TOPIC:

I have just acquired a QSA with clasps Transvaal and Natal to 3863 Charles Davenport 10th Mountain Battery R.G.A.
He is listed in the casualty rolls as "Davenport C 3863 Bombardier Missing - released at Nicholson's Nek. 30 Oct 1899.
Source: Natal Field Force Casualty Roll, page 28 line 37"
My question to the forum is the term "Missing" would this mean he was captured and then released or would he have evaded capture.

Cheers
Paul

Hello Paul,
POW as the term released is used on the roll, moreover, he does not have the clasp combination you would expect to see for a member of this unit who was not a POW.
Nice medal and unit!
Regards Frank

Hello Paul
According to Stirling, after Nicholson's Nek, "about seventy men of the battery managed to get back to camp". The NFF Casualty roll only shows 60 odd as "missing - released" at Nicholson's Nek for 10MB; for what that is worth. Just now I had a look for him on my little RA CD and WO 100/146 confirms his two clasps but adds nothing else. There were quite a few in 10MB who only qualified for Natal and Tvaal.Might I suggest a trawl through the "PoWs Released" as notified in The Times elsewhere on this site would indicate
(1) He went into the bag
(2) He managed to get back to camp.
My feeling is the former.
Regards IL.

He certainly spent a long time in South Africa, an awful long way from Hull and his mother in Manchester, I take it you don't have his KSA too.

Hello Frank,
No at the time of purchase I had not access to the medal rolls.A little disappointed it is a split group but it was reasonably priced so maybe one day it may reunite.
I was unable to find papers, have you found them?

Paul

Frank Kelley wrote: He certainly spent a long time in South Africa, an awful long way from Hull and his mother in Manchester, I take it you don't have his KSA too.

Hello Ian,
Many thanks for adding this information Sorry I have not come across the term "he went into the bag"
Could you explain to a novice please.

Paul

LinneyI wrote: Hello Paul
According to Stirling, after Nicholson's Nek, "about seventy men of the battery managed to get back to camp". The NFF Casualty roll only shows 60 odd as "missing - released" at Nicholson's Nek for 10MB; for what that is worth. Just now I had a look for him on my little RA CD and WO 100/146 confirms his two clasps but adds nothing else. There were quite a few in 10MB who only qualified for Natal and Tvaal.Might I suggest a trawl through the "PoWs Released" as notified in The Times elsewhere on this site would indicate
(1) He went into the bag
(2) He managed to get back to camp.
My feeling is the former.
Regards IL.