The WW1 memorial in Beddgelert, Caernarvonshire (now Gwynedd), has the name of Robert D. Jones added.
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Robert D. Jones, died in Transvaal, 1900 - by: BereniceUK
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Caernarvonshire - by: BereniceUK
I walked up Twthill, overlooking Caernarfon, early one morning to photograph the county memorial. It was the work of a local mason, Hugh Jones, and was unveiled and dedicated on 2nd July, 1904.
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Corporal Owen Roberts Denbighshire Hussars
Shoeing Smith J. V. Griffith Denbighshire Hussars
Trooper G. C. Goodwin Denbighshire Hussars
Trooper J. B. K. Long Norfolk Yeomanry
Corporal J. Metcalfe 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards
Private E. Dawes 2nd Battalion Scotts Guards
Private W. Joyce 1st Battalion King's (Liverpool) Regiment
Second Lieutenant Roger Williams-Ellis 2nd Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private E. Roberts 1st Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private W. Evans 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private J. T. Jones 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private W. Kelly 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private T. Mailen 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private W. H. Williams 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Sergeant C. Jones 3rd Volunteer Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private H. Deverell 3rd Volunteer Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private J. Roberts 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers
Lance Corporal G. Soper 2nd Battalion Royal Highlanders
Private A. Soper 2nd Royal West Kent Regiment
Sergeant J. Graham 2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers
Trooper J. Rowlands Brabant's Horse
Trooper D. E. Roberts Kimberley Light Horse
Trooper G. D. Cameron Natal Mounted Police
Dresser T. R. Eames Welsh Hospital
Roll of Honour has additional information on some of the men, but also differences in the spelling of some of the names. www.roll-of-honour.com/Caernarvonshire/CaernarfonBoer.html
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Anglesey in the distance.
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Corporal Owen Roberts Denbighshire Hussars
Shoeing Smith J. V. Griffith Denbighshire Hussars
Trooper G. C. Goodwin Denbighshire Hussars
Trooper J. B. K. Long Norfolk Yeomanry
Corporal J. Metcalfe 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards
Private E. Dawes 2nd Battalion Scotts Guards
Private W. Joyce 1st Battalion King's (Liverpool) Regiment
Second Lieutenant Roger Williams-Ellis 2nd Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private E. Roberts 1st Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private W. Evans 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private J. T. Jones 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private W. Kelly 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private T. Mailen 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private W. H. Williams 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Sergeant C. Jones 3rd Volunteer Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private H. Deverell 3rd Volunteer Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Private J. Roberts 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers
Lance Corporal G. Soper 2nd Battalion Royal Highlanders
Private A. Soper 2nd Royal West Kent Regiment
Sergeant J. Graham 2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers
Trooper J. Rowlands Brabant's Horse
Trooper D. E. Roberts Kimberley Light Horse
Trooper G. D. Cameron Natal Mounted Police
Dresser T. R. Eames Welsh Hospital
Roll of Honour has additional information on some of the men, but also differences in the spelling of some of the names. www.roll-of-honour.com/Caernarvonshire/CaernarfonBoer.html
Anglesey in the distance.
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De Bloe of the Bedford D.M.T. - by: Rory
A brief foray into the Eastern Cape hinterland yielded this little group in a small hamlet by the name of Cookhouse.
The rank on the QSA is especially appealing - it's to a Farrier Corporal by the name of J. De Bloe (an unusual name indeed) of the Bedford D.M.T.
The accompanying pair - also his - are named to Pte. J.J. De Bloe of the 9th S.A.H.
![DeBloemedals.jpeg]()
Regards
Rory
The rank on the QSA is especially appealing - it's to a Farrier Corporal by the name of J. De Bloe (an unusual name indeed) of the Bedford D.M.T.
The accompanying pair - also his - are named to Pte. J.J. De Bloe of the 9th S.A.H.
Regards
Rory
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Frederick August Mühlenbeck - by: Mühlenbeck
Researching FA Mühlenbeck blood line. FA Mühlenbeck and his wife Caroline came to SA in 1840's from Prussia. Their son FA Mühlenbeck (lieutenant / captain) looked after Wodehouse Border Guard, and was part of the Mooirosi's Mountain battle in 1879. I am desperately looking for further information about him, specific to his father, and his sons (which should be GL (Gert Lukas) - my husbands great grandfather & FA Mühlenbeck.
I have searched high and low for a photograph / drawing or anything further and wondered if anyone here would be able to assist?
Thanks
Tania Mühlenbeck
I have searched high and low for a photograph / drawing or anything further and wondered if anyone here would be able to assist?
Thanks
Tania Mühlenbeck
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Changing a few site settings - by: djb
Since making the changes to the site on Monday, I have noticed that the three forum lists only refresh when I log in. To prevent this, I have turned off the caching of the site just now. This was also causing an issue (resolved yesterday) giving an occasional error message when logging in to the effect that the token was invalid.
I would be interested to hear your experience of how this affects the speed of the site.
I would be interested to hear your experience of how this affects the speed of the site.
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Medals to the men of Rorke's Drift - by: djb
Picture courtesy of DNW
SAGS (1) (12046. Driver, C. Robson. R.E.)
Sole March 2017 for £110,000.
Charles John Robson was born on 7 January 1855, in the Parish of St George’s, London. He enlisted into the Royal Engineers at Bow Street Police Court, Westminster on 30 April 1873, aged 18 years 6 months, a groom by trade. He was sent to Aldershot and posted to “B” troop (Equipment) R.E. Train. Lieutenant John Chard joined this company on 18 April 1876, and Robson was detailed as his batman and groom. They were still in Aldershot in December 1877 when the majority of the drivers, including Robson, were transferred to 5th Company which was forming a mounted engineers detachment. On 2 December 1878, he accompanied the 5th Company as they boarded the S.S. Walmer Castle bound for active service in South Africa. Arriving in Durban on 4 January 1879, they were greeted by a torrential downpour through which they had to unload hundreds of tons of stores and equipment. Lieutenant Chard, with Driver Robson, a corporal and three sappers, were ordered to Rorke’s Drift post to repair the pontoon bridge across the Buffalo River. A small mule train was organised on which the men and their equipment were loaded. Chard rode on horseback with Robson on his spare mount.
Chard and his men finally arrived and set up camp on the Natal side of the river on the 19th. They then set to work on one of the ponts, the other still at full stretch with the wagons of the centre column. The damaged pont was repaired and in use by the evening of the 21st. Unfortunately there would be no respite for the corporal and three sappers; having endured the long slog up from Durban, they now received orders to join the centre column next day at their new camp at the foot of Isandhlwana, some ten miles up the road from Rorke’s Drift. On the morning of the 22nd the four men climbed into their empty wagon and, with their native driver, set off for Isandhlwana, where, later that day, they met their fate together with some 1350 officers and men of Lord Chelmsford’s column in the greatest disaster ever to befall the British army.
Chard had also been at Isandhlwana that morning to obtain his own orders but left just before the main force of Zulus appeared and arrived back at Rorke’s Drift in time for lunch, which Robson had prepared for him. He then settled down to write some letters home. The peace and quiet was soon shattered by the arrival of several riders who had just escaped from Isandhlwana. They brought news of the disaster and of a large Zulu impi now racing towards the mission station.
Orders were hurriedly given and Robson saddled the two horses and started up the hill, the native driver following close behind with the wagon, which he left near to a rough stone cattle kraal not far from one of the buildings. In all the commotion no one had noticed as he and the native boy had slipped away, the boy on Robson’s horse. Robson had by this time joined the men of “B” Company, who had also received the warning and were now frantically building up walls of mealie bags, connecting the two buildings. Robson took a place in front of the storehouse where the perimeter met a stronger built cattle kraal. From here he had a clear field of fire across to where the wagon was parked.
The defences were barely finished when the first Zulus appeared on the hills above the station at about 4.30pm, only 75 minutes after the first alert. At that moment, the 350 or so friendly natives of the Natal Native Contingent bolted over the walls of the fort, closely followed by their European officers. The Zulus charged down against the south wall to be checked with volley fire from the remaining defenders. The main force of Zulus then arrived veering around the post eager to find the weakest spot. As the battle developed, Chard made a note of where Robson was placed, which he later recalled in his second extended account of the action:
‘...the Zulus were wrecking the camp of the company of the 24th, and my wagon which had been left outside, in spite of the efforts of my batman, Driver Robson (the only other man of the Royal Engineers with us), who had directed his particular attention to keeping the Zulus off this wagon in which were, as he described it, our things.’
The front wall and stone kraal was to come under fierce attack during the evening as the Zulus launched repeated charges at the walls. For some 12 hours this relentless assault continued until on the morning of 23 January and with the defenders’ ammunition down to the last 20 rounds each, the Zulus retired. They left 350 dead bodies scattered around the area, but many more were discovered in the weeks to come, hidden under rocks and in caves on the hills above the station. The defenders suffered only 17 killed and eight seriously wounded. As the weary men cautiously went around, collecting weapons and repairing defences, Chard inspected the wreckage of his wagon, discovering an unbroken bottle of beer, which he shared with Lieutenant Bromhead - Robson’s efforts had not been entirely wasted!
