Nongqai Vol 17 No 7 – SAP Long Service Medal
ABSTRACT
This article explores the long and distinguished policing and military career of Grade 1 Head Constable Charles Detmold Robbins, a Natal Policeman who later served in the 2nd South African Mounted Rifles (SAMR) and earned the Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Long Service & Good Conduct Medal. Robbins’ service reflects the transitional period during which the Natal Police were absorbed into the newly formed Union Defence Force and South African Police, with the SAMR assuming policing duties across Natal.
Robbins participated in the Anglo‑Boer War, earning the Queen’s South Africa Medal with bars Natal, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, and South Africa 1902. He also served during the 1906 Natal Native (Bambatha) Rebellion, receiving the 1906 Medal with Clasp. His shooting achievements were notable, winning multiple competitions including the Hine Cup in 1912.
His long‑service award, although earned in 1911, was only issued in 1916 after administrative delays. The medal is particularly interesting because it bears a police rank on a military long‑service medal, reflecting the hybrid nature of SAMR service. Robbins retired in 1923 as a state prosecutor and died in 1940, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with the evolution of policing in Natal and the early Union period.
“The medal is named No 710 1st GDE. HD. CONST. C.D. Robbins 2nd SAMR.”
“He served in the Boer War with Natal Police… earning the Queens South Africa Medal with bars.”
KEY WORDS
Charles Detmold Robbins, Natal Police, South African Mounted Rifles, SAMR, Union Defence Force, South African Police, Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal, Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, Queen’s South Africa Medal, 1906 Natal Native Rebellion Medal, Melmoth Rifle Association, Anglo‑Boer War, Bambatha Rebellion, colonial policing, Natal history, medal research, force orders, service records, early South African policing, Steve Seargent
An interesting South African Police Long Service medal
Steve Seargent
Dear Brigadier Hennie, you might like to see a rather interesting medal appertaining to the Natal Police successor the 2nd and 3rd South African Mounted Rifles.
On creation of the country wide Union Defence Force and the National Police Force the Natal Police with the exception of the SAP controlled urban units in the larger cities of Pietermaritzburg Durban and Newcastle were entirely subsumed by the 2nd and 3rd Regiment’s South African Mounted Rifles.
They were Head Quartered at Pietermaritzburg, with field force units at Dundee and Durban but in essence covered all of the province of Natal. Our subject C.D. Robbins was on the demise of the Natal Police stationed in Pietermaritzburg the capital city of Natal Province.
So, we come to one of two 2nd SAMR Long Service medal groups in my possession this to Charles Detmold Robbins of the Natal Police. Born on 14th
Medal Group to Grade 1 Head Constable Charles Detmold Robbins
October 1872 at Tunbridge Wells in Kent to George and Matilda Robbins he emigrated at some time to South Africa where he enlisted in the Natal Police as a probationer on the 1st of June 1893 in Pietermaritzburg being noted as single. He was accepted as a trooper on the 1st of June 1874.
By the 1st August 1896 he was a Lance Sergeant and, on the 1st January 1897, he has promoted to 2nd Class Sergeant. His only disciplines were an admonishment for carelessness on 23rd July 1893 and on the 11th of December 1893 when he lost a troop horse, but no punishment is recorded for the latter offence. He was stationed in the Melmoth District in Zululand by the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War.
He served in the Boer War with Natal Police being promoted to 1st Class Sergeant on 1st July 1900, earning the Queens South Africa Medal with bars, Natal, Transvaal South Africa 1901 and South African 1902 named to 1312 1st CL SERJT. C.D. Robbins NATAL POLICE.
Nothing spectacular some would say as there are no battle bars, but it is uncommon to see this combination to the Natal Police as many did not serve outside Natal.
However, he did, with the Natal Police and the Melmoth Rifle Association who took part in the defence of Natal during Boer advances.
Rather like their British counterparts, the Natal Policemen were able to belong to local Rifle Associations but, they too were also required to do active service in times of war.
