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Another picture from the same book.




Paul

These blue puttees again!

coldstream wrote: Another picture from the same book.

Paul

I have a QSA to 25412 F Wilkins, 10th Mountain Battery, with clasps DoL, OFS, LN and Belfast. Also entitled to a KSA. I haven't done any research on him yet and wonder if he would have been involved in the Nicholson's Nek affair?

Patrick

Patrick
10MB is shown in Stirling as part of the column sent to sieze Nicholson's Nek. Not all "went into the bag"; the same source tells us that mules with two guns and "about 70 men" managed to get back to camp. I had a look in both the NFF Casualty list and the Palmer roll just to be sure and your man does not feature in either.
Regards
IL.

IL

Thanks. Does this mean he's likely to have been there and was one of the 70 ?

What is the Palmer Roll?

Patrick

Patrick
In the medal collecting/researching field, we never know if a chap was actually present at a given point in time unless he was a recorded casualty, left some other evidence, or was entitled to a specific action clasp for his medal. On active service, it is all-hands-in and a Gunner would have a place to fill. Even a supernumary would have had a job to do unless he was a desk-wallah. If I was doing a write-up on the Wilkins QSA, I would simply say that the 10MB was engaged at Nicholson's Nek (with whatever embriodery you choose to add) and that "about 70" managed to get back to Ladysmith.
I had a look for your Wilkins on my QSA RA CD and he is entitled to the clasps you cite and there is no other marginal note to help you.
The Palmer roll is properly titled "The Boer War Casualty Roll 1899 - 1902" and has ISBN number 09577097 0 6. It lists NFF and SAFF Casualty lists alphabetically; which is rather more convenient for a quick check than the others. Trouble is that occasionally one finds the Palmer roll has missed one. Then it is back to the official version - which at least can give a more broad picture of what happened in a particular action. Even the official version has flaws!
I suppose I have given more info than you asked for. Nevertheless, I like the Mountain Batteries. They were crack units and could get places otherwise inaccessable at the time. Many years ago I saw an ABW ML Mountain Gun down in TAS - and it was the neatest little thing!
Regards
IL.