A Queen's South Africa Medal to Private Frederick Cunning; North-West Mounted Police & Lord Strathcona's Horse

CAPE COLONY, RHODESIA, ORANGE FREE STATE, TRANSVAAL (180 Pte F. CUNNING, LD. STRATHCONA'S H:). Naming is officially impressed. Lightly soiled original ribbon, edge nicks, very light contact, near extremely fine. Accompanied by fifteen pages with copies of his Service Records. Footnote: Frederick Cunning was born in Port Hope, Ontario. He was sworn in with the North-West Mounted Police, on November 12, 1895 at Regina, Saskatchewan on probation. He signed his Oath of Allegiance and enlisted as a Constable with the North-West Mounted Police on February 10, 1896, engaging for five years' service. Later that year, he was sentenced to ten days hard labour, from November 28 to December 8, 1896, although the records aren't specific on the charges. Cunning ran afoul of the authorities again the following year and plead "Not Guilty" to breaking barracks and drunkenness. He was subsequently fined ten dollars and sentenced to one month imprisonment with hard labour, with Inspector G. Saunders at Macleod recommending on September 11, 1897 that he be discharged. At a Proceedings of Discharge Board, held at Macleod on October 11, 1897, Private Frederick Cunning, "D" Division, North-West Mounted Police, was "dismissed for breaking barracks and drunkenness" on October 11, 1897. Cunning enlisted as a Private (180) with Lord Strathcona's Horse for service in South Africa, on February 5, 1900 at Macleod, Alberta, at the age of 29, naming his next-of-kin as his father, A. Cunning of Toronto, Ontario, stating that he three years' previous service in the North-West Mounted Police (although it was actually less that two years, including his probationary period), that he was Single, that his religion was Methodist and that his trade was that of Carpenter. During his medical examination, the doctor noted that Cunning had two linear scars in the left temporal region on his head. After thirteen months, he returned to Canada on March 8, 1901 and was discharged from service on March 16, 1901 at Ottawa, Ontario. His records indicate he was entitled to the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps: South Africa 1901, Belfast, Orange Free State and Natal. A letter was received by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Ottawa, from the Last Post Fund in October 1938, requesting confirmation of his previous service in the Mounties.