Description
Queen’s South Africa, 2 bars, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Bearer Alexander Downie, Natal Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Officially impressed: “BR: A. Downie. Natal Vol: Amb: C.”
Confirmed on the medal roll. Later posted a loose 1901 dated clasp for doing a further year of service in the Imperial Hospital Corps.
Provenance, ex DNW, 22nd September 2000.
According to the nominal roll “Alex Downie” joined the unit on 9th December 1899.
Scarce and interesting combination of clasps.
The Natal Volunteer Ambulance Corps served with their Indian counterpart the Natal Indian Ambulance Corps, which was led by Mahatma Gandhi.
Downie joined the corps on 9th December, and on the 14th December they left for the front.
Upon arriving at Chieveley Field Hospital the next day there were soon after employed in carrying th ewounded from the Battle of Colenso.
The Bearers were then most notably whilst earning the “Relief of Ladysmith” bar engaged in the Battle of Spion Kop. It was reported that the Natal Volunteer Corps on that day saved many wounded under fire at Spion Kop and the Indian Bearers then took the wounded over to the base hospital at Frere, which was more than 20 miles away.
You can read further about their interesting services including an account of the “wild-looking procession” of the so-called “Body Snatchers” as they were referred to on Angloboerwar.com:
https://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/south-african-units/705-natal-volunteer-medical-corps1
The unit was disbanded on February 1900, having seen a busy 3 months.
According to the medal rolls, he was discharged along with the disbanding of the unit on 12th March 1900, but naturally saw later service with the Imperial Hospital Corps.
The attestation book for the Imperial Hospital Corps recall that he wasted no time in joining the unit on 6th April 1900 and saw over a year of service until 29th May 1901.
