Full medal write up
SOUTH AFRICA 1877-9, CLASP 1879 ‘TRP J A MCMASTER TRANSVAAL RNGRS’
1545 Private Joseph A Masters /McMasters served with the 32nd Foot prior to joining the Transvaal Rangers in early 1879. He is noted in the Army register as serving with the 32nd in South Africa in 1871 and discharged in 1877. He then appears on the medal and casualty roll as dangerously wounded whilst serving with the Border Horse at Sekukuni campaign.
Formed by Pieter Raaff in 1878 and serving against the Pedi and Sekukuni. In November/December 1878 Raaff was out recruiting again as many of the original members of this units six months Service was at an end and he was eventually able to raise his strength to about 150 European and Coloured men - mainly reqruited in the Kimberley Diamonds fields the units members were a tough lot being described by one observer as 'a more forbidding lot of mixed Hottentots and scum of the Diamond Fields was never collected together outside a prison wall' This they may have been but they were also to prove to be one of Buller's finest units.
Initially the Transvaal Rangers were attached to Rowlands column but were transferred to Wood's Column after the disaster of Isandhlwana. They served with distinction at the Battles of Hlobane, Khambula, the Skirmish on the White Mfolozi River and the Battle of Ulundi.
Masters is mentioned as one of the known men to have served at the battle of Hlobane (which is very rarely found). Of 142 medals to this unit, only 71 men actually took part in the battle, making it impossible to find if they were present unless mentioned by someone else. Presumably he would have been at Khambula also and probably Ulundi but this cannot be confirmed. Since the Transvaal Rangers were disbanded shortly after the Zulu War, many of their men are to be found joining units that were still active. The Border Horse would be a natural choice for many as both had served together. Indeed the medal roll confirms this on a number of men……..
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Condition VF. A rare confirmed Hlobane participant, with not more than a handful confirmed for all units but rarer still to a known ex Imperial soldier and a casualty. Sold with copy rolls etc. Ex Noonans 2022.