TOPIC:

Hello All
I am researching for a friend his grandfather who served both in WW1 as well as the Boer War. For the latter the man in question 189 Pte John Strickland can be found listed in W0 100/286 as belonging to the Vryburg Town Guard. Can anyone please provide some background history on this particular unit please or where I could find some general info on town guards in the Boer War?
Many thanks
Trevor

Trevor,

There is not too much information on the Town Guards in the Boer War except for a few of the more notable ones that were engaged with the Boers.

I am not sure when the Vryburg TG was embodied vis a vis the TG to the South in Kimberley. I believe it would have been created just before the start of the War.

The Times, 5 Oct 1899 lamented that nothing had so far been done to protect the town of Vryburg.

An article from The Times, 23 Oct 1899 but dated 15 Oct, expresses the panic in the town and mentions the Volunteers which I take to mean the Town Guard (but could be the Vryburg Mounted Rifles).




Kekewich reports that the volunteers returned to their homes on 15th Oct too.

In the same edition, the death of Major Scott was also reported:



The Times on 28 Oct 1899 reported that the Boers had taken Vryburg:



A letter published in the Hobart Mercury, 31 May 00, also suggests the Town Guard was had been in place when then Boers arrived:




I would imagine the TG was reconvened and expanded once the Boer left in May 1900.

From The Times, 1 Nov 1899:

This article from The Times, 2 Oct 1901, reports how the TG was engaged with the Boers and suffered casualties:

Interestingly, the casualty roll gives two Town Guard casualties for 16 Sep 1901, both listed as Zoutleif Town Guard.

Pte A Dennison, wounded
Pte D Abt, slightly wounded

Pte Daniel Abt is listed in the roll for Hannay's Scouts. His brother, Herman Abt, served in the Vryburg TG.

1 Sgt Alex George Dennison is listed as KIA, 18 Sep 1901 on the same Hannay's Scouts roll. He has previously served as an Inspector in Crosbie's Transport (and listed on that roll with CC).

I was not aware there was a TG in Zoutleif. There is no roll for that TG.

David

Many thanks for the fascinating and useful newspaper extracts from The Times which are a great help in my research.
Kind regards
Trevor