TOPIC:

I have Fred Palmer's brother's China 1900 medal which came together with his own but, this being the Anglo Boer War Forum, I haven't shown it here.

Frederick George Palmer

Gunner, Royal Artillery
Corporal, 53rd Company, Imperial Yeomanry – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Wittebergen, Transvaal & South Africa 1901 to 4491 Cpl. F.G. Palmer, 53rd Coy. Impl. Yeo.

Fred Palmer was born in Islington, London on 14 October 1877 and was baptised in the local Parish there on 11 November of that year. The brother of William Henry Palmer about whom I have already written; he was the son of George Henry Palmer, an Engineer by profession and his Scottish wife, Christina born Robertson.

According to the 1881 England census a 3 year old Frederick was at home in Palmer Place, Islington along with his parents and siblings Elizabeth (12) and Jessie (8). Visitors staying over were Elizabeth Treen a 37 year old widow and an Annuitant and William McRoberts a 24 year Drapers Assistant from Ireland.

Ten years later at the time of the 1891 England census the house was rather fuller. Fred was now a 13 year old school boy and older sister Jane (23) had come to stay at home. They were joined by Elizabeth (now 21), Jessie (now 18) and new additions William (9) and Edgar (6). Mrs Palmer’s father, John Robertson, a 70 year old Widower, had also moved in.

Options for young men of Frederick Palmer’s social standing were limited but joining the army was most decidedly one of them. On 28 February 1894, at the age of 18 years 4 months he completed the Attestation forms for Short Service (7 years with the Colours and 5 years with the Reserve) at London and, having been found Fit by the Doctor became the Royal Artillery’s newest recruit with no. 2882 and the rank of Gunner. Claiming to be employed as a Tea Packer he was understandably single and physically 5 feet 8 inches in height with a fair complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. By way of distinguishing marks about his person he sported a tattoo of an anchor on his left forearm and had scars on his left shin. (The anchor would have been more representative of his brother William who served aboard the “Dido” in the Boxer Rebellion)

Despite wanting to make a career out of the army Palmer wasn’t destined to stay around for very many years. A Detailed Medical History for Invaliding form completed in respect of himself at Rawal Pindi on 1 September 1897 revealed why.

Attached to the 12th Coy. Eastern Division (Heavy Battery) of the Royal Artillery Palmer had been diagnosed with Varix after service of 3 years and 186 days. The report stated that he had been at Home from the time he enlisted until 25 March 1896 when he was sent to India remaining there until 2 September 1897. His habits were described as “regular” and his conduct Good.

The cause of his distress was noted as “This man’s disease was caused by a kick received at football in 1894 when stationed at Dover. The skin was broken and he had a very severe scar. Since then he has had three admissions for the same disease – he is unable to march. The left leg is affected and there are four very small varicose scars present, and the veins above are swollen and tortuous. His disease is the result of the accident above noted, and also a predisposition naturally to Varix, but has not been caused by climate or military service, nor aggravated by vice, intemperance, or other misconduct.”

In answer to the question as to whether or not the disability would be permanent the reply was “Yes, He will be able to follow a light employment in which he can keep his legs up” – these were to be famous last words considering the fact Palmer was a mounted yeoman in the Boer War but more of that later.

Proposed as Permanently Unfit for the Service Palmer was discharged on the findings of the Medical Board convened for the purpose. He was repatriated to Netley in England aboard the S.S. “Simila” embarking at Bombay on 29 October 1897 and arriving at Netley on 19 November of that year. It was further noted that Palmer had declined the suggested operation.

A free man Palmer scouted around for something with which to occupy himself. In far off South Africa trouble had already started to brew between the British Empire on the on hand and two Dutch “Boer” Republics on the other. The Transvaal and the Orange Free State were bound by ties of language, culture and common interest but it was the Transvaal with the recent discovery of gold deposits in and around Johannesburg that was attracting the most interest. People from all corners of the Empire flocked to “Diggers” Camps to stake their claim and pan for gold. Ere long the small Boer population was hopelessly outnumbered by the “Uitlanders’ who had invaded their territory.

An uneasy peace prevailed until some of the new arrivals started agitating for the vote and a bigger say in the affairs of the country. Kruger, the President, was having none of this and, in October 1899, war was declared between the two protagonists. Initially the Boers gained the upper hand through aggressive tactics and the dearth of any substantial numbers of Imperial troops in neighbouring Natal and the Cape Colony. This led to several British reversals in what became known as Black Week and it was soon apparent that the Boer threat was a very real one.

The call went out at home for the raising of the Yeomanry Corps. Civilians in the main who were prepared to leave what they were doing, don a uniform, in many instances pay for their own horses and equipment, and head south the fight Brother Boer along with their regular Army comrades.

Palmer who had been whiling his time away as a Cook jumped at the chance and, at Canterbury on 7 February 1900, completed the Attestation papers for Short Service with the Colours (One Year). Confirming his previous service with the Royal Artillery he was now 26 years and 5 months old and, having been passed as Fit by the Doctor, obviously showed no visible or other signs of the malaise which had occasioned his discharge from the Artillery.

Assigned no. 4491 and the rank of Trooper he joined the 53rd Company (Royal East Kent), 11th Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry. After an initial 28 days at home getting things organised he set sail for South Africa and was active in the field from 7 March 1900 until his return to England on 1 August 1901. For his efforts he was awarded the Queens Medal with clasps Wittebergen (he was very active in the eastern Orange Free State) as well as Cape Colony, Transvaal and South Africa 1901. Palmer had been part of the 1st Contingent I.Y. and, after the period of their engagement had expired, these worthies were repatriated to England to be replaced by the 2nd Contingent – altogether a lower stamp of man.

Whilst he was out in South Africa the 1901 England census was underway and this revealed that although the family still resided at 9 Kelvin Road in Islington, Mr Palmer senior had passed away leaving his wife Christina to look after 16 year old Charles – the last child still at home.

Sadly Frederick George Palmer didn’t live to take possession of the medal issued to him – he passed away in London on 30 May 1902 at the age of 25 and to the day, but one, that saw the end of the Boer War with peace being declared at Vereeniging.