Document 8.

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THE 64 MEDALS.

The 64 medals in the group are as follows:

1. A.C.C. 6 1896 (Tpr. M.M.P.), 1899-1902 Q.S.A. 2 bars K.S.A. (Tpr. B.S.A.P.), 1914-18 (Sgt. K.R.R.C.).

2. C.A.C. 1 1899-1902 Q.S.A. (Tpr. Stellenbosch D.M.T.).

3. H.W.C. 1 1899-1902 Q.S.A. 4 bars (Pte. Rlwy. Pnr. Regt.).

4. F.A.C. 1 1899-1902 Q.S.A. 4 bars (Tpr. Kitchener's Horse).

5. C.C. 1 1899-1902 Anglo-Boere (Lt. Staatsartillerie).

6. E.G.C. 1 1899-1902 Q.S.A.(Sgt. Wellington T.G.).

7. J.C.C. l 1899-1902 Q.S.A. (Pte. Wellington T.G.).

8. T.W.C. 3 1899-1902 Q.S.A., K.S.A., C.A.F.L.S. (Mjr. C.T.H.).

9. T.G.C. 1 1914 (Sgt. Bloemhof Cdo.).

10. B.L.C. 2 1914-18 (Pte. 1st S.A.L).

11. D.G.C. 3 1914-18 (Sgt. 6th Inf.) Afr. Serv. (Lt. N.R.V.).

12. A.L.C. 4 1914-18 (Spr. S.A.E.C., Lt. K.A.R.).

13. Sylvia 2 1914-18 (S.A.M.N.S.).

14. T.D.C. 1939 (Durban C.P.S.).

15. RC 6 1939-45 (Pte. Kimberley Regt.).

16. D.C, 5 1939-45 (Spr. S.A.E.C.).

17. M.A.C. 6 1939-45 (A/M S.A.AF.).

18. R.L.C. 3 1939-45 (Tel. S.A.N.F.).

19. R.J.C. 2 1939-45 (Lt. S.A.A.F.).

20. J.R.C. 2 1939-45 (Pte. E.S.P.C.).

21. D.C. 4 1939-45 (Sgt. Tvl. Scottish).

22. Ellen 2 1939-45 (S.A.M.N.S.).

23. Lilian 2 1939-45 (S.A.M.N.S.).

24. M.C. 3 1952 Korea (Lt. S.A.A.F.).


My comments on this list. I have no military knowledge at all. Looking at the list I assume the first column shows the individual receiving the medal.
In many cases only the person's initials are shown, making it very difficult to identify anyone appearing in a family tree. There are three exceptions; namely Sylvia (1914-18), Ellen and Lilian both (1939-45).
The second column indicates the number of medals. I have added the numbers up and the sum comes to 64.
The third column shows either a date or something in brackets, which I can't work out. However, the dates indicate when a battle or war took place; for instance 1939-45 is known by most people.
The fourth column contains details shown in brackets. This could indicate the rank and regiment of the individual.


On first looking at this medal list I wondered who the recipients were so I used various files and documents at my disposal at set about the task of identifying them.
There is a picture, referred to as "Recipients", and is a grid of thumbnails photos, 24 in all showing the faces of those receiving medals. This was my starting point. Click here to see this image.
Here is what I came up with:

1. A.C.C. is Archibald Campbell Cairncross, born 3 Jun 1876, died 2 May 1958 Carnbeg, SA. Married Apr 1917 to Beatrice Burchell. See this photo.

2. C.A.C. the name is unclear but I believe this is Charles Anderson Fischer Cairncross, born 1881, died 1948, married Johanna Elizabeth Potgieter. The family lived in Cape Town.

3. H.W.C. is Herbert William Cairncross, born 24 Apr 1866, died 12 May 1941. He married Louisa Christina Schafer. See this photo.

4. F.A.C. is Frederick Andrew Cairncross, born 21 Nov 1879 Cape Town, S. A., died 24 Nov 1944. He married Elizabeth Snowball. Military service:- Served with Kitchiners Light Horse in the Boer War. see this photo.

5. C.C. is Charles Cairncross, born 1847, Swellenden, Sth. Africa, died 1928, Pietersburg, Sth. Africa. He married Elizabeth Maria Bindermann in 1874. See this photo.

6. E.C.G. is Edward George Cairncross, born 1862, died Jan 6, 1948. He married Magdeline M. Marais. Edward saw active military service as he won the Queens South Africa Medal. See this photo.

