TOPIC:

There are 33 names on the list of Boer War casualties named on the memorial in the Dordrecht Old Cemetery. Some of them appear to contain incorrect or missing information. Others contain names that I haven't been able to locate in other sources, including this site. It would be interesting if the list could be confirmed and completed. I suspect that a few of these casualties are not yet included on the official list.

I am particularly interested in the four names with the "No info??" narrative. The names on the memorial, with some additional information (from this site as well as other sources with source documents such as familysearch etc) are below:

Units represented on the Memorial are: B.H. - Border Horse; 1st Brabants - Brabants Horse; B.M.I. – Bethune’s Mounted Infantry; C.M.R. - Cape Mounted Rifles; C.P. – Cape Police; D.D.V.G. – Dordrecht District Volunteer Guard; F.M.R. – Frontier Mounted Rifles; H.L.I. – Highland Light Infantry; L.S. – [Lovat’s Scouts?]; Q.R.V. – Queenstown Rifle Volunteers.

Andrew C. (Cpr in the C.M.R)
No info?? Probably not the Pvt C. Andrewes of the C.M.R. who died at Bird's River on 7 Feb. 1900?

Barrett E.H. (Tpr in the M.M.R.)
Died 9 Jan. 1902, killed at Zwakfontein

Brown [-] (Sgt Maj. in the B.M.I.
Died 12 Sep. 1901, died at Stoffelsberg (Sgt Maj. A Brown on ABW.com)

Cass [-] (Tpr in the C.M.R)
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek (Pvt. F. Cass on ABW.com)

Crystal J.M. (Tpr in the C.M.R.
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek (Pvt. J.W. Crystal on ABW.com)

Cumming H. (Tpr in the B.H.)
Died 5 Feb. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek

de Klerk [-] (Tpr in the M.M.R.)
Died 30 May 1902 - Assumed to be the Trp S.J. de Klerk of the Ridger's Scouts att'd Q.R.V. who died of disease at Dordrecht on 30 May 1902 (ABW.com)

Dick J. (Sgt in the B.M.I.)
Died 10 Jul. 1901 - Assumed to be the Pvt. J. Dick of the H.L.I. named on ABW.com, who died of disease at Dordrecht on 10 Jul. 1901

Edwards [-] (Tpr in the M.M.R.)
Died 29 May 1902 - Assumed to be the Pte/L-Cpl W.A. Edwards of ---, who died of disease at Dordrecht on 29 May 1902 (ABW.com)

Fagan M. (Cpl in the D.D.V.G.)
No info??

Foote [-] (Tpr in the M.M.R.)
Died 2 Jan. 1902 – Ref Pvt. Alfred Foote, age 21, att'd 'Colonel Monro's column', died of tuberculosis at Dordrecht (familysearch.com). Not on ABW.com

Gorton A. (Tpr in the C.M.R)
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek (not on ABW.com, familysearch.com death notice named Alfred Gorton, aged 28, killed at L/N)

Haynes F. (Cpl in the C.M.R)
No info??

Hewitt R. (Tpr in the C.M.R)
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek (Pvt. G.R. Hewitt on ABW.com)

Hunter P.D. (Sgt in the F.M.R.)
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek. (Q.M. Sgt Percy Dugmore Hunter, son of a missionary to Tembuland).

Jenkins L.W. (Tpr in the F.M.R.)
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek (Tpr T.W./L. Jenkins on ABW.com)

MacFarlane D. (Pvt. In the H.L.I.)
Died 9 Jul. 1901, killed accidentally near Dordrecht (fell off a cliff)

Macrane [-] (Cpl in the L.S.)
Perhaps the Pvt. F. McCrae of Lovat's Scouts who died of disease at Dordrecht on 11 Dec. 1901 (ABW.com)

McDonald J. (Tpr in the D.D.V.G.)
No info??

Milne J. (Tpr in the Q.R.V.)
Died 24 Apr. 1902, died of disease at Mars Hill near Dordrecht

Morris S. (Tpr in the C.M.R )
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek (Pvt. S. Morris on ABW.com)

O'Reilly J. (Tpr in the 1st Brabant)
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek (Tpr J. O'Reilly of Brabant's Horse on ABW.com)

Quinn F. (Tpr in the D.D.V.G.
Died 6 Jun. 1900 at Dordrecht - Pvt. William Francis Quinn of the D.D.V.G., aged 19, died of pleurisy 7 Jun. 1900 at Dordrecht (familysearch.com)

Randle [-] (Tpr in the M.M.R.)
Died 11 Jun. 1902 - died of disease at Dordrecht (Tpr F. Randle on ABW.com)

Ray R. (Sgt in the C.P.)
Died 18 Apr. 1900 of disease at Dordrecht (Sgt R.A./A. Ray on ABW.com)

Reynolds J.M. (Sgt in the C.M.R)
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek

Scott [-] (Tpr in the M.M.R.)
No info??

