Elmarie – many thanks for posting the headstone but I do have to point out an error on it – the regimental number of Corporal Brewer – this is one thing the Morning Leader did get right - it was 27952 rather than 27962.
Anyway your posting inspired to look into these four men in a bit more detail but with low expectations as dead (rank & file) men do not leave records. I have been nicely surprised!
The “Record of Deceased Soldiers Effects” entry for all four can be found on Ancestry – each one states they died on “1.2.02 nr Burgersdorp”. The info given allowed for three to be identified on reliable Public Family Trees on Ancestry. For the fourth (Brewer) surprisingly his attestation papers and service records are extant and can be found on Find My Past. So here are short write-ups on Coops, Gallagher & Hother & a somewhat longer one on Brewer.
1565 Sapper T Coops = Thomas Coops. He was born in Audley near Newcastle-on-Lyme, Staffordshire in 1881 where his father worked as a coal miner. He enlisted on 25 April 1898 and gave his occupation as “Engine Driver” – almost certainly in charge of a stationary engine at the coal mine where his father worked. He was 21 years of age when he died. QSA with 3 clasps (MR, OFS, Tr) & KSA (both date clasps).
8457 Sapper W A Gallagher = William Arthur Edward Gallagher. He was born in late 1879 in Birkenhead and brought up there. His Irish father worked as Railway Goods Porter. He enlisted on 8 Match 1901 and gave his occupation as “brick layer”. He was 22 years of age when he died. QSA with 5 clasps (CC, OFS, Tr, SA1901, SA1902).
8462 Sapper J G Hother = John George Hother. He was born in Liverpool where his father (born in Portsmouth) worked as seaman and brought up in the Toxteth area of Liverpool. He enlisted on enlisted on 8 March 1901 and was working at the time as a blacksmith at the. His father died before he enlisted and his effects were divided between his Scottish mother, Hannah and three siblings. John George was 21 years of age when he died. QSA with 5 clasps (CC, OFS, Tr, SA1901, SA1902).
A Merseyside newspaper in reporting the deaths of Gallagher & Hother described them as Birkenhead Volunteers. At the time Birkenhead was in Cheshire.
27952 Corporal H Brewer = Sidney Hector Brewer. He was born in Blanford Forum in Dorset in late 1872. By the time of the 1881 Census the family were living in Twerton a village just outside the City of Bath (now a suburb of Bath). His father worked as a Railway Guard. The family were still living in Twerton ten years later and 18 year old Sidney was also working for the railways as an engine cleaner. Later in the year he joined the Bath Gas Company and served an apprenticeship with them training to be gasfitter. He gave gasfitter as his occupation when he attested for service in the Royal Engineers on 11 January 1894 in Bristol. He claimed previous military experience in the Volunteer Battalion attached to the Somerset Light Infantry. The RE obviously recognised him as a bright young man with potential and he gained the following qualifications & promotion whilst still serving at home:
11 December 1894 – 3rd Class Certificate of Education
12 December 1894 - Class 4 Tradesman (Gasfitter)
5 February 1897 - Class 3 Tradesman (Superior Gasfitter)
16 June 1897 – 2nd Class Certificate of Education
16 February 1898 – Swimming Certificate
8 July 1898 - Class 2 Tradesman (Very Superior Gasfitter)
Undated – Superior Tradesman regarding Electrical Lights & Firing Mines.
1 March 1899 – promoted to Lance Corporal by when he was a member of the 31st Company.
On 21 October 1899 he set sail for South Africa as a member of the 31st (Fortress) Field Company. On 1 March 1900 promoted to Corporal.
His service record describes his death as “Killed in collision between No’s 6 & 15 armoured trains”.
Sidney was 29 years of age when he died. On the 1881 Census he was listed as Hector Brewer possibly explaining the H Brewer on the headstone although he attested in his full name.
His QSA bearing 4 clasps (Belm, MR, OFS, Tr) was sent to his father on 10 January 1903 and his KSA (with both date clasps) on 18 January 1904.
1902 was not a good year for No 15 Armoured Train – on 5 May 1902 she derailed killing 1 officer, 1 sergeant, 8 privates and a sapper from the 31st Coy RE plus a CGR fireman – follow the link to Neville C’s superbly illustrated account of the incident.
www.angloboerwar.com/forum/8-events/3300...ria-5-may-1902#95415