Chard and Robson remained at Rorke’s Drift for several weeks to work on a more permanent fortification of the garrison. On 4 July 1879, they were both present in the British square at the battle of Ulundi for the final defeat of the Zulus. Following the cessation of hostilities, 5th Company moved to St Paul’s Mission, where they were occupied in building another fortified position. They embarked aboard the S.S. Eagle, arriving at Portsmouth on 2 October, where they were greeted as heroes by a whole host of generals including the Commander-in-Chief, H.R.H. The Duke of Cambridge.
Once home Chard commenced an unofficial tour of the country, starting with a visit to the home of his sister in Moredon, Somerset. News of the visit travelled fast and a huge crowd of over 4,000 had gathered at Taunton railway station to greet Chard’s train. When it finally arrived, Robson too received much attention:
‘Major Chard was accompanied by his military servant in full regimentals and the appearance of this soldierly young fellow bearing an armful of Zulu assegais and other trophies of the campaign excited much interest.’
Chard and his family were then taken by carriage through the streets of Taunton, to the strains of “Hail the Conquering Hero Comes”, and on to the village of North Curry where a large and elaborate party had been planned. In one of the many speeches made later that day, Chard said he was sorry that [Lieutenant] Bromhead and [Surgeon] Reynolds were not with him to see how much was thought of what they had done at Rorke’s Drift, but he was glad to say that there was one other besides himself (referring to Robson, who was occupying a box seat of the carriage) who had the opportunity to see how greatly their services were appreciated, and what a splendid reception had been accorded them. General Sir Percy Douglas, Chelmsford’s predecessor in command of the forces in South Africa, then stood up and called for three cheers for the “Noble Sapper on the Box”.
The tour continued to Plymouth, London and Chatham. On 10 October Chard and Robson went to Balmoral for an audience with Queen Victoria. For Robson, though, the share of Chard’s glory was all too brief, for in November he left Chard in Somerset to return to the more normal army existence, taking with him the hand written testimonial from his former master listed above.
In February 1880, nearing the end of his six years’ service with the colours, Robson was transferred to the 7th Field Company at Chatham, but when the 7th Company left for Natal in 1881, he decided not to re-engage and was transferred to 11th Field Company, to be discharged a month later on 20 June. However, in September 1881, he began a new job at Chatham barracks as a civilian groom and general servant to Captain C. H. Gordon, R.E., and accompanied this officer to Cork, but when Gordon returned to Chatham in July 1882 they parted company. He was re-called to the colours on 2 August 1882, and posted to Aldershot as batman to Lieutenant Maude. He received two pence good conduct pay from that date, and on 13 November 1882, he re-engaged to serve a further twelve years. He received his final discharge on 30 April 1894.
Charles Robson died on 19 July 1933, at St Nicholas Hospital in Plumstead. He was 78, and was buried in an unmarked grave in Plumstead Old Cemetery. A hand-carved wooden marker plaque was placed at the grave site on 22 January 1993, and in 1999 a more permanent memorial plaque was placed at the grave by the Royal Engineers Association.
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Pretoria Terrace, Caernarfon - by: BereniceUK
A commemoration, I think, rather than a memorial. I did an online search, and Pretoria Terrace gets a mention in this article on Wales and the South African War (not Anglo-Boer War in Wales!).
www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgi...ris-roadside-3875512
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Herbert Woodward, k.i.a. 12.3.1879 - by: BereniceUK
Herbert Woodward, 80th Regiment. Killed at the Intombi Massacre, South Africa, on 12th March 1879, aged 25 years. In Christ Churchyard, Barnton, Cheshire.
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Lieutenant H.J. Hardy, Rifle Brigade - k.i.a. 4.10.1879 - by: BereniceUK
In St James' Church, Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire.
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The Mission Chapel.
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The Mission Chapel.
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A great buy for someone - by: Brett Hendey
www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/277465121/Group_..._James_Hattrill.html
The medal group in the above link would have had a happy home in my collection - at least, I would have been happy! However, I knew it was out of my league, so I did not bid on it. It eventually sold for about double my imaginary estimate. The ZAR's converted into real money amount to 4,300 GBP's.
Brett
The medal group in the above link would have had a happy home in my collection - at least, I would have been happy! However, I knew it was out of my league, so I did not bid on it. It eventually sold for about double my imaginary estimate. The ZAR's converted into real money amount to 4,300 GBP's.
Brett
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Lieutenant George Lockhart Greenshields, Shropshire Yeomanry - by: BereniceUK
In St Sadwrn's Church, Llansadwrn, Anglesey.
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In Memory of
George Lockhart Greenshields
Lieutenant
Shropshire Yeomanry
eldest son of Robert Low and
Helen Greenshields
of Malpas Cheshire
Born 20th November 1876
Mortally wounded at
Grootafdeeling South Africa
on 7th and died on 9th June 1901.
"Faithful unto Death"
George Lockhart Greenshields
Lieutenant
Shropshire Yeomanry
eldest son of Robert Low and
Helen Greenshields
of Malpas Cheshire
Born 20th November 1876
Mortally wounded at
Grootafdeeling South Africa
on 7th and died on 9th June 1901.
"Faithful unto Death"
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Trench Art - 26 Pte. H.Y. Baldwin, C.M.R. - by: QSAMIKE
Good Morning Everyone.....
One of the things that I pick up every so often is Carved Pipes as used by the soldiers in the Boer war and original pieces of Trench Art...... I have a number of them with initials of the soldiers on them and have never been able to identify them until now.....
I picked up this pipe on our favourite auction site and even though I normally do not pay much for them I went a little higher than I normally do because it is to a Canadian.....
On the bowl is carved the Cap Badge as worn by the Canadian Contingent..... Above the badge in a scroll is “1899 BOER WAR 1900” which is basically the period covered by the main Canadian involvement...... Below the badge are the initials H.Y.B. ......
I was able to find on the LAC website only one person with those initials......
26 PRIVATE HENRY YARWOOD BALWIN, CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES
On checking on this man I found some very interesting pieces of information......
On his Attestation Papers:
No.: 26, Private, Baldwin, Henry Yarwood
Corps: Canadian Mounted Rifles
Enlisted at: Regina
On: 5th January1900
Age: 39 years
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
Former Corps: None
Trade or Calling: MILITARY SURGEON
Religion: C.E.
Next of Kin: (Brother) Robert Baldwin
Married or Single: Single
Remarks:
QUEENS MEDAL WITH FOUR CLASPS: Orange Free State, Cape Colony, Diamond Hill, Johannesburg
On the reverse of the Attestation Papers is written: APPOINTED CIVIL SURGEON TO THE REGIMENT 1st MAY, 1900
One of the things that struck me is his Trade or Calling...... A Doctor enlisting as a Private......
Have attached some Photos, will not repair stem and leave it as it is......
Hope you enjoy......
Mike
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![P1030839.JPG]()
![Baldwin.jpg]()
One of the things that I pick up every so often is Carved Pipes as used by the soldiers in the Boer war and original pieces of Trench Art...... I have a number of them with initials of the soldiers on them and have never been able to identify them until now.....
I picked up this pipe on our favourite auction site and even though I normally do not pay much for them I went a little higher than I normally do because it is to a Canadian.....
On the bowl is carved the Cap Badge as worn by the Canadian Contingent..... Above the badge in a scroll is “1899 BOER WAR 1900” which is basically the period covered by the main Canadian involvement...... Below the badge are the initials H.Y.B. ......
I was able to find on the LAC website only one person with those initials......
26 PRIVATE HENRY YARWOOD BALWIN, CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES
On checking on this man I found some very interesting pieces of information......
On his Attestation Papers:
No.: 26, Private, Baldwin, Henry Yarwood
Corps: Canadian Mounted Rifles
Enlisted at: Regina
On: 5th January1900
Age: 39 years
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
Former Corps: None
Trade or Calling: MILITARY SURGEON
Religion: C.E.
Next of Kin: (Brother) Robert Baldwin
Married or Single: Single
Remarks:
QUEENS MEDAL WITH FOUR CLASPS: Orange Free State, Cape Colony, Diamond Hill, Johannesburg
On the reverse of the Attestation Papers is written: APPOINTED CIVIL SURGEON TO THE REGIMENT 1st MAY, 1900
One of the things that struck me is his Trade or Calling...... A Doctor enlisting as a Private......
Have attached some Photos, will not repair stem and leave it as it is......
Hope you enjoy......
Mike
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Journel of Corpl. Spencer, Arthur. No.1128 - by: stevec
Sorry if I have put this in the wrong place. Perhaps it can be moved if necessary.
I hope this will be of interest to some. I will do this in several posts so I don't have so much typing to do in one go.
This is the journal of my great grandfather Arthur George Spencer, Corpl with the 1st volunteer Brigade. Lincoln Regiment. Number 1128
I remember him fairly clearly, he died when I was a 10 year old.
Wednesday January 29th 1902----Volunteered for service in S Africa.
Thursday January 30th 1902
Went to Lincoln for inspection. (he was living in Gainsborough at the time)
Saturday February 22nd 1902
Left Lincoln 7-30 and arrived at Southampton Docks 2-15. Embarked on the Tintagel Castle 2-20 left the docks at 2-25 same day. Corporal of the Ships Guard from 5-30 Saturday night until 2pm Sunday 23rd,02. was sea sick Sunday 23rd and Monday 24th 1902. Rough voyage up to now.
