TOPIC:

Berenice and interested others.
"359 Tpr. Duncan Sinclair" was a member of D Sqn., NSW Bushmen and according to sources had a DoB of 16/10/1874. He was promoted Cpl. 30/7/1900. His occupation was Contractor and he hailed from Palmerston, NZ. His QSA bore the usual clasps for that unit; CC/OFS/T/Rhod/SA01 and he was Mentioned "for gallantry" by Baden Powell on 11/7/1900. The Smith booklet on the NSWB says that he transferred to an Imperial Regiment in South Africa - but no notation which. I must have a look on the medal roll page to see if that clears things up. Smith also notes that Sinclair "possibly had WW1 service.
Regards
IL.
Later - the Medal roll for the NSWCB simply says "Tfr'd to Imp. Regt" and entry was initialled "SR" - the unit's adjutant.

Cattle Ranger's Corps?

Berenice
I would not think that the CCR would be classified as an "Imperial Regiment" . The Smith roll of the CCR gives P285 Ranger Duncan Sinclair's address as Pretoria, Transvaal and his discharge date as 30/11/01. It does not reference previous service with another unit.
Regards
IL.

Berenice and others interested
The more I think about that marginal note "Tfr'd to Imp. Regt.", the more I am inclined towards it meaning Duncan Sinclair was transferred to the 6th NSW IMPERIAL Bushmen. I checked the roll of the NSWIB to no avail - however considering that the NSW Bushmen were funded by public subscriptions and the NSWIB were funded by the Imperial Government - it is likely that confirmation of my thought would only be confirmed in the pay rolls.
If they still exist.
Regarding BP's "mentioning" 359 Tpr. Duncan Sinclair for gallantry, I can find no such entry in the Army "Mentions" on this site. However, it is known that "mentions" can be made and passed up the chain-of-command - and then go no further. Perhaps his promotion to Cpl. was regarded as sufficient reward.
Regards
IL.

Enclosed- Duncan Sinclair's Medal rolls from ABW
A Duncan Henry Sinclair entry from the New Zealand WW1 2nd Division Reserve Roll 1916-1917
1900 NZ Electoral roll- Please note Hobbs as opposed to Hibbs.
As for active service in WW1, I could only find a reserve roll. However, there was a Duncan Henry Sinclair who served , but alas, he was killed in action during 1917.
As for the MID regarding Baden-Powell, I'm still looking.........

Struggling with the Baden-Powell MID date of 11th July 1900. Private Sinclair was in D Squadron. According to the NSW Bushmen report they entered the Transvaal from the Northwest corner apart from D squadron. The information attached is as close as I can get regarding July 1900. There was a Sergeant Ryan wounded and one of the posted newspaper clippings mentions a PJS Ryan serving with Private Sinclair.....I know, it's a long shot. But it could be the same Ryan.....

Having entered the Transvaal from the northwest corner, the NSW Bushmen, apart from 'D' squadron, in various detachments, crossed, via Zeerust, to the district about Rustenburg and then to that north of Pretoria, where for some months they did good service under Major General Baden-Powell and Major General Plumer. About 4th July Hanbury-Tracy was holding Rustenburg with a mixed force of 120 men. In his telegraphic despatch of 8th July 1900 Lord Roberts spoke of an attempt made on Rustenburg by Boers under Lemmer, "who were eventually driven off with the assistance of Colonel Holdsworth, 7th Hussars (attached to the British South Africa Police), who made a rapid march of 48 miles from the neighbourhood of Zeerust with Bushmen under Colonel Airey on hearing that Rustenburg was likely to be threatened". The enemy suffered heavy loss, and 5 prisoners were captured. Our casualties were—Bushmen, 2 killed, Captain Machattie and 3 men wounded"


. In his telegram of 16th July Lord Roberts said: "Baden-Powell reports that a patrol of Australian Bushmen encountered a party of Boers on the 13th and drove them back with loss. Sergeant Ryan (Ryrie?) wounded on shoulder". And on the 22nd July, at Roster's River between the Megato Pass and Elands River, there was very heavy fighting. In Lord Roberts' telegram of 24th July he said: "Baden-Powell reports from the Megato Pass on the 22nd that Colonels Airey and Lushington, with only 400 men, drove 1000 Boers from a strong position and scattered them with considerable loss". Mr Green, in 'The Story of the Bushmen', gives some interesting details: he says that Baden-Powell had ordered Colonel Airey to go back to Elands River on the 22nd for a convoy. Airey's force was about 300 strong, made up in equal proportions of men from the New South Wales, Queensland, Victorian, and West Australian Bushmen. The Boers lay low while the advance-guard passed and then opened a heavy fire on the main body. The men instantly opened out a little and lay down in the grass, where they held on for eight hours. Captain C W Robertson was shot in the head while directing 'B' squadron, NSW Bushmen, and Lieutenant Eckford, who succeeded him, was wounded. Surgeon Lieutenant Colonel Ingoldsby and 2 officers of the Queenslanders were also wounded.