Rifleman Richard Reginald Rowe 2nd South African Mounted Rifles

Description

Richard was born on the 11th of Feb 1882 in Pietermaritzburg. Richard attested with the Natal police on the 17th of the February 1906, before joining the South African Mounted Rifles on the 1st of April 1913. In 1908 Richard married his wife, Mary Masters Cole. On the 30th of July 1915, during the South West African Campaign, whilst cooking food over a campfire a cartridge that unknown to Richard was within his fire exploded, peppering his Right hand, both legs and feet with shot and shrapnel. Richard was labelled as medically unfit after this wounding (Something the commander of the 3rd Regiment of the SAMR disagreed with strongly later). He was operated on at the Wynberg military hospital in Windhuk and was awarded a disability pension which he disputed in 1916, as he did not believe it was correct level. He also spent a period working as a clerk at the Training depot of the SAMR.

This caused a massive dispute with the Treasury of South Africa due to his request for an increased pension. South African Law (Section 17 of Government Notice No. 567 of 1905) allows for men that have over 10 years’ service in the South African Defence forces and who have clean records, are entitled to have their pension increased (as if they had served an additional 5 years) if wounded in action. However, although his police service and SAMR service equated to 10 years and 285 days, as his “disability was caused on, but not the result of active service” the treasury were of the opinion he was not entitled to the additional pension. The issue became so involved that the Secretary for Defence’s office had to weigh in on the issue, with Richard eventually receiving an increase to his pension. Richard died at some point prior to 1930, but an exact date is difficult to find. Richard and Mary had one son, William (Born 6th of January 1909), who named his son Richard Reginald Rowe in his late father’s memory (Born 9th January 1932).

This Medal comes with copies of research and a 136 page document detailing the absolute chaos Richard’s pension application caused within the halls of the South African treasury and the Secretary for Defence’s offices.