Tuesday February 25th 1902
Wednesday February 26th 02----Wrote letter to Annies home & Sisters, not posted until Friday
February 28th 1902
Friday February 28th 02----Reached Las Palmas at 11-30 coaled and left again at 8-15 same day
Sunday March 2nd 1902---Corporal of ships Guard & Picquet from 10AM until 10AM Monday 3.3.02 Slept on Forecastle on Sunday for first time at night
Monday March 3rd 02
Brought before the adjutant and complimented for good conduct and smartness as n.c.o.
Tuesday March 4th 02
Had a salt water bath for the first time.
Wednesday March 5th 02---Salt water bath. Shaved myself for the first time.
Thursday March 6th 02----Salt water bath.
We will leave it here for now with him enjoying his salt water baths. More later.
Steve
I hope this will be of interest to some. I will do this in several posts so I don't have so much typing to do in one go.
This is the journal of my great grandfather Arthur George Spencer, Corpl with the 1st volunteer Brigade. Lincoln Regiment. Number 1128
I remember him fairly clearly, he died when I was a 10 year old.
Wednesday January 29th 1902----Volunteered for service in S Africa.
Thursday January 30th 1902
Went to Lincoln for inspection. (he was living in Gainsborough at the time)
Saturday February 22nd 1902
Left Lincoln 7-30 and arrived at Southampton Docks 2-15. Embarked on the Tintagel Castle 2-20 left the docks at 2-25 same day. Corporal of the Ships Guard from 5-30 Saturday night until 2pm Sunday 23rd,02. was sea sick Sunday 23rd and Monday 24th 1902. Rough voyage up to now.
Tuesday February 25th 1902
Wednesday February 26th 02----Wrote letter to Annies home & Sisters, not posted until Friday
February 28th 1902
Friday February 28th 02----Reached Las Palmas at 11-30 coaled and left again at 8-15 same day
Sunday March 2nd 1902---Corporal of ships Guard & Picquet from 10AM until 10AM Monday 3.3.02 Slept on Forecastle on Sunday for first time at night
Monday March 3rd 02
Brought before the adjutant and complimented for good conduct and smartness as n.c.o.
Tuesday March 4th 02
Had a salt water bath for the first time.
Wednesday March 5th 02---Salt water bath. Shaved myself for the first time.
Thursday March 6th 02----Salt water bath.
We will leave it here for now with him enjoying his salt water baths. More later.
Steve
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Boer POWs captured twice - by: kvdw
Upon examination of some POW records from the Anglo-Boer War Museum’s database (
www.wmbr.org.za/view.asp?pg=research&pgs...tabases&head1=Search
), I’ve discovered the records of several prisoners who seem to have been captured twice. I cannot be sure that these are, in each instance, the same individual, but the addresses and ages seem to match.
Does anyone have any idea about the circumstances that may have been involved in cases such as these? I gather there were some escapes, but did these happen on a significant scale? I also gather that some POWs were sent back to their families from the Green Point camp. However, my understanding is that they would have been sent to join their families in the concentration camps. Did appreciable numbers of those leave the camps, only to be recaptured, or perhaps never reach their destinations in the first place? Did some join or rejoin commandos? Would they have been required to sign an oath of neutrality (or something like that) before being sent back; if this was the case, were they viewed in a more negative light than other Boers when they were captured, or in any instances treated more harshly?
I have listed a few examples below, all of them recaptured on 11 January 1902; the location of their capture is given as Kroonstad. I have not been able to find mention of any engagement on that day, so I imagine it’s possible these men were not necessarily on commando, but simply rounded up by patrols in the area because they were found outside the refugee camps. Does this seem a plausible scenario?
I don’t know much about the nature or degree of effectiveness of the bureaucracy surrounding the movement and detention of the prisoners. Might these prisoners perhaps not actually have been captured twice at all, the second record in each instance merely being an administrative anomaly? In that case, I guess the suggestion in my example records that these prisoners were captured at Kroonstad might actually be a designation of the region they were from.
I apologize for the extensiveness of my list of questions. These records simply seem to me to point to some potentially fascinating stories. And I can’t help but wonder about those stories, having had my imagination primed by tales of my partner’s grandfather, who was captured twice and sent to two different POW camps (in Italy and Germany) during the Second World War! I have a further interest in that I am a descendent of the first individual on the list below – the unfortunate man who, when first captured at the age of seventy, had not been on commando, and who (unless he had joined a commando upon returning to the Free State) may have had the unfortunate distinction of having been twice taken prisoner of war without ever having lifted a rifle. Or perhaps there were many others who experienced a similar, rather unlucky, fate?
I would very much appreciate any enlightenment on this topic anyone could give.
The examples I have are:
Ferdinand van Niekerk: First captured at Niekerksrust on 7 October 1900; prisoner number 14663; ref. ID 13745; age 70; sent to Green Point Camp. Recaptured at Kroonstad on 11 January 1902; prisoner number 28234; ref. ID 27310; age 72. Address in both records Niekerksrust.
Hendrik Philippus Serfontein (Snr): First captured at Honingspruit on 14 September 1900; prisoner number 12735; ref. ID 11819; age 37; sent to Green Point. Recaptured at Kroonstad on 11 January 1902; prisoner number 28453; ref. ID 27528; age 38; sent to Bhim Thal. Address in both records Roodewal.
Johan Andries Richter: First captured at Lower Methin on 2 June 1900; prisoner number 14786; ref. ID 13868; age 52; sent to Green Point. Recaptured at Kroonstad on 11 January 1902; prisoner number 30120; ref. ID 29195; age 53. Address in both records Lionsden.
Johannes Jacobus Haupt Minnaar: First captured at Lindley on 11 August 1900; prisoner number 11556; ref. ID 10640; age 24; address Lindley. Recaptured at Kroonstad on 11 January 1902; prisoner number 28205; ref. ID 27281; age 25; address Lindley Town.
The same pattern occurs with the following other examples of prisoners captured on 11 January 1902: Jan Harm Labuschagne (age 37), Joseph Martinus (A) Hattingh (age 22), and Cornelius Martinus Johannes Fouche (age 42) – that is, first captured in 1900; sent (where a destination is indicated) to Green Point; captured again at Kroonstad; sent (where a destination is indicated) to Bhim Thal. (The full records of these can easily be found on the Anglo-Boer War Museum’s database.)
Thanks!
Does anyone have any idea about the circumstances that may have been involved in cases such as these? I gather there were some escapes, but did these happen on a significant scale? I also gather that some POWs were sent back to their families from the Green Point camp. However, my understanding is that they would have been sent to join their families in the concentration camps. Did appreciable numbers of those leave the camps, only to be recaptured, or perhaps never reach their destinations in the first place? Did some join or rejoin commandos? Would they have been required to sign an oath of neutrality (or something like that) before being sent back; if this was the case, were they viewed in a more negative light than other Boers when they were captured, or in any instances treated more harshly?
I have listed a few examples below, all of them recaptured on 11 January 1902; the location of their capture is given as Kroonstad. I have not been able to find mention of any engagement on that day, so I imagine it’s possible these men were not necessarily on commando, but simply rounded up by patrols in the area because they were found outside the refugee camps. Does this seem a plausible scenario?
I don’t know much about the nature or degree of effectiveness of the bureaucracy surrounding the movement and detention of the prisoners. Might these prisoners perhaps not actually have been captured twice at all, the second record in each instance merely being an administrative anomaly? In that case, I guess the suggestion in my example records that these prisoners were captured at Kroonstad might actually be a designation of the region they were from.
I apologize for the extensiveness of my list of questions. These records simply seem to me to point to some potentially fascinating stories. And I can’t help but wonder about those stories, having had my imagination primed by tales of my partner’s grandfather, who was captured twice and sent to two different POW camps (in Italy and Germany) during the Second World War! I have a further interest in that I am a descendent of the first individual on the list below – the unfortunate man who, when first captured at the age of seventy, had not been on commando, and who (unless he had joined a commando upon returning to the Free State) may have had the unfortunate distinction of having been twice taken prisoner of war without ever having lifted a rifle. Or perhaps there were many others who experienced a similar, rather unlucky, fate?
I would very much appreciate any enlightenment on this topic anyone could give.
The examples I have are:
Ferdinand van Niekerk: First captured at Niekerksrust on 7 October 1900; prisoner number 14663; ref. ID 13745; age 70; sent to Green Point Camp. Recaptured at Kroonstad on 11 January 1902; prisoner number 28234; ref. ID 27310; age 72. Address in both records Niekerksrust.
Hendrik Philippus Serfontein (Snr): First captured at Honingspruit on 14 September 1900; prisoner number 12735; ref. ID 11819; age 37; sent to Green Point. Recaptured at Kroonstad on 11 January 1902; prisoner number 28453; ref. ID 27528; age 38; sent to Bhim Thal. Address in both records Roodewal.
Johan Andries Richter: First captured at Lower Methin on 2 June 1900; prisoner number 14786; ref. ID 13868; age 52; sent to Green Point. Recaptured at Kroonstad on 11 January 1902; prisoner number 30120; ref. ID 29195; age 53. Address in both records Lionsden.
Johannes Jacobus Haupt Minnaar: First captured at Lindley on 11 August 1900; prisoner number 11556; ref. ID 10640; age 24; address Lindley. Recaptured at Kroonstad on 11 January 1902; prisoner number 28205; ref. ID 27281; age 25; address Lindley Town.
