Orders, Decorations and Medals

A rare pre-1914 King’s African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal awarded to Private Dasalim Walde, 3rd battalion, King’s African Rifles

King’s African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (2596 Pte. Dasalim Walde, 3/K.A.R.) very fine and rare £400-500

This D.C.M. was issued from Woolwich on 13 February 1914 and is one of approximately 10 such pre-war awards to the King’s African Rifles. Promulgation details have not been traced but Dasalin is almost certainly one of two other Abyssinians mentioned in the D.C.M. Citation for 2574 Private Abdul Gadir, which reads:

‘This man together with two other Abyssinians, formed part of a detachment of KAR patrolling under the command of Lieut. Lloyd-Jones in the vicinity of the Abyssinian Frontier on the eastern shore of Lake Rudolph. Lieut. Lloyd-Jones and his party charged a thorn Zariba containing a party of Abyssinian outlaws who had refused to surrender. Lieut. Lloyd-Jones fell severely wounded at the first volley, the two men next to him were shot down. The three Abyssinians, of whom this man was one, then rushed the gate alone and killed all the defenders, and afterwards carried their officer to a place of safety. (Incident 3rd September 1913).’

It is believed that Private Dasalim Walde was orderly to Lieutenant Lloyd-Jones and formerly to Captain Aylmer who was killed in 1913. The above incident is mentioned in “Havash - Frontier Adventures in Kenya” by Bt-Major W. Lloyd-Jones, and also in his history “K.A.R.”, published in 1925 and 1926 respectively. With thanks to John Arnold for providing information from his forthcoming publication on African Distinguished Conduct Medals.