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Great Britain: 2nd Cruiser Squadron visit to South Africa & South America

Great Britain: 2nd Cruiser Squadron visit to South Africa & South AmericaGreat Britain: 2nd Cruiser Squadron visit to South Africa & South America
Great Britain: 2nd Cruiser Squadron visit to South Africa & South AmericaGreat Britain: 2nd Cruiser Squadron visit to South Africa & South America
Form: Circular with riveted claw clasp and suspension bar. The ribbon is pale blue to which is fitted a number of clasps.
By: ?
Date: 1909
Ref:  MYB: U2; Laidlaw: 0289;
Variations:
SizeMetalMassValue
36 mmBronze

Edge: Plain. Impressed with the date, the name of the seaman and his ship.

Obverse: Woman in Edwardian dress standing on a rocky shore, facing right, clothes blowing in the wind, left hand holding onto her hat, her right waving a handkerchief towards four cruisers on the horizon. Legend: "SOUTH AFRICA AND SOUTH AMERICA 1908".

Reverse: Across: "2ND. / CRUISER SQUADRON / (ornamental line) / GOOD HOPE / DEVONSHIRE / ANTRIM / CARNARVON / (ornamental line) / 1908". Legend: " "CLOSER (left) UNION (right)".

Notes: The medal commemorates the British goodwill visit of the Second Cruiser Squadron to South Africa and South America in 1908. It was privately issued to the seamen on the tour. There are a total of fourteen possible clasps each naming a city or town. A seaman attending a particular reception in one of these places was entitled to that clasp.

The clasps are named: "DURBAN, PIETERMARITZBURG, LADYSMITH, JOHANNESBURG, PRETORIA, BLOEMFONTEIN, EAST LONDON, PORT ELIZABETH, CAPETOWN, SIMONSTOWN, ST. HELENA, RIO DE JANEIRO, MONTE VIDEO, BUENOS AIRES".

The tour was commanded by Admiral Sir Percy Moreton Scott. During the Boer War, while captain of HMS Terrible, he was responsible for the conversion of naval guns into field artillery for the relief of Ladysmith.