The same pattern occurs with the following other examples of prisoners captured on 11 January 1902: Jan Harm Labuschagne (age 37), Joseph Martinus (A) Hattingh (age 22), and Cornelius Martinus Johannes Fouche (age 42) – that is, first captured in 1900; sent (where a destination is indicated) to Green Point; captured again at Kroonstad; sent (where a destination is indicated) to Bhim Thal. (The full records of these can easily be found on the Anglo-Boer War Museum’s database.)
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From Omdurman to Paardeberg - John George Clayton of the Lincolnshires - by: Rory
John George Clayton
Private, 1st battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment – Sudan campaign
Private, 2nd battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment – Anglo Boer War
- Queens Sudan Medal to 2893 Pte. J. Clayton, 1/Lin. R.
- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Paardeberg and Johannesburg to 2893 Pte. J. Clayton, 2/Linc. Rgt.
- Kings South Africa Medal with clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902 to Pte. J. Clayton, Lincoln. Regt.
- Khedives Sudan Medal (unnamed as issued) with clasps The Atbara & Khartoum.
John Clayton was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England on 21 March 1874 the son of James Stephen Clayton, a Farm Labourer and his wife Ann. At the time of the 1881 England census a 7 year old John was at home with his parents at 2 Booths Passage in Boston along with siblings George Charles (9) and Stephen (1).
He had been enrolled in the local elementary school along with his brother George Charles Clayton on 25 October 1880 where he was to remain until leaving the school on 12 June 1885 at the age of 11. It is to be supposed that his parents felt that he had been educated sufficiently to equip him for life in Victorian England and that any further effort or expense would be fruitless for the son of a Farm worker with little or no prospects to look forward to.
The census of 1891 revealed that Clayton, now a lad of 17, was employed as an Agricultural Servant on the farm “West End” belonging to one William Parkinson. This farm was in the Wyberton area of Boston. It was obvious that Clayton was tiring of this life and, later that same year, on 23 October 1891, he completed the Short Service (7 Years with the Colours and 5 with the Reserve) Attestation papers for services with the Lincolnshire Regiment at Lincoln.
Claiming to be 18 years and 7 months old he confirmed that he was a Farm Servant. Physically he was 5 feet 5 ½ inches in height weighing a slender 121 pounds and with a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. By way of distinctive marks about his person he had scars on the middle and front of his left thigh. Having been found Fit by the Doctor on 24 October he was enlisted with no. 2893 and the rank of Private.
From the Depot Clayton was transferred to the 1st Battalion on 19 February 1892 before being moved to the 2nd battalion on 14 December 1893 and then back to the 1st battalion on 19 April 1895. The period of 1 year and 128 days spent with the 2nd battalion was whilst they were stationed in the Straits Settlement (a group of British territories in South East Asia.) From there Clayton moved to be with the 1st battalion for a stint on the island of Malta from 10 April 1895 until 2 February 1897 – a period of 1 year and 29 days.
It was to Egypt next where the Lincs were to take part in the battles of Atbara and Omdurman as part of Kitchener’s efforts to roll back the tide of Muslim influence in the region as well as to reassert Anglo-Egyptian control and, lest it be forgotten, to avenge the defeat and death of General Gordon in the first Nile Expedition in the mid 1880’s.
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The advance of the British forces at the Atbara
The Battle of Atbara took place on 8 April 1898 on the bank of the Atbara River, near to is junction with the Nile, in the Sudan and pitted the British and Egyptian forces against the Dervish army of the Khalif Abdullah. The Anglo-Egyptian force numbered around 10,000 including 500 cavalry, and some 24 guns whilst the Dervish army numbered around 15,000, including 5,000 Baggara mounted men.
In January 1898, British troops had begun to arrive in the Sudan from the garrison in Egypt – these were the 1st Royal Warwickshire, 1st Lincolns and 1st Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, and from Malta; 1st Seaforth Highlanders – all brigaded under Major-General Gatacre.
Kitchener concentrated his force of British, Egyptian and Sudanese troops at Berber, sending a Sudanese brigade further up the Nile to the mouth of the Atbara River to build a fort. The Khalif’s general, the Emir Mahmoud, commanding the force of Dervishes holding Metemmeh, around 100 miles up the Nile from Berber, on the west bank, was keen to lead his forces into action against the invading Egyptian army and therefore agreed that Mahmoud should move down the river, and attack Kitchener’s troops at Berber. Mahmoud crossed to the east bank of the Nile, where he joined the army of Osman Digna, from the eastern Sudan.
Mahmoud and Osman Digna finally began their advance north on 13th March 1898, marching along the east bank of the Nile, watched by Kitchener’s steamers. To meet the threat, Kitchener moved his army up the river, to concentrate behind Atbara Fort. On 15th March 1898, Mahmoud changed the direction of his march to the east-north-east, away from the Nile and towards the Atbara River, upstream of the Nile junction. His intention now being to cross the Atbara River, and circle around behind Atbara, to attack Berber from the eastern desert. He no longer entertained the prospect of a head-on clash with Kitchener.
In response to this move, Kitchener marched his army north, up the Atbara River, to intercept Mahmoud’s force, arriving at Hudi on 20th March 1898. Apparently in response to Kitchener’s move, Mahmoud’s force again changed direction, this time to an easterly route, to cross the Atbara even further up the river. The next day, Kitchener arrived at Ras-El-Hudi, some 15 miles south of the point where the Dervishes were crossing to the east bank of the Atbara River. At this time of year the Atbara River did not contain a consistent flow of water and could be crossed on foot.
Mahmoud’s plans were in disarray. He was now too far south for his army to march through the desert to attack Berber, his water carrying capacity being inadequate, even for a force of desert dwellers equipped with camels. As it was clear to Mahmoud that he was likely to be attacked, he ordered his Dervishes to build a zariba of thorn fences, trenches and rifle pits on the east bank of the river, where he awaited the arrival of the Anglo-Egyptian army.
Kitchener’s infantry, including Clayton and his Lincolnshire Regiment comrades, waited in their make-shift camp at Ras-El-Hudi, while the cavalry under Colonel Broadwood scouted along the Atbara to find Mahmoud’s force which was discovered at Nakheila on 30th March 1898. On 4th April 1898, Kitchener’s army moved a further 4 miles towards Nakheila.
At sunset on 7th April 1898, the British, Egyptian and Sudanese troops of Kitchener’s army, marched out of camp, heading south towards the Zariba, the 4 infantry brigades each in a square, with the 4 British battalions leading. At around 4am the force halted on a plateau 1200 yards from the zariba. At dawn, the army prepared for the assault on the Zariba, the brigades forming with the British on the left, MacDonald’s brigade of 3 Sudanese and 1 Egyptian battalion in the centre, and Maxwell’s Sudanese brigade on the right. The flank brigades each deployed a battalion in line, with the remaining 3 battalions following in column.
To the front of the attacking brigades was the line that marked the thorn fence of the Zariba. A war correspondent reported that there was a haze of dust above the Zariba, as if rifle pits and trenches were still being dug. At 6.20am, Kitchener’s 4 artillery batteries opened fire, methodically bombarding every part of the Dervish camp. After a bombardment lasting some 75 minutes, the artillery ceased firing, and the infantry began to advance on the Zariba, halting to fire volleys into the Dervish positions. At about 300 yards distance, the Dervish riflemen in the Zariba opened a return fire on the advancing infantry. With rising casualties, Kitchener’s battalions reached the Zariba. The Camerons, the front-line battalion of the British brigade, fired into the camp, while the Seaforths pulled the thorn hedge aside and rushed through into the positions behind. The battalions along the line stormed through the Zariba, and engaged the Dervishes, as they emerged from their trenches and rifle pits.
Kitchener’s troops fought through the camp to the river, where they found the Dervishes escaping across the dried river bed to the west bank, and opened fire upon them. The Baggara horse escaped south, along the Atbara River, with Osman Digna, the commander of the eastern Dervish forces.
At 8.30am the battle was over and the bugles sounded the ‘Cease Fire’. Mahmoud, rescued by British officers from the Sudanese soldiers who had captured him, was brought before Kitchener. After ransacking the Dervish camp, Kitchener’s army formed up and marched back to their positions at Atbara Fort and Berber. In excess of 2,000 Dervish dead were found inside the Zariba – the 1st Lincolns sustained 13 casualties.
The Battle Honour of ‘Atbara’ was awarded to the 4 British infantry regiments present. After the return to Berber, Kitchener awaited the reinforcements of British troops considered necessary to complete the defeat of the Khalif and the capture of Khartoum, the capital of the Sudan.
The wait was now on and Clayton and his comrades in the Anglo-Egyptian army went into summer quarters, around Berber, to await the arrival of the substantial reinforcements mentioned above. The wait was a long one and they were to see action again (in earnest) only on the 2nd September 1898 to the north of Omdurman along the west bank of the Nile in the Sudan in what became known as the Battle of Omdurman.
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The Lincolnshire Regiment during a lull in the fighting
I won’t bore readers with all the background detail to this battle but, suffice it to say, it was the charge of the 21st Lancers which immortalised the action that took place. Confining ourselves to the role the Lincolns played, we must move along to the second attack which took place after the famous charge with the Dervish forces having scattered to the hills to the rear. Winston Churchill, an officer with the 21st Lancers and a correspondent is to be relied on for a further account.
