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My late father, Desmond Horn, who grew up on the farm Kingscote near Bell in the Peddie district of the Eastern Cape, left me with his research on our family, our forefathers of whom arrived with the German settlers of 1858. My dad died in 2003, pre-internet research! I have tried to follow up on my family tree but am battling to find any information on Ernst Hildebrand(t) who apparently was a member of the 1st Regiment of the Cape Mounted Yeomanry and died of dysentry in Kokstad on 18 April 1879, leaving his widow Auguste Frederike Wilhelmine Appel (married in Wesley) with three children, one being Emelia Henriette Hildebrandt who married my great grandfather August Wilhelm Friederick Horn.
Nothing more is known of Ernst. The British German Legion Register List no 255 Reg no 775, Reg 1, Company 5, according to one of my dad's relatives Des Kopke, lists the next of kin of Lance Corporal Ernst Hildebrandt of Breslau Prussia as being Eliesse Hildebrandt (of?) Werningerode. Nowhere else in all the documents I have is there an Eliesse Hildebrandt mentioned. Ernest Hildebrandt also received Erf 6 in the village of Bodiam, and is mentioned in the German Settlers' Centenary booklet "Germans in Kaffraria 1858-1958" as having received such a grant.
I would be most grateful for any information regarding Ernst Hildebrandt, said to have been a Lance-Corporal and then Sergeant Major. I cannot find any information about him in the military records of Ancestry.com nor in the the South African Military History website.
Many thanks.

VivvdH,

On the medal roll for the South Africa General Service Medal and serving in the Cape Mounted Yeomanry is Troop Sergeant Major E Hildebrandt who earned the medal with clasp 1879. His forename is given as Edward. A note says 'Dead' and a further annotation that his medal was retuned to Woolwich 28 November 1911.



Source: WO100/49p12-13

There is also a Private Carl Hildebrandt on the CMR roll (WO100/48p119). His medal was also returned to Woolwich on the same date. A man named Private C Hildebrandt, CMR, earning the medal with clasp 1877-8 is listed on WO100/50p264.

Any records for the CMR will be held in Cape Town so an enquiry to the Castle Museum may be the next step.

Best wishes
David

Many thanks for your assistance and the information given, David! I will pursue this new information with great zeal!
Warm regards
Viv