The Melmoth Rifle Association was awarded a no bar Queens South Africa medal for an engagement at “Klipfontein??” on 18th September 1901 (Poor handwriting on roll)
The medal roll for the Melmoth Rifle Association notes C.D Robbins as the Honorary Secretary and he is credited with a Natal and Transvaal Bar being a member of Natal Police. His South Africa 1901 & 1902 bars were also earned in the Natal police but are not mentioned on the Melmoth Rifle Assn. return. His medal was issued off the Natal Police
Roll and the supplementary roll for the date bars.
Melmoth Rifle Association Roll. Robbins is the third entry.
Natal Police Medal roll. Robbins is the seventh entry
Interestingly, on the 3rd September 1902, as an adult Charles Detmold Robbins was baptised at the Anglican Church Melmoth by the Bishop of Zululand.
On 12th July 1905 he married 24 year old spinster Annie Caroline White at Welverdiend which was close to Melmoth. Their first child Annie Esther Mary Robbins was born on the 30th December 1906.
Hine Cup entry in Nongqai Magazine 1912
He had also put his shooting skills to good use as he is mentioned in the Nongqai (police & SAMR magazine) in 1907 as winning the 200 & 500 yds spoon in the Natal Championships as part of E district (Zululand) and winning the annual aggregate monthly spoon shoots. He also won the Anderson cup against the Transvaal Police in January of that year. As part of the HQ team from Pietermaritzburg, at the Natal Championships he won the Hine cup in 1912.
During that time, he had also earned his second medal, the 1906 Natal Native Rebellion Medal with a 1906 Clasp authorised in 1907 for service in Natal during the Bambatha Rebellion.
The clasp to the medal was awarded to those who had served for more than fifty days in the field between 11 February 1906 and 3 August 1906. The medal is named to- 1C. SGT: C. D. Robbins NATAL POLICE.
Roll for the 1906 Native Rebellion Medal
On the 1st of June 1911 he signed on for a further 3 years’ service which dropped him into the new terms of service under the Defence Act 1913 requiring him to serve 25 years which he had to literally sign or resign, but he appeared by then to have found his niche as a head state prosecutor at the criminal court Pietermaritzburg and willingly signed. By then he was living at 353 Pietermaritzburg Street Pietermaritzburg where he would reside until he passed away. His second child George James Charles Robbins was born on 14th December 1914 at this address, and his father is noted as being a Permanent Force Policeman.
His final medal, the Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, is to my mind the most interesting of them all. It was awarded only warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men who had completed eighteen years of irreproachable service in the ranks of a Permanent Force of any of the Dominions and Colonies of the British Empire. The SAMR despite its police duties was a permanent military unit hence eligible for this award.
Robbins earned his Long Service Medal in June 1911 reckoned from his date of joining. As King George V ascended the throne in May 1911, he must be among the first SA recipients for this reign. However, the administration as to when and how the award would be made was left up to the local forces.
Application document for his Long Service Medal.
In South Africa, one had to apply and then be recommended for the award by the unit commanding officer who then sent this to HQ.
Clearly the Union Defence force and SAMR had more important issues on their plate than Sergeant Robbins and his award in 1911/12.
It was not until after some ‘gentle reminders’ by Robbins that they got around to forwarding his application for the award and issuing this to him in 1916.
The medal is named No 710 1st GDE. HD. CONST. C.D. Robbins 2nd SAMR. The rank is interesting as he is now a 1st Grade Head Constable which was the equivalent of a WO Rank I the highest NCO rank in the SAMR and perversely he is in some correspondence referred to as Warrant Officer Robbins!!
Award confirmation letter, Long Service Medal.
What I like about this medal it’s a police rank on a military long service and good conduct medal.
Charles Robbins retired in the 1923 still as a state prosecutor with the SA Police as in 1922 the SAMR was disbanded. Its policing elements were absorbed into the SA Police, and the military elements were allotted to the UDF Artillery, Instructional Corps, and Military Provost arms.
Charles Robbins passed away on the 27th February 1940 aged 68 years from a Coronary Thrombosis survived by his wife and two adult children leaving an estate of £1,100.00.
Death notice Charles Robbins.
In a second article I will cover the career of a contemporary Natal Police and 2nd SAMR man who earned the SA Police Long and Faithful Service Medal rather than this award.
Thank you Steve this is very interesting! Thanks for sharing!!