Description
Queen’s South Afirca Medal, 2 bars, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Mr Hugh McKinnon, Imperial Military Railways.
Officially impressed: “MR H. McKINNON. IMP: MIL: RLY:”
Entitlement confirmed on the roll which lists him as a Railway Employee.
A lot scarcer to earn claps as civilians, as typically the claims to clasps were disqualified as they did not see “action”.
However the medal roll page does have a specific signature under each clasp claim by a Major J.H. Twiss of the Royal Engineers. who writes that these men were “Recommended for clasps as shown”.
Major John Henry Twiss CB CBE was on the Staff overseeing the Railways and also earned the clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal.
It appears he was personally vouching for these men’s services as having been under fire working in the action areas.
Mr Hugh McKinnon was born in Scotland circa 1859.
When he died on 13th August 1930 in Port Elizabeth, he was listed as a 71 Year old Retired Works Foreman and Pensioner of South Africa Railways.