7. J.C.C. is John Charles Cairncross, born 1860, died 1928. Married Annie Elizabeth Lombard. See this photo.

8. T.W.C. is Thomas Wilson Cairncross, born 1845, died 1918. He married Mercy Emma Logie (1855-1930) in 1874 in Sth.Africa. Military service: Lt. Col. in the Cape Town Highlanders. See this photo.

9. T.G.C. is Thomas George Cairncross, born 1882, South Africa, died 1918. He married Ellen Retief. See this photo.

10. B.L.C. is Bertram Lilburn Cairncross, born Jul 28, 1899, of George, Cape Prov. Sth Africa, died Apr 7, 1992. He married Grace Winnie Simpson. See this photo. It was Bertram who made this medal collection and this photo shows him looking at the collection.

11. D.G.C. is Douglas Gordon Cairncross, born 1897, died 1970. Married Edna Myra May Aldridge. See this photo.

12. A.L.C. is Alexander Lombard Cairncross, born 22 May 1891, South Africa, died Dec 11, 1946, South Africa. He married Alida Emelia Ueckermann. See this photo.

13. Sylvia is Sylvia Cairncross, born Cape Town, married 14 Jul 1926 to unknown Stay. Served in the SA Military Nursing Service in East Africa. Sister to Douglas Gordon Cairncross.

14. T.D.C. is Thomas Daniel Cairncross, born 28 Aug 1866, died 3 Sep 1929 Vrede. He married 3 times. See this photo of Thomas with his son also named Thomas Daniel.

15. R.C. is Reuben Cairncross, born 30.09.1913. Died 2.1.1988. Batchelor. Worked for Electricity Supply Commission. See this photo.

16. D.C. is Douglas Cairncross, (known as Dux), born 2 Nov 1903. Died 16 Nov 1987. Batchelor. Brick layer. Douglas saw military service and was awarded 5 medals. See this photo.

17. M.A.C. is Melville Andrew Cairncross, (known as Mac), born 28.2.1916. Died 17.08.1989. Batchelor. Electrician for Electricity Supply Commission. See this photo.

18. R.L.C. is Raymond Lilburn Cairncross, born 27.11.1925, died Aug 27, 2015. Married Glennice Naomi Child Nelson. See this photo. Raymond was son to Bertram Lilburn Cairncross.

19. R.J.C. is Robert James Cairncross, born 10 Sep 1909, South Africa. He married 11 Nov 1941 to Charlotte Helen Lockett. Occupation: Civil Engineer, Pretoria. See this photo of Robert with his mother.

20. J.R.C. is James Richard Cairncross, born 1886 Cape Town, South Africa, died 1953 Cape Town. Married Maria Magdelene Smit. See this photo.

21. D.C. this may be Douglas Benjamin Cairncross, born 1889 Cape Town, died 1971. Married 6 Dec 1926 to Edith May Clark.

22. Ellen is Ellen Louden Cairncross, born Oct 7, 1893, died Oct 11, 1981. Married Wallace Dowie in Johannesburg..

23. Lilian is Lilian Dorothy Cairncross (known as Lily), born Oct 22, 1909. Died May 9, 1981. Married Albert William King Early. See this photo.

24. M.C. is Michael Cairncross, born 20 Nov 1930, died 18 May 1955. Married Alida Botha. Pilot in the South African Air Force. In Korea with the UN and awarded the American Air Medal. Killed 18.5.1955 in an air crash on Mt. Kilimanjaro. He was first Officer on a Dakota. See this photo.


I have looked on Google to try to find the various regiments that these medal lists refer to. The following is what I managed to find out.
Staartsartillerie is Afrikaans for Transvaal State Artillery, an artillery regiment of the South African Army.
Q.S.A stands for the Queens South African Medal.
S.A.M.N.S. stands for South African Military Nursing Services.
K.R.R.C. stands for Kings Royal Rifle Corps.
D.M.T. may stand for District Mounted Troops (Boer War).
Wellington T.G. stands for Wellington Town Guard.
C.T.H stands for Cape Town Highlanders.
K.A.R. stands for Kings African Rifles.
C.P.S. stands for Civilian Protection Services. (Thanks to Mark Naude of George, South Afica for this reference.)
S.A.E.C. stands for South African Engineering Corps.
S.A.A.F. stands for South African Air Force.

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