In Churchill’s view, Kitchener’s move towards Omdurman was premature. He lists the Khalifa’s forces still on the field and undefeated, even, in some cases, unengaged; the Khalifa’s own ‘Black Flag’ force behind Jebel Surgham, Ali-Wad-Helu and his Red Flag behind the Kerreri Hills, and Osman reforming his men after the First Attack: in all some 35,000 men still ready to do battle as the British marched on Omdurman.
As Kitchener’s column moved off, Dervish horsemen began to emerge from the Kerreri Hills. Leading the column was the British Division, with the battalions marching in parallel columns; Wauchope’s brigade on the left; Lyttelton’s Brigade on the right. Maxwell’s brigade marched behind the British battalions, while moving more to the right, towards the Jebel Surgham.
Kitchener, accompanying Maxwell, looked back from his position on the lower slopes of the Jebel Surgham, and saw that, instead of following on in column, Macdonald was deploying his brigade into line, and bringing his batteries into action. It was apparent that Macdonald could see that he was about to be attacked by the Dervish force hidden to the west of the Jebel Surgham, out of sight of the rest of Kitchener’s brigades.
Macdonald formed his 4 battalions with 3 in line facing to the south west, and the fourth, still in column of companies, on the right flank, so that his brigade formed an inverted L. Within minutes, out from behind the Jebel Surgham, surged the Black Flag force under Yakub, comprising the Khalifa’s bodyguard and ‘All the Glories of the Dervish Empire’, some 15,000 men, heading for Macdonald’s line.
The firing was now general across the battle area. The advance of the 3 brigades up to the crest of the Jebel Surgham forced the Khalifa to divert part of the Black Flag force from the assault on Macdonald in the plain, to defend his flank with an attack up the hillside. This Dervish counter caused some shakiness in Lewis’s right flank Egyptian battalion. But this was dealt with, when Hunter took control, and brought up some reserve companies.
Substantial casualties were inflicted on the Dervishes, several Emirs being killed, and the Dervish formations attacking Macdonald’s brigade and the Jebel Surgham began to break up. Yakub and the guard of the Black Flag were mown down.
It was at this point that the Dervish force of Ali-Wad-Helu emerged from the Kerreri Hills to attack Macdonald’s brigade in the rear. Although this attack was just too late to co-incide with the main Dervish attack from behind the Jebel Surgham, the wisdom of putting a commander of Macdonald’s calibre in the rear was born out.
Churchill states that Macdonald’s soldiers began to fire wildly, and that they were saved by the Lincolnshire Regiment coming up on their right, forming a line at right angles to Macdonald’s line, and firing in enfilade on the advancing Dervishes. Other accounts state that the Lincolns arrived after Macdonald’s infantry and guns had destroyed the Dervish attack. Either way it was a close action, the Dervish charge coming within 300 yards of Macdonald’s line. His men fired an average of 60 rounds each during the action; a considerable amount for single shot weapons.
Once the Dervish attacks ceased, Kitchener’s line advanced to the west, with fixed bayonets, and drove the survivors out into the desert, away from the road to Omdurman. They then turned their attention to the city of Omdurman, entrance to which was gained by the gate on the eastern side.
The Khalifa ordered his beaten army to retreat into Omdurman to hold the city against Kitchener’s troops. This instruction was largely ignored, the Dervishes by-passing Omdurman, and carrying on south towards their homes. Realising that he did not have the force to hold the city, the Khalifa left Omdurman on a donkey with a handful of attendants, and headed south.
The casualties were immense – Kitchener’s army lost 20 officers and 462 men killed and wounded. The Dervishes suffered losses of 9,700 dead, probably around 12,000 wounded, and some 5,000 prisoners.
There was an official dispute as to whether the battle was to be called ‘Omdurman’ or ‘Khartoum’. The battle is widely called ‘Omdurman’, but the battle honour ‘Khartoum’ was awarded to the 21st Lancers, Grenadier Guards, Northumberland Fusiliers, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Lincolnshire Regiment, Lancashire Fusiliers, Seaforth Highlanders and Cameron Highlanders.
Clayton received the campaign medals the Queen’s Sudan Medal 1896-1898 and the Khedive’s Sudan Medal 1896-1908, with the clasp on the Khedive’s medal of ‘Khartoum’ and “The Atbara”
Clayton was invalided to England on 14 October 1898 where he spent the next 1 year and 67 days before, on 4 January 1900, sailing for South Africa to play his part in the Anglo Boer War which had flared up between the two Dutch or Boer Republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal and Great Britain. Here the British Army was to find that their adversaries were a different kettle of fish to the Dervishes in the Sudan. They were now confronted with European men, just like themselves, who were skilled horsemen and even better shots.
Clayton, who had been transferred to the Army Reserve on 7 December 1898, was recalled to the colours on 18 December 1899 and posted to the 2nd Battalion – the battalion designated to participate in South Africa. The 2nd Battalion sailed on the Assaye on 4th January 1900, arriving at the Cape on the 23rd. Along with the 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers, and 2nd Hampshire, they formed the 14th Brigade under Brigadier General Chermside, and part of the VIIth Division under Lieutenant General Tucker.
The VIIth Division took part in the advance from Modder River to Bloemfontein moving, on the 11th February 1900 from Enslin and Graspan to Ramdan; and on the 12th to Dekiel Drift on the Riet River. The 13th was occupied in getting waggons across and on the 14th the division moved from Dekiel Drift to Waterval Drift, where Lord Roberts had his headquarters. That evening the division moved to Wegdraai Drift, still on the Riet. On the 15th part of the division occupied Jacobsdal, to which place Lord Roberts moved his headquarters and on the 18th, the day of the battle of Paardeberg, the 14th Brigade, under Chermside, was ordered to march from Jacobsdal to Paardeberg, where it arrived on the evening of the 19th having reached there after a forced march of 35 miles in 20 hours.
Thereafter the 14th Brigade waited at Paardeberg till Cronje came out, but, although it had missed out on the heat of the action, it did very important work in assisting to repel and defeat the Boer reinforcements coming to Cronje’s assistance. On the 7th March the battle of Poplars Grove took place. In his despatch of 15th March Lord Roberts says:
"The 14th Brigade of the VIIth Division was ordered to march eastward along the south bank of the river for the purpose of threatening the enemy, distracting attention from the main attack on Table Mountain, and assisting the cavalry in preventing the Boers from crossing the river at the Poplar Grove Drift".
On the 8th and 9th March the army halted at Poplars Grove, but on the latter date Lord Roberts issued his instructions for his next advance in three columns on Bloemfontein. Lieutenant General Tucker commanded the right or southernmost column, consisting of the VIIth Division, the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, and Ridley's brigade of Mounted Infantry, and he was instructed to march via Petrusburg, Driekop, Panfontein, to Venter's Vlei, eighteen miles from Bloemfontein, in four marches; but on the 10th, after the battle of Driefontein or Abraham's Kraal had been fought by the left and centre columns, Lord Roberts asked Lieutenant General Tucker to halt his force at Driekop. The division did not reach Bloemfontein till the 14th, Lord Roberts having entered the town on the 13th. The long march which was eventually to lead to Pretoria was well underway.
The battalion reached Bloemfontein on 22 Mar and after some minor skirmishes set out again on 3 May. It was engaged at Brandfort and then the crossing of the Zand River on 10 May. The 2nd Lincolns reached Johannesburg on 31 May and Pretoria on 4 June. On 11 July a force of five weak companies of the 2nd Lincolns, a squadron of the Royal Scots Greys and two RHA guns was attacked by a superior Boer force at Uitvals Nek.
Outnumbered and exhausted after a full days intense fighting the survivors were forced to surrender. The battalion had five officers and 48 NCOs and men killed or wounded in this battle. The 2nd Battalion continued to serve during the guerrilla phase of the South African War until the peace on 31 May 1902.
For his South African service of 2 years and 240 days Clayton was awarded the Queens Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Paardeberg and Johannesburg along with the Kings Medal with the two date clasps. On 1 September 1902 he was placed on Reserve in South Africa where he had opted to remain after a total of 12 years service.
Now out of uniform he settled down to civilian life marrying a girl with a Dutch background – Sarah Franscina Beukes – at St. Mary’s in Johannesburg on 25 October 1902. He was a 29 year old bachelor whilst she was 22 years of age. Clayton’s occupation was provided as Foreman on the Central South African Railways. Children were to follow suit with Dorothea Mabel being born to the couple on 6 November 1907. At this point Clayton was living at No. 62 Railway Cottages in Fordsburg and was a Chief Number Taker with the Railways.
He passed away in the Transvaal in 1923 at the age of 49 survived by his wife Engela Sarah Magdalena Clayton (note the difference in his wife’s names) and their children.
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Private, 1st battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment – Sudan campaign
Private, 2nd battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment – Anglo Boer War
- Queens Sudan Medal to 2893 Pte. J. Clayton, 1/Lin. R.
- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Paardeberg and Johannesburg to 2893 Pte. J. Clayton, 2/Linc. Rgt.
- Kings South Africa Medal with clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902 to Pte. J. Clayton, Lincoln. Regt.
- Khedives Sudan Medal (unnamed as issued) with clasps The Atbara & Khartoum.