Smith D. (Tpr in the F.M.R).
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek

Span G. (Tpr in the C.M.R)
Died 4 Mar. 1900, killed at Labuschagne's Nek (Pvt. E.G.M. Span on ABW.com)

Thackwray S.K.(Cpl in the D.D.V.G.)
Assumed to be Cpl Sam Kinton Thackwray (ABW.com) who died 20 Oct. 1901, accidentally at Lemoenkloof/fontein, ex Brabants Horse

Truter [-] (Tpr in the M.M.R.)
Died 24 Jan. 1902 of wounds sustained at Zwakfontein on 9 Jan. (Tpr C. Truter on ABW.com)

Waketon W. (Tpr in the B.H.)
Died 5 Feb. 1900 - named correctly on ABW.com as Pvt. William Henry Wakelin, who died at Labuschagne's Nek on 5 Feb. 1900

Wall G. (Tpr in the M.M.R.)
Died 16 Feb. 1902 of wounds sustained at Penhoek on 12 Feb.

AHM77,
I have had a look at "In Memoriam," a list of casualties of the conflict compiled by Steve Watt in 2000.
The only name that I could find a near match up with one of your 'no info' men was 3230 Private C. Andrewes of the CMR, killed in action at Bird's River on 07/02/1900. But,as you say, you are doubtful whether this is the soldier named on the memorial.
Good luck with the research.
Cheers Steve

Thanks Steve

The solution is probably to approach the "No info"s one at a time.

Of the others, Barrett, Hunter, Ray and Thackwray are buried in the same cemetery, so more info is available about them from their individual gravestone. Interestingly, since most of these men were from the Colonial Forces, ,I've found little in the way of supporting death/probate records in the archives.

My thinking on Pvt. Andrewes and Cpr Andrew being different people was prefaced on: (i) there being two transcription errors on the memorial (surname and rank), which would be unusual; (ii) the fact that the Bird's River casualties were buried together at Koffiefontein farm (outside Dordrecht); and (iii) although there is an "Andrewes" included on the CMR plaque of the East London Boer War memorial, this is not necessarily the same person. It may well be though that Andrewes was wounded at Bird's River, moved to Dordrecht for treatment where he later succumbed to his wounds. If so, then there may not have been many around to vouch for his details.

There is a grave in Graaff Reinett Cemetery of Charles Andrew (aged 26), a railway foreman who died in Graaff Reinet on 20 Mar. 900 from phthisis, but he was not a war casualty.

This cemetery is also made interesting by the number of Boer graves, including the two Adendorffs who were with Smuts at Moordenaar's Nek.

Thanks for the pointers.

Dordrecht

Hi Steve

I think that it may be down to Fagan and McDonald (Haynes is likely to be a misspelling of the Cpl F. Haines on ABW.com, while Scott seems likely to be Tpr John Thomas Scott, who died of disease at Dordrecht on 4 Feb 1902).

There are six identified Fagan casualties from the ABW (no likely connection between them):

Tpr Christopher George Feltrim Fagan (Bethune’s M.I.)
Died 6 Sep. 1900 at Wakkerstroom

Cpl M. Fagan (D.D.V.G.)
Died [-] - Subject of this exercise

Cpl T. Fagan (Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders)
Died 28 Nov. 1899 at Modder River, buried at Kimberley West End Cemetery

Cpl W. Fagan (Royal Irish Rifles)
Died 11 Mar. 1900 of disease, remembered on the Victoria Barracks Memorial

Pvt. G. Fagan (Royal Irish Rifles)
Died [-], buried at Springfontein Concentration Camp (findagrave says same death date as J. Fagan below)

Pvt. J. Fagan (1st Royal Irish Rifles)
Died 20 Jul. 1900 of disease, buried at the Machadadorp Main Cemetery




Regards

A review of background biographies of the Colonial and British Boer War casualties who are buried in the Dordrecht cemetery and whose names appear on the cemetery’s Boer War memorial, reveals a number of transcription and factual errors and omissions.

Perhaps the next challenge must be to identify the casualties who fell in the Dordrecht district, and may even have been reinterred in the mass grave at the Dordrecht cemetery, but whose names are not memorialised at all.

