It would disturb the cobwebs of antiquity to go back to the remote times when military despatches were introduced. Suffice to say, it was in Caesar's time. According to military dictionaries a despatch is an official military letter sent by the commander of an army in the field to the authorities at home. The term is also applied to the military letters giving an account of military operations sent by subordinate officers holding detached commands to the general of an army in the field.

• Some authorities insist on the spelling of the word as "dispatch". At the present time (1946) "despatch" is used most.

SOUTH AFRICAN WAR 1899-1902

Confining ourselves to the wars of recent times in which Australian troops have taken part we find that during the South African War, 1899-1902, those officers and soldiers who received a "mention" had their names included in the London Gazette. It was reprinted in South African Army Orders, and again in local General Orders. The recipient had no personal outward sign to show that he had received a "mention", unless of course, some decoration as well had been conferred upon him.

• Other forms of "mention" during this campaign were the promotion of other ranks to 

  • "King's Corporal" and 

  • "Kitchener Sergeant", and the presentation of the coveted 

  • "Queen's Scarf ".

The history of King's Corporal and Kitchener Sergeant in the Army is known to some, but is frequently the subject of argument. A writer to the Journal of Army Historical Research, 1935, states that the current tradition of the rank was instituted as a reward for gallantry during the South African War and existed during that campaign only. Private soldiers, it is said, once promoted King's Corporal-supernumerary to regimental establishment - could never be reduced except by the King himself.

In the same journal for 1936 a reprint from the Naval and Military Journal quoted the following on the subject of King's Corporal, which apparently was a "mention": "There was an official suggestion in 1901 to the effect that soldiers who had distinguished themselves in war-time, but were unsuited to be NCOs in peace-time, should be given some mark of distinction on the right arm, preferably an embroidered band, carrying with it a step in rank whilst actually on active service, with additional pay, and a donation of £10 at the end of it.

Some members of the War Office Committee who sat to consider the proposal objected to the monetary grant, urging that such was derogatory to the soldier, but one of them pointed out that "Lord Roberts had not hesitated to accept £100,000, so I cannot see why a soldier should object to receive £10." The idea, however, was not adopted, though some men were specially promoted in the field in the latter stages of the Boer War, and were generally known as 'Kitchener Sergeants'."

Many inquiries were made during World War II on the question of King's Corporal, whether it really existed or not. On 22 October 1944 a letter appeared in the London Times referring to the statement made by the Secretary of State for War in the British Parliament on 10 October. It had been asked on what authority Lord Kitchener had promoted a rifleman of the Rifle Brigade to the rank of King's Corporal on 8 December 1901. Other correspondents cited additional instances. The Times writer asked: "Can any authority say what the award is intended to convey to the recipient if it is not recognized in the War Office?" 

During the South African War Australian contingents had King's Corporals and Kitchener Sergeants. It is recorded in official orders that two corporals and a lance-corporal were promoted sergeant and five troopers, a lance corporal and a private were promoted corporal by the Commander-in-Chief for gallantry in the field. These were termed "King's Corporals" and "Kitchener Sergeants" and the promotions were announced in orders under the heading of "mentions", and were published in the London Gazette.

The order announcing the promotions stated that "the General Commanding-in-Chief had been pleased to sanction the following promotions of NCOs and men for distinguished gallantry in the field (should they be desirous of accepting it). Such promotion to take effect in each case from the date mentioned on which the act was performed. 

• They will be absorbed supernumerary to establishment of their unit, and will be absorbed into vacancies on the first opportunity-

  • New South Wales Mounted Rifles,

    •  Corporal P. J. Daly, promoted sergeant by C.-in-C. (Commonwealth General Order 148/I902);

  • Victorian Imperial Bushmen, 

    • Lance-Corporal R. McRae, 

    • Trooper W. Sheehan, 

    • Trooper J. Clay, 

    • Trooper J. Green, and 

    • Trooper P. O'Brien, promoted corporals by C-in-C. (Victorian General Order 66/ 1901); 

  • Victorian Imperial Regiment, 

    • Corporal Hewitt, promoted sergeant by G-G (Victorian General Order 79/1900; 

  • Victorian Imperial Bushmen, 

    • Lance-Corporal A. N. Gregg, promoted sergeant by G-G (Victorian General Order 83/1901);

  • Victorian Imperial Regiment, 

    • Trooper Hipland, promoted corporal by C-C. (Victorian General Order 93/1900; 

  • Victorian Mounted Rifles, 

    • Private H. A. Wilson, promoted corporal by C-C. (Victorian General Order 93/1901)".

Queen's Scarf

In the despatch from Field-Marshal Earl Roberts to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for War, published in the London Gazette dated 17 June 1902, reference is made to the Queen's Scarf, which is considered to be a "mention". In April 1900 Lord Roberts received from Her Majesty Queen Victoria four woollen scarves worked by herself, for distribution to the four most distinguished private soldiers of the Colonial Forces of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, then serving under his command. <<< This is a close up shot of the Queen's Scarf awarded to the Canadian, Pte R R Thompson. By a strange quirk of fate Thompson was actually an American citizen serving in the Canadian Unit

Private A. Du Frayer of the NSW Mounted Rifles, wearing the Queens Scarf, awarded for bravery in South Africa. AWM A04542

The selection of these gifts of honour was made, by the officers commanding contingents concerned, it being understood that gallant conduct in the field was to be considered the primary qualification.

• Those presented with the scarves were-

  • Canada, Private R. R. Thompson, Royal Canadian Regiment;

  • Australia, Private Du Frayer, New South Wales Mounted Rifles; (see photo above)

  • New Zealand, Private H. D. Coutts, New Zealand Mounted Rifles; 

  • South Africa, Trooper L. Chadwick, Robert's Horse.

The award of these scarves carried no distinctive honour, neither did they confer any precedence in British awards. They were merely a gift from Her Majesty. As they were notified in the Commander-in-Chiefs despatches and subsequently published in the London Gazette it is reasonable to assume that they can be treated as "mentions". The official notification for the award of the scarves is announced in Commonwealth General Order 155/1902.

WORLD WAR I

William Henry John Errol was born in London in 1882 with the surname 'Sommerfeld'. He was educated at Alleyne's School, Dulwich College.  He emigrated to Australia prior to the First World War.