John Clayton was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England on 21 March 1874 the son of James Stephen Clayton, a Farm Labourer and his wife Ann. At the time of the 1881 England census a 7 year old John was at home with his parents at 2 Booths Passage in Boston along with siblings George Charles (9) and Stephen (1).
He had been enrolled in the local elementary school along with his brother George Charles Clayton on 25 October 1880 where he was to remain until leaving the school on 12 June 1885 at the age of 11. It is to be supposed that his parents felt that he had been educated sufficiently to equip him for life in Victorian England and that any further effort or expense would be fruitless for the son of a Farm worker with little or no prospects to look forward to.
The census of 1891 revealed that Clayton, now a lad of 17, was employed as an Agricultural Servant on the farm “West End” belonging to one William Parkinson. This farm was in the Wyberton area of Boston. It was obvious that Clayton was tiring of this life and, later that same year, on 23 October 1891, he completed the Short Service (7 Years with the Colours and 5 with the Reserve) Attestation papers for services with the Lincolnshire Regiment at Lincoln.
Claiming to be 18 years and 7 months old he confirmed that he was a Farm Servant. Physically he was 5 feet 5 ½ inches in height weighing a slender 121 pounds and with a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. By way of distinctive marks about his person he had scars on the middle and front of his left thigh. Having been found Fit by the Doctor on 24 October he was enlisted with no. 2893 and the rank of Private.
From the Depot Clayton was transferred to the 1st Battalion on 19 February 1892 before being moved to the 2nd battalion on 14 December 1893 and then back to the 1st battalion on 19 April 1895. The period of 1 year and 128 days spent with the 2nd battalion was whilst they were stationed in the Straits Settlement (a group of British territories in South East Asia.) From there Clayton moved to be with the 1st battalion for a stint on the island of Malta from 10 April 1895 until 2 February 1897 – a period of 1 year and 29 days.
It was to Egypt next where the Lincs were to take part in the battles of Atbara and Omdurman as part of Kitchener’s efforts to roll back the tide of Muslim influence in the region as well as to reassert Anglo-Egyptian control and, lest it be forgotten, to avenge the defeat and death of General Gordon in the first Nile Expedition in the mid 1880’s.
The advance of the British forces at the Atbara
The Battle of Atbara took place on 8 April 1898 on the bank of the Atbara River, near to is junction with the Nile, in the Sudan and pitted the British and Egyptian forces against the Dervish army of the Khalif Abdullah. The Anglo-Egyptian force numbered around 10,000 including 500 cavalry, and some 24 guns whilst the Dervish army numbered around 15,000, including 5,000 Baggara mounted men.
In January 1898, British troops had begun to arrive in the Sudan from the garrison in Egypt – these were the 1st Royal Warwickshire, 1st Lincolns and 1st Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, and from Malta; 1st Seaforth Highlanders – all brigaded under Major-General Gatacre.
Kitchener concentrated his force of British, Egyptian and Sudanese troops at Berber, sending a Sudanese brigade further up the Nile to the mouth of the Atbara River to build a fort. The Khalif’s general, the Emir Mahmoud, commanding the force of Dervishes holding Metemmeh, around 100 miles up the Nile from Berber, on the west bank, was keen to lead his forces into action against the invading Egyptian army and therefore agreed that Mahmoud should move down the river, and attack Kitchener’s troops at Berber. Mahmoud crossed to the east bank of the Nile, where he joined the army of Osman Digna, from the eastern Sudan.
Mahmoud and Osman Digna finally began their advance north on 13th March 1898, marching along the east bank of the Nile, watched by Kitchener’s steamers. To meet the threat, Kitchener moved his army up the river, to concentrate behind Atbara Fort. On 15th March 1898, Mahmoud changed the direction of his march to the east-north-east, away from the Nile and towards the Atbara River, upstream of the Nile junction. His intention now being to cross the Atbara River, and circle around behind Atbara, to attack Berber from the eastern desert. He no longer entertained the prospect of a head-on clash with Kitchener.
In response to this move, Kitchener marched his army north, up the Atbara River, to intercept Mahmoud’s force, arriving at Hudi on 20th March 1898. Apparently in response to Kitchener’s move, Mahmoud’s force again changed direction, this time to an easterly route, to cross the Atbara even further up the river. The next day, Kitchener arrived at Ras-El-Hudi, some 15 miles south of the point where the Dervishes were crossing to the east bank of the Atbara River. At this time of year the Atbara River did not contain a consistent flow of water and could be crossed on foot.
Mahmoud’s plans were in disarray. He was now too far south for his army to march through the desert to attack Berber, his water carrying capacity being inadequate, even for a force of desert dwellers equipped with camels. As it was clear to Mahmoud that he was likely to be attacked, he ordered his Dervishes to build a zariba of thorn fences, trenches and rifle pits on the east bank of the river, where he awaited the arrival of the Anglo-Egyptian army.
Kitchener’s infantry, including Clayton and his Lincolnshire Regiment comrades, waited in their make-shift camp at Ras-El-Hudi, while the cavalry under Colonel Broadwood scouted along the Atbara to find Mahmoud’s force which was discovered at Nakheila on 30th March 1898. On 4th April 1898, Kitchener’s army moved a further 4 miles towards Nakheila.
At sunset on 7th April 1898, the British, Egyptian and Sudanese troops of Kitchener’s army, marched out of camp, heading south towards the Zariba, the 4 infantry brigades each in a square, with the 4 British battalions leading. At around 4am the force halted on a plateau 1200 yards from the zariba. At dawn, the army prepared for the assault on the Zariba, the brigades forming with the British on the left, MacDonald’s brigade of 3 Sudanese and 1 Egyptian battalion in the centre, and Maxwell’s Sudanese brigade on the right. The flank brigades each deployed a battalion in line, with the remaining 3 battalions following in column.
To the front of the attacking brigades was the line that marked the thorn fence of the Zariba. A war correspondent reported that there was a haze of dust above the Zariba, as if rifle pits and trenches were still being dug. At 6.20am, Kitchener’s 4 artillery batteries opened fire, methodically bombarding every part of the Dervish camp. After a bombardment lasting some 75 minutes, the artillery ceased firing, and the infantry began to advance on the Zariba, halting to fire volleys into the Dervish positions. At about 300 yards distance, the Dervish riflemen in the Zariba opened a return fire on the advancing infantry. With rising casualties, Kitchener’s battalions reached the Zariba. The Camerons, the front-line battalion of the British brigade, fired into the camp, while the Seaforths pulled the thorn hedge aside and rushed through into the positions behind. The battalions along the line stormed through the Zariba, and engaged the Dervishes, as they emerged from their trenches and rifle pits.
Kitchener’s troops fought through the camp to the river, where they found the Dervishes escaping across the dried river bed to the west bank, and opened fire upon them. The Baggara horse escaped south, along the Atbara River, with Osman Digna, the commander of the eastern Dervish forces.
At 8.30am the battle was over and the bugles sounded the ‘Cease Fire’. Mahmoud, rescued by British officers from the Sudanese soldiers who had captured him, was brought before Kitchener. After ransacking the Dervish camp, Kitchener’s army formed up and marched back to their positions at Atbara Fort and Berber. In excess of 2,000 Dervish dead were found inside the Zariba – the 1st Lincolns sustained 13 casualties.
The Battle Honour of ‘Atbara’ was awarded to the 4 British infantry regiments present. After the return to Berber, Kitchener awaited the reinforcements of British troops considered necessary to complete the defeat of the Khalif and the capture of Khartoum, the capital of the Sudan.
The wait was now on and Clayton and his comrades in the Anglo-Egyptian army went into summer quarters, around Berber, to await the arrival of the substantial reinforcements mentioned above. The wait was a long one and they were to see action again (in earnest) only on the 2nd September 1898 to the north of Omdurman along the west bank of the Nile in the Sudan in what became known as the Battle of Omdurman.
The Lincolnshire Regiment during a lull in the fighting
I won’t bore readers with all the background detail to this battle but, suffice it to say, it was the charge of the 21st Lancers which immortalised the action that took place. Confining ourselves to the role the Lincolns played, we must move along to the second attack which took place after the famous charge with the Dervish forces having scattered to the hills to the rear. Winston Churchill, an officer with the 21st Lancers and a correspondent is to be relied on for a further account.
In Churchill’s view, Kitchener’s move towards Omdurman was premature. He lists the Khalifa’s forces still on the field and undefeated, even, in some cases, unengaged; the Khalifa’s own ‘Black Flag’ force behind Jebel Surgham, Ali-Wad-Helu and his Red Flag behind the Kerreri Hills, and Osman reforming his men after the First Attack: in all some 35,000 men still ready to do battle as the British marched on Omdurman.
As Kitchener’s column moved off, Dervish horsemen began to emerge from the Kerreri Hills. Leading the column was the British Division, with the battalions marching in parallel columns; Wauchope’s brigade on the left; Lyttelton’s Brigade on the right. Maxwell’s brigade marched behind the British battalions, while moving more to the right, towards the Jebel Surgham.
Kitchener, accompanying Maxwell, looked back from his position on the lower slopes of the Jebel Surgham, and saw that, instead of following on in column, Macdonald was deploying his brigade into line, and bringing his batteries into action. It was apparent that Macdonald could see that he was about to be attacked by the Dervish force hidden to the west of the Jebel Surgham, out of sight of the rest of Kitchener’s brigades.
