Description
Queen’s South Africa Medal, no bar, Ernest Powell, Able Seaman, HMS Magicienne. From Blakeney, Gloucestershire. Returned in WW1 fought at Jutland on HMS Ajax.
Officially impressed: “E. Powell. A.B. H.M.S. Magicienne”
Confirmed on the medal roll, with copy service records.
Also entitled to the African General Service Medal, bar Jubaland, a rare honour awarded to only about 209 men from the Royal Navy, the Magicienne having been sent during the middle of the Boer War, up north to Somalia to take part in the Jubaland Expedition of 1900-1901.
Ernest Powell was born on 7th June 1879 in the village of Blakeney, Gloucestershire.
He first worked as an Errand Boy before joining the Royal Navy young at 16 as Boy 2nd Class on 7th March 1896.
Having become of age and become an Ord or Orindary Seaman he joined HMS Magicienne on 18th November 1897.
Whilst on board he was promoted to AB Able Seaman on 11th September 1898.
Sent up with his ship to Kismayu, Somalia, (British East Africa) in November 1900.
“The Medal with clasp Jubaland to all officers and men who took part in the operation against the Ogaden Somalis under the command of Colonel T. Ternan, including the Military Forces at Kismayu, and to such officers and men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines serving on His Majesty’s Ships, Magicienne, Terpischore and Scout, as were landed between the 16th November 1900 and 30th April 1901.”
Following the murder of British Commissioner A.C.W. Jenner in Somalia known as Jubaland in British East Africa.
It was reported to the authorities that 4,000 local Ogaden Somalis had armed themselves in an uprising and after a seemingly friendly meeting with Jenner he was set upon and killed.
This led to Colonel Ternan and Hatch commanding the Protectorate Forces to mobilised to Kismayu with 500 men, and HMS Magicienne which was serving in South Africa for the Boer War, was sent up to the port in November 1900.
He left the ship to HMS Vivid I following his involvement in the Boer War and then in Jubaland on 20th June 1901.
One interesting event that occurred whilst HMS Magicienne was serving at South Africa was when they went up and captured a German Liner who was attempting to smuggle in contraband to the war, as well as 3 German Officers and 20 men, suspiciously dressed in Khaki who were intending to sign on with the Boers.
The Tewkesbury Register writes on 6th Jan 1900:
“A GERMAN LINER SEIZED
Her Majesty’s Cruiser Magicienne has seized the German Line Bundesrath, to the north of Delagoa Bay, with contraband of war on board.
She was conducted on Friday of last week to Durban, where he case will be investigated by the Prize Court, Retuer’s Agency says that she had on board 3 German Officers and 20 men in khaki, who were intending to serve in the Boer army.”
The “Bundesrath Incident” led to some heated negotiations back in London between the German and British Government alongside some international diplomacy between Secretary of State Count Bulow and the British Ambassador Sir Lascelles, including an angry letter sent to Lord Salibury “From the German Ambassador, of a tone very unusual in diplomatic correspondence.”
