TOPIC:

Baker, Balneavis Roxby died 14 April 1901, Elandsfontein South Africa. I am trying to find a diary, or a map that shows where the regiment fought and the route they would have travelled until April 1901 when he died. In other words I am trying to track my great x 3 uncle's activities before his death age 21.
Where can I see original documents highlighting his joining date and where, i.e., the name of the town etc.,
Would his joining forms tell me his home address and next of kin?
Would a death certificate have been issued?
Where in Elandsfontein was he was buried?
Given he was already living in South Africa, who would have issued him with a Lincolnshire Regiment uniform? What makes a Lincolnshire uniform stand out?
Did soldiers receive payment? I do apologise for these questions. Many thanks.

Pietrasanta, welcome to the Forum

Doing a military search for 1290 Baker on Find My Past leads to the 1886 Militia attestation papers of a Reuben Baker. this is the transcription record:

First name(s) Reuben
Last name Baker
Birth year 1868
Birth parish Thurley
Birth town Bourn
Birth county Lincolnshire
Birth country England
Service number 1290
Regiment Lincolnshire Regiment
Year 1886
Attestation date 17 Dec 1886
Attestation age years 18
Attestation age months 2
Attestation service number 1290
Attestation corps 4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment

These extracts indicate he did eventually go to South Africa in March 1900 following several years in the militia reserve. When he attested in 1886 he was living in the village of Deeping Fen near Spalding in Lincolnshire with his "Uncal", which I presume means uncle, William Murdoch, so presumably an orphan. I suspect his army attestation papers & service records "died" with him (but somebody else might be able to prove me wrong on that).



If you think this is your relation, happy to download the full set (four pages) and forward.

Doing a similar search on Ancestry comes up with two Boer medal rolls for the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. Both list him as a Private and "Deceased".





These show he was awarded posthumously the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps - Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal & South Africa 1901.

Just found this on WikiTree:

Roxby Balneavis Baker (1879 - 1901)

Private Roxby Balneavis Baker
Born 23 Nov 1879 in Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand

ANCESTORS
Son of William Andrew Baker and Mary (Balneavis) Baker
Brother of Colin Balneavis Baker I
Died 3 Mar 1901 at age 21 in Hancock Street, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa

Biography
He served as a Private in the Anglo Boer War, Service No 5886, with the Bedfordshire Regiment. He died of illness aged 21.

Background
Roxby Balneavis Baker was the younger son of Mary Balneavis and William Andrew Baker, of Oamaru, Southland, New Zealand. He was born on 23 November 1879. When he was a child the family went to live in South Africa.

Anglo Boer War
For information regarding the Bedfordshire Regiment's role in the Boer War, see: Anglo Boer War.[1]

Death and burial
On 17 February 1901 he became ill. He died on 23 March 1901, of "enteric fever - perforation", aged 21.[2]

Sources
1901 Death, Family Search.[3]
Birth reg 1879/3924, NZBDM.[4]

DJB will be pleased to know that ref [1] is to the unit information on this site.

Also on Facebook site named: DESPERATELY SEEKING RHODESIAN / ZIMBABWEANS - Lost Friends & Relatives

Jacqueline Falcomer, March 25, 2021 ·
I am looking for the children or grandchildren of my great uncles, William and Roxby Balneavis Baker.
William (Bill) married Patricia Hendrina Grobler. Last address is 107 Malvery Road, Waterfalls, Harare.
I have no idea of what happened to Roxby. Both brothers and their third eldest brother, Colin were all born in New Zealand. Colin Balneavis Baker died in Kezi, Bulawayo 5th August 1938. He is buried adjacent to Bembeswana Salvation Army Hospital.
Thank you.

5 people liked her post, 2 shared it but nobody responded to her. She also has a Public Family Tree on Ancestry.

Feeding 5886 Baker into FMyP & Ancestry one gets the following transcription record:

First name(s) R
Last name Baker
Service number 5886
Rank Private
Regiment 1 Battalion The Oxfordshire Light Infantry
Year 1899-1902
Biography -
Memorials Edward Brooks Barracks. Statue. Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Event detail Died Disease on 03/03/1901 at Johannesburg
Event unit 1 Battalion The Oxfordshire Light Infantry

The underlining is mine. This gent appears on two 1st/OLI medal rolls showing he died of illness and posthumously received the QSAM with CC, OFS, Transvaal & SA 1901 clasps.

Think it is about time for me to retire from the battlefield.

Ora capisco