Macdonald formed his 4 battalions with 3 in line facing to the south west, and the fourth, still in column of companies, on the right flank, so that his brigade formed an inverted L. Within minutes, out from behind the Jebel Surgham, surged the Black Flag force under Yakub, comprising the Khalifa’s bodyguard and ‘All the Glories of the Dervish Empire’, some 15,000 men, heading for Macdonald’s line.
The firing was now general across the battle area. The advance of the 3 brigades up to the crest of the Jebel Surgham forced the Khalifa to divert part of the Black Flag force from the assault on Macdonald in the plain, to defend his flank with an attack up the hillside. This Dervish counter caused some shakiness in Lewis’s right flank Egyptian battalion. But this was dealt with, when Hunter took control, and brought up some reserve companies.
Substantial casualties were inflicted on the Dervishes, several Emirs being killed, and the Dervish formations attacking Macdonald’s brigade and the Jebel Surgham began to break up. Yakub and the guard of the Black Flag were mown down.
It was at this point that the Dervish force of Ali-Wad-Helu emerged from the Kerreri Hills to attack Macdonald’s brigade in the rear. Although this attack was just too late to co-incide with the main Dervish attack from behind the Jebel Surgham, the wisdom of putting a commander of Macdonald’s calibre in the rear was born out.
Churchill states that Macdonald’s soldiers began to fire wildly, and that they were saved by the Lincolnshire Regiment coming up on their right, forming a line at right angles to Macdonald’s line, and firing in enfilade on the advancing Dervishes. Other accounts state that the Lincolns arrived after Macdonald’s infantry and guns had destroyed the Dervish attack. Either way it was a close action, the Dervish charge coming within 300 yards of Macdonald’s line. His men fired an average of 60 rounds each during the action; a considerable amount for single shot weapons.
Once the Dervish attacks ceased, Kitchener’s line advanced to the west, with fixed bayonets, and drove the survivors out into the desert, away from the road to Omdurman. They then turned their attention to the city of Omdurman, entrance to which was gained by the gate on the eastern side.
The Khalifa ordered his beaten army to retreat into Omdurman to hold the city against Kitchener’s troops. This instruction was largely ignored, the Dervishes by-passing Omdurman, and carrying on south towards their homes. Realising that he did not have the force to hold the city, the Khalifa left Omdurman on a donkey with a handful of attendants, and headed south.
The casualties were immense – Kitchener’s army lost 20 officers and 462 men killed and wounded. The Dervishes suffered losses of 9,700 dead, probably around 12,000 wounded, and some 5,000 prisoners.
There was an official dispute as to whether the battle was to be called ‘Omdurman’ or ‘Khartoum’. The battle is widely called ‘Omdurman’, but the battle honour ‘Khartoum’ was awarded to the 21st Lancers, Grenadier Guards, Northumberland Fusiliers, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Lincolnshire Regiment, Lancashire Fusiliers, Seaforth Highlanders and Cameron Highlanders.
Clayton received the campaign medals the Queen’s Sudan Medal 1896-1898 and the Khedive’s Sudan Medal 1896-1908, with the clasp on the Khedive’s medal of ‘Khartoum’ and “The Atbara”
Clayton was invalided to England on 14 October 1898 where he spent the next 1 year and 67 days before, on 4 January 1900, sailing for South Africa to play his part in the Anglo Boer War which had flared up between the two Dutch or Boer Republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal and Great Britain. Here the British Army was to find that their adversaries were a different kettle of fish to the Dervishes in the Sudan. They were now confronted with European men, just like themselves, who were skilled horsemen and even better shots.
Clayton, who had been transferred to the Army Reserve on 7 December 1898, was recalled to the colours on 18 December 1899 and posted to the 2nd Battalion – the battalion designated to participate in South Africa. The 2nd Battalion sailed on the Assaye on 4th January 1900, arriving at the Cape on the 23rd. Along with the 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers, and 2nd Hampshire, they formed the 14th Brigade under Brigadier General Chermside, and part of the VIIth Division under Lieutenant General Tucker.
The VIIth Division took part in the advance from Modder River to Bloemfontein moving, on the 11th February 1900 from Enslin and Graspan to Ramdan; and on the 12th to Dekiel Drift on the Riet River. The 13th was occupied in getting waggons across and on the 14th the division moved from Dekiel Drift to Waterval Drift, where Lord Roberts had his headquarters. That evening the division moved to Wegdraai Drift, still on the Riet. On the 15th part of the division occupied Jacobsdal, to which place Lord Roberts moved his headquarters and on the 18th, the day of the battle of Paardeberg, the 14th Brigade, under Chermside, was ordered to march from Jacobsdal to Paardeberg, where it arrived on the evening of the 19th having reached there after a forced march of 35 miles in 20 hours.
Thereafter the 14th Brigade waited at Paardeberg till Cronje came out, but, although it had missed out on the heat of the action, it did very important work in assisting to repel and defeat the Boer reinforcements coming to Cronje’s assistance. On the 7th March the battle of Poplars Grove took place. In his despatch of 15th March Lord Roberts says:
"The 14th Brigade of the VIIth Division was ordered to march eastward along the south bank of the river for the purpose of threatening the enemy, distracting attention from the main attack on Table Mountain, and assisting the cavalry in preventing the Boers from crossing the river at the Poplar Grove Drift".
On the 8th and 9th March the army halted at Poplars Grove, but on the latter date Lord Roberts issued his instructions for his next advance in three columns on Bloemfontein. Lieutenant General Tucker commanded the right or southernmost column, consisting of the VIIth Division, the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, and Ridley's brigade of Mounted Infantry, and he was instructed to march via Petrusburg, Driekop, Panfontein, to Venter's Vlei, eighteen miles from Bloemfontein, in four marches; but on the 10th, after the battle of Driefontein or Abraham's Kraal had been fought by the left and centre columns, Lord Roberts asked Lieutenant General Tucker to halt his force at Driekop. The division did not reach Bloemfontein till the 14th, Lord Roberts having entered the town on the 13th. The long march which was eventually to lead to Pretoria was well underway.
The battalion reached Bloemfontein on 22 Mar and after some minor skirmishes set out again on 3 May. It was engaged at Brandfort and then the crossing of the Zand River on 10 May. The 2nd Lincolns reached Johannesburg on 31 May and Pretoria on 4 June. On 11 July a force of five weak companies of the 2nd Lincolns, a squadron of the Royal Scots Greys and two RHA guns was attacked by a superior Boer force at Uitvals Nek.
Outnumbered and exhausted after a full days intense fighting the survivors were forced to surrender. The battalion had five officers and 48 NCOs and men killed or wounded in this battle. The 2nd Battalion continued to serve during the guerrilla phase of the South African War until the peace on 31 May 1902.
For his South African service of 2 years and 240 days Clayton was awarded the Queens Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Paardeberg and Johannesburg along with the Kings Medal with the two date clasps. On 1 September 1902 he was placed on Reserve in South Africa where he had opted to remain after a total of 12 years service.
Now out of uniform he settled down to civilian life marrying a girl with a Dutch background – Sarah Franscina Beukes – at St. Mary’s in Johannesburg on 25 October 1902. He was a 29 year old bachelor whilst she was 22 years of age. Clayton’s occupation was provided as Foreman on the Central South African Railways. Children were to follow suit with Dorothea Mabel being born to the couple on 6 November 1907. At this point Clayton was living at No. 62 Railway Cottages in Fordsburg and was a Chief Number Taker with the Railways.
He passed away in the Transvaal in 1923 at the age of 49 survived by his wife Engela Sarah Magdalena Clayton (note the difference in his wife’s names) and their children.
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Port Elizabeth TG; more lettered Coys. (Creswicke V7) - by: LinneyI
If the forum members are not tired of seeing these - here are the other lettered Companies of the PE TG Please note that only these lettered Companies (apart from A Coy., illustrated earlier) are shown in V7 of Creswicke. Viewers might note the widespread display of .45" MH rifles. Bid or Buy currently lists a couple of no-bar QSAs to the PE TG.
Regards to all interested
IL
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Regards to all interested
IL
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William English Kaffrarian Rifles - by: larryc
I am interested in William English who served in the Kaffrarian Rifles (19 Oct 1899–20 May 1901) and The Burghersdorp Town Guards and District Mounted Troops (10 Jun 1901–25 Sep 1902). I have found details of his medals (WO100) and his attestation paper for The Burghersdorp Town Guards and District Mounted Troops (WO 126/149). I visited the National Archive and looked in WO126/74 – Enrolment Forms Kaffrarian Rifles and Kimberley Horse, A-K and found some discharge papers which in some cases included attestation papers, but not William English (Regimental Number 655). I was also looking for an A Bevington who also served in the Kaffrarian Rifles (Regimental Number 1479) with no luck.
I would welcome any advice about other sources for the attestation papers of the Kaffrarian Rifles.
Thank you
Larry
I would welcome any advice about other sources for the attestation papers of the Kaffrarian Rifles.
Thank you
Larry
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Low Numbers and close together as well - by: Rory
Purely by chance (and certainly not by design) it happened that I acquired 2 QSA's to the Port Elizabeth Town Guard (both in different places and at different times) to two chaps who not only have very low numbers but are also only 1 apart in sequence with only a chap whose medal was returned to separate them from one another.
An added bonus to medal collecting is - if one allows one's mind to ponder on such weighty matters - the thought that 2 or more of your recipients may have known each other - indeed been in the recruiting queue behind one another.