I'd be grateful if anyone could assist with the first name of Sgt Maj. Brown of Bethune's Mounted Infantry, who died after the skirmish between Monro's Column and the Smuts Commando east of Dordrecht on 12 Sep. 1901

Cpr C. Andrews, C.M.R. … was actually … Pvt. C. (Charles) Andrewes, C.M.R.
Tpr E.H. Barrett, M.M.R. … was actually … Tpr E.H. (Ernest Harry) Barrett, M.M.R.
Sgt Maj. --- Brown, B.M.I. … was actually … Sgt Maj. A. (---) Brown, B.M.I.
Tpr --- Cass, C.M.R. … was actually … Tpr F. (Fred) Cass, C.M.R.
Tpr J.M. Crystal, C.M.R. … was actually … Tpr J.W. (James William) Chrystal, C.M.R.
Tpr H. Cumming, B.H. … was actually … Tpr H.J.P. (Henry John [Peveritt]) Cumming, B.H.
Tpr --- de Klerk, M.M.R. … was actually … Tpr S.J. (Stephanus Johannes) de Klerk, Q.R.V.
Sgt J. Dick, B.M.I. … was actually … Pvt. J. (John) Dick, H.L.I.
Tpr --- Edwards, M.M.R. … was actually … Tpr W.A. (William Andrew) Edwards, P.A.V.G.
Cpl M. Fagan, D.D.V.G. … was actually … Pvt. J. (James) Phegan of the Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen
Tpr --- Foote, M.M.R. … was actually … Tpr A. (Alfred) Foote, M.M.R.
Tpr A. Gorton, C.M.R. … was actually … Tpr A. (Alfred) Gorton, Kaffrarian Rifles
Cpl F. Haynes, C.M.R. … was actually … Cpl F. (Fred) Haines, C.M.R.
Tpr R. Hewitt, C.M.R. … was actually … Tpr G.R. (George Roberts) Hewitt, C.M.R.
Sgt P.D. Hunter, F.M.R. … was actually … Q.M. Sgt P.D. (Percy Dugmore) Hunter, F.M.R.
Tpr L.W. Jenkins, F.M.R. … was actually … Tpr T.W.L. (Thomas William Llewelyn) Jenkins, F.M.R.
Pvt. D. MacFarlane, H.L.I. … was actually … Pvt. D. (David) McFarlane, H.L.I.
Cpl --- Macrane, L.S. … was actually … Cpl F. (Farquhar) MacRae, L.S.
Tpr J. McDonald, D.D.V.G. … was actually … Tpr J.B. (James B---) McDonald, B.M.I.
Tpr J. Milne, Q.R.V. … was actually … Tpr J. (James) Milne, Q.R.V.
Tpr S. Morris, C.M.R. … was actually … Tpr S. (Samuel) Morris, C.M.R.
Tpr J. O'Reilly, Brabant’s Horse … was actually … Tpr J.T. (John Theodore), O’Reilly, Brabant’s Horse
Tpr F. Quinn, D.D.V.G. … was actually … Tpr W.F. (William Francis) Quinn, D.D.V.G.
Tpr --- Randle, M.M.R. … was actually … Tpr F. (Frank) Randle/Randall, Q.R.V.
Sgt R. Ray, C.P. … was actually … Sgt R.A. (Richard A---) Ray, C.P.
Sgt J.M. Reynolds, C.M.R. … was actually … Sgt J.M. (John Michael) Reynolds, C.M.R.
Tpr --- Scott, M.M.R. … was actually … Tpr J.T. (John Thomas) Scott, 3rd Bn I.Y.
Tpr D. Smith, F.M.R. … was actually … Tpr D. (Daniel) Smith, F.M.R.
Tpr G. Span, C.M.R. … was actually … Tpr E.G.M. (Edmund George Mitchell) Span, C.M.R.
Tpr G.C. Thackwray, D.D.V.G. … was actually … Tpr G.C. (George Clifford) Thackwray, D.D.V.G.
Tpr S.K. Thackwray, D.D.V.G. … was actually … Tpr S.K. (Samuel Kinton) Thackwray, D.D.V.G.
Tpr --- Truter, M.M.R. … was actually … Tpr C. (Charles) Truter, M.M.R.
Tpr W. Waketon, B.H. … was actually … Tpr W.H. (William Henry) Wakelin, B.H.
Tpr G. Wall, M.M.R. … was actually … Tpr G. (George) Wall, M.M.R.