Hello David, QSA clasps could be issued either for specific battles or sub-campaigns or for more general service. The clasps on the QSA of your g-g-f reflect general service in the areas specified. He served in the 7th Dragoon Guards. There was no conscription at that time and all soldiers were volunteers. Consequently they often had some say in the unit or at least type of unit they joined. A man who could ride a horse was a prime candidate for a cavalry regiment and he may have specifically asked to join 7DG or just asked to join the cavalry and was posted to 7DG because they needed more manpower at that time. Cavalry regiments had no specific recruitment area although infantry regiments did. Nevertheless a man who joined the infantry did not necesarily join his local regiment. There are plenty of examples, for instance, of Englishman in Scottish Highland Regiments. Regards, David ----- Original Message ----- From: David Parkes <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2003 5:51 PM Subject: [BOER-WAR] Questions about GB Medals, the 7th Dragoons & Recruitment > Good morning. > > I own a set of medals from Great-Grandfather > who fought in the Anglo-Boer War [1899-1902] > and WWI. His "Queen's South Africa Medal" > has three clasps stating the following... > > Transvaal > Orange Free State > Cape Colony > > What does this signify, exactly? > > > Furthermore, the inscription on the rim states, > > 4013 Pvte T. Parkes 7 / Dn. Gds. > > I'm interpreting this inscription to mean that > he served in the 7th Dragoon Guards. Is this > an accurate assumption? > > > Finally, can someone explain how, back in > the 1890s, a young man would enter the 7th > Dragoons as opposed, to say, the 1st? Was it > based on your geographical location? Or did > you, as the entrant, have a choice? In short, > what determined which men were assigned to > each of the British army's regiments/divisions? > > Cheers, > David Parkes