The two gentlemen in question in my example are:
- 6 Pte. Ewan Billson and
- 8 Pte. Arthur Bright
Both as you can see below, from the Cyclist Section of the 1st Battalion. Now to marry these two (and others I have) to the photographs IL has so kindly displayed of late.
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Regards
Rory
An added bonus to medal collecting is - if one allows one's mind to ponder on such weighty matters - the thought that 2 or more of your recipients may have known each other - indeed been in the recruiting queue behind one another.
The two gentlemen in question in my example are:
- 6 Pte. Ewan Billson and
- 8 Pte. Arthur Bright
Both as you can see below, from the Cyclist Section of the 1st Battalion. Now to marry these two (and others I have) to the photographs IL has so kindly displayed of late.
Regards
Rory
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Boyce of the Q.R.V., Dordrecht D.V.G. and the Orange River Scouts - by: Rory
George Henry Boyce
Trooper, Queenstown Rifle Volunteers
Private, Dordrecht District Volunteer Guard
Trooper, Orange River Scouts – Anglo Boer War
- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 21759 Pte. G.H. Boyce, Queenstown R.V.
George Boyce was born in Nursling near Romsey in Hampshire in 1876 the son of George Henry Boyce and his wife Elizabeth. At the time of the 1881 England census a 5 year old George was living with his parents at Cutters in Romsey. He was listed as being a Scholar intimating that he had been sent to school at an early age. Mr Boyce was a Farm Labourer and the rest of the household comprised George’s siblings – 11 year old Rose and Thomas (3) and Edward who was a baby.
At some point towards the end of the 19th century Boyce decided to part company with his homeland and set off to South Africa where he joined the employ of the Cape Government Railways. The Anglo Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899 and Boyce lost almost no time in enlisting for service. Stationed as he was in the Eastern Cape he joined the ranks of the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers on 21 November 1900 and was assigned the rank of Trooper with no. 21759. At the time he attested he was a 23 years old Fireman and gave his address as No. 9 Cottage, Clarke Siding, Indwe. Clarke Siding was seven miles east of Dordrecht.
The Queenstown Rifle Volunteers, with a strength of 245, were stated to be part of the garrison of that town, and they were mobilised and under arms. After General Gatacre arrived the corps, slightly increased in strength, were under his command and did useful service, freeing the regular troops for action at the front. As time passed the authorities came to think more highly of the various Colony Volunteer Battalions, and when Brabant was clearing the Dordrecht - Jamestown district in February and March 1900 the Queenstown Volunteers formed part of his force. Thereafter they formed part of the Colonial Division in the advance northwards and always seemed to acquit themselves well.
After the Boer General Prinsloo had surrendered, the Queenstown Volunteers continued to operate in the Orange River Colony. Towards the close of 1900 and in 1901 a company, mounted, of the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers was in Colonel Crewe's column which operated in the Orange River Colony and afterwards in Cape Colony. The company were present in the severe fighting about Tabaksberg towards the end of January 1901. They then took part in the weary pursuit of De Wet, and the endless chasing and fighting which resulted in his being driven from Cape Colony.
Boyce was with the Q.R.V. until 18 February 1901 when he took his discharge. His war was far from over though and he next set his sights on the Dordrecht District Volunteer Guard Dordrecht which he joined shortly afterwards. This outfit, along with the exotically named Dordrecht Wodehouse Yeomanry, were both raised in the small town of Dordrecht. Originally one section was paid by the Imperial Treasury, and the other by the Colonial Government and they appear to have amalgamated in June 1901. Ever the nomad Boyce spent only six months with them before taking his leave.
He next completed the Attestation Form for service with the Orange River Scouts – this was on 11 May 1902 at East London. Confirming that he was 26 years old and a Locomotive Fireman with the Cape Government Railways. Physically he was 5 feet 5 ½ inches in height with a sun burnt complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He gave his address as c/o Cape Government Railways, Indwe, Cape Colony and his next of kin as his father Mr G.H. Boyce. He was unmarried and, with pay of 5/- per day guaranteed he was assigned no. 43452 and the rank of Trooper.
The Scouts as they were known built up an enviable reputation under the command of Major Nolan-Neylan and were always in the thick of it. Despite joining their ranks toward the end of the war Boyce would have seen plenty of action before being discharged on 30 June 1902 – a month after the war was over.
For his efforts he received the Queens South Africa Medal named to the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers – the first unit he had seen service with.
What became of him thereafter is unknown – his medal was returned to the mint unclaimed in 1909 and was awarded – presumably at his request – in 1936.
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Trooper, Queenstown Rifle Volunteers
Private, Dordrecht District Volunteer Guard
Trooper, Orange River Scouts – Anglo Boer War
- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 21759 Pte. G.H. Boyce, Queenstown R.V.
George Boyce was born in Nursling near Romsey in Hampshire in 1876 the son of George Henry Boyce and his wife Elizabeth. At the time of the 1881 England census a 5 year old George was living with his parents at Cutters in Romsey. He was listed as being a Scholar intimating that he had been sent to school at an early age. Mr Boyce was a Farm Labourer and the rest of the household comprised George’s siblings – 11 year old Rose and Thomas (3) and Edward who was a baby.
At some point towards the end of the 19th century Boyce decided to part company with his homeland and set off to South Africa where he joined the employ of the Cape Government Railways. The Anglo Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899 and Boyce lost almost no time in enlisting for service. Stationed as he was in the Eastern Cape he joined the ranks of the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers on 21 November 1900 and was assigned the rank of Trooper with no. 21759. At the time he attested he was a 23 years old Fireman and gave his address as No. 9 Cottage, Clarke Siding, Indwe. Clarke Siding was seven miles east of Dordrecht.
The Queenstown Rifle Volunteers, with a strength of 245, were stated to be part of the garrison of that town, and they were mobilised and under arms. After General Gatacre arrived the corps, slightly increased in strength, were under his command and did useful service, freeing the regular troops for action at the front. As time passed the authorities came to think more highly of the various Colony Volunteer Battalions, and when Brabant was clearing the Dordrecht - Jamestown district in February and March 1900 the Queenstown Volunteers formed part of his force. Thereafter they formed part of the Colonial Division in the advance northwards and always seemed to acquit themselves well.
After the Boer General Prinsloo had surrendered, the Queenstown Volunteers continued to operate in the Orange River Colony. Towards the close of 1900 and in 1901 a company, mounted, of the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers was in Colonel Crewe's column which operated in the Orange River Colony and afterwards in Cape Colony. The company were present in the severe fighting about Tabaksberg towards the end of January 1901. They then took part in the weary pursuit of De Wet, and the endless chasing and fighting which resulted in his being driven from Cape Colony.
Boyce was with the Q.R.V. until 18 February 1901 when he took his discharge. His war was far from over though and he next set his sights on the Dordrecht District Volunteer Guard Dordrecht which he joined shortly afterwards. This outfit, along with the exotically named Dordrecht Wodehouse Yeomanry, were both raised in the small town of Dordrecht. Originally one section was paid by the Imperial Treasury, and the other by the Colonial Government and they appear to have amalgamated in June 1901. Ever the nomad Boyce spent only six months with them before taking his leave.
He next completed the Attestation Form for service with the Orange River Scouts – this was on 11 May 1902 at East London. Confirming that he was 26 years old and a Locomotive Fireman with the Cape Government Railways. Physically he was 5 feet 5 ½ inches in height with a sun burnt complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He gave his address as c/o Cape Government Railways, Indwe, Cape Colony and his next of kin as his father Mr G.H. Boyce. He was unmarried and, with pay of 5/- per day guaranteed he was assigned no. 43452 and the rank of Trooper.
The Scouts as they were known built up an enviable reputation under the command of Major Nolan-Neylan and were always in the thick of it. Despite joining their ranks toward the end of the war Boyce would have seen plenty of action before being discharged on 30 June 1902 – a month after the war was over.
For his efforts he received the Queens South Africa Medal named to the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers – the first unit he had seen service with.
What became of him thereafter is unknown – his medal was returned to the mint unclaimed in 1909 and was awarded – presumably at his request – in 1936.
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Second Boer war.... - by: kimbo1962
Hi there
I am looking for my great great grandfather John Henry Hayes who was with the british military. Initially based at the castle of good hope. He was born apparently in kilkenny in ireland in 1875_1876. He married a south african Martha Annie johnson. They had 10 children. The eldest daughters baptismal certificate from st.marys cathedral in 1910 states her aaddress as the castle. Beatrice was born 02 october 1902. The next reference i can find is john henry hayes was living at 42 married quarters...the camp wynberg in 1921....i am trying to establish what unit he would have been with and find his military record which spans over 20 years. Can anybody shed some light please. Thanks
I am looking for my great great grandfather John Henry Hayes who was with the british military. Initially based at the castle of good hope. He was born apparently in kilkenny in ireland in 1875_1876. He married a south african Martha Annie johnson. They had 10 children. The eldest daughters baptismal certificate from st.marys cathedral in 1910 states her aaddress as the castle. Beatrice was born 02 october 1902. The next reference i can find is john henry hayes was living at 42 married quarters...the camp wynberg in 1921....i am trying to establish what unit he would have been with and find his military record which spans over 20 years. Can anybody shed some light please. Thanks
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