TOPIC:

Hi everyone, first time using this site, have been researching a sword of mine owned by Robert Gilmore Earle DSO and have been able to find some information about him, however the source I have found is for some reason very difficult to understand (think it has been formatted incorrectly online). As such his service in the Boer war ,while being listed is hard to decipher, and was hoping you with your greater knowledge of this particular war would be able to help deciphering which actions he took part in and any other information about this soldier.

EARLE, ROBERT GILMOUR,~Iajor,wa bOnl 1July, 1814. Hentrred the~;\rmy21 Oct. 1 94, becoming Lieutenant 24 Oct. 1891.He erveJ in thr outh .\friean War from 1 99 to 1902; was present atthe advance on Kimberley, including action at l\Iagel' Contein; i.n theOr noe Fre tale, including action at V t River (5 and 6 May);IntheTran vaal in )lay and June, 1,includ~g ac~ionsnearJo~ann~burgand Diamond Hill (11 aml12 June); aaam durmg the operatlOnsilltheTranYaalea t of Preloria, including action at Reit Vlei (Despatches[London Gazette, :l9 July, 1902]; Queen' ledal wiLh !ourcla~ps,andKing Medal wilh two cIa p). He wa promoted Captam 1 April, 1904.He rved in the European War; wa promoted Major 24 Oct. 1914,andwcreat d a Companion of the Distin!ruished ervice OrdeT [LondonTazette 23 June 1915]: "Robert Gilmour Earle, Major, Royal EngineeTs.For distm!!Uished ervice in the field." He was Deputy Director of Army... ignals, 4th Army, B.E.F ... Brit.ish.Al'mi~s.inFr~ce,.6Feb. 1916, to 15lay 191 . Chi f ignalling Officer, BnlIsh Armies10France, from 16May: 191 .' He wa given the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel 3 June, 1917,allllwa created a Cjl.G. in 1919

Lewisbrowning,
First, welcome to the Forum. Looks like the info you have was taken from the publication "The Distinguished Service Order" and somehow corrupted.
As far as the Boer War was concerned, Lt. Robert Gilmour Earle was present at the advance on Kimberley, including action at Magersfontein; in the Orange Free State, including actions at Vet River (5th and 6th May); in the Transvaal in May and June 1900, including actions near Johannesburg and Diamond Hill ( 11 and 12 June; again during the operations in the East of Pretoria) including the actions at Reit Vlei. Despatches LG 29/7/1902. Queens medal with four clasps and Kings medal with two clasps.
If you like, I can post the brief bio on this man.
Regards
IL.

Brilliant thank you, dry quick and very helpful, had quite an interesting time in South Africa then. Yeah please do post a bio on him the more information about the soldier the better !

Lewis

Lewis
Here is his bio from DSO book:

And here is his entry for Boer War Services of Officers (only extra info is his Branch of Service)

Regards
Il.

Welcome, Lewis.

The four clasps on his medal would be Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Cape Colony and Orange Free State.

Fantastic, thanks for finding this. I’m left intrigued by his DSO citation do you know if it will be possible to find a more detailed version.