medal roll lists him as non-effective as of 21 September 1900, just a month before him signing this photograph. One might assume his non-effectiveness was probably due to sickness. Whatever the reason he was still alive in 1904 when the “South Africa – 1901” clasp was issued to him. Scott’s QSAM sold at auction in 2005. When sold, his QSAM had the single “Defense
of Kimberley” clasp.  This would seem to indicate that Scott never got around to having a jeweler attach the second clasp to his previously issued medal.

Sergeant Duggan was No. 203 Sergeant H. Duggan. Duggan was entitled to the QSAM with the clasps “Defense of Kimberley”, “Orange Free State”, “Transvaal”, and “South Africa – 1901”. The roll states that he was released from service on 29 November 1901.

Sergeant Hooper was No. 406 Sergeant D. J. Hooper. He was entitled to the QSAM with the clasps “Defense of Kimberley” and “Orange Free State” as well as the King’s South Africa Medal with the usual two clasps “South Africa – 1901” and “South Africa – 1902”.

All three men would have received the so-called Kimberley Star Medal (officially the Mayor’s Siege Medal 1900) for having taken part in the defense of their city. Issued without royal approval the star was of a commemorative nature and not sanctioned for wear on a uniform. With the Kimberley Regiment being a locally raised volunteer unit, perhaps its members would not have felt compelled to abide by this restriction. No mention was made to Sergeant Scott’s Kimberley Star when his QSAM was sold at auction.

The Kimberley Regiment (Kimberley Volunteer Regiment) was formed in 1899 with the amalgamation of the Diamond Fields Horse and the Kimberley Rifles.  Kimberley itself had a population of around 40,000 at the time of the Anglo-Boer War. Located in the far north of Cape Colony, it was besieged by Boer forces for 124 days between 14 October 1899 and 15 February 1900.