TOPIC:

My name is Robert Whybourne and my interest in this site is in regard to my grandfather Robert Whybourne who served in the Boer War in South Africa however I am unable to find any information regarding his service other than his regiment which was the 3rd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment and his regimental number was 7929. I am currently working on our family history and would like to have more info if available regarding my grandfather.
Thank you to any and all help.
Robert

Robert, Welcome to the Forum.

As you are researching your family history are you a paid up subscriber to Ancestry & Find My Past?

If Ancestry choose the Military Search option and enter R (not Robert) Whybourne as his name and 7929 in the Keyword Box - he should come out as the top two selections listed on medal rolls for the 3rd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment - he earned the Queen's South Africa Medal with 5 clasps - Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 & South Africa 1902.

If Find My Past again do a Military Search and enter his name as Robert Whybourne and enter 7929 in the Soldier Number box and you will find his attestation papers & service records (4 pages in total).

Follow this link to find out the contribution the 3rd Battalion made to the South African (Boer) War of 1899-1902:

www.angloboerwar.com/books/129-du-moulin...-the-third-battalion

Regards, David.

PS if you don't belong to Ancestry or FMP scream "Help".

Yes I do have Ancestry and was able to find a couple of entries regarding medals but was hoping to find more regarding his time in the conflict. I’ll definitely check out Find My Past and do as you suggest.
Thank you.
Robert

Robert attached are your GF's Militia attestation/enlistment papers (first two pages) and his services records (last two pages).

From this paperwork I deduce his military career went as follows:

29/04/1899 - attested for 6 years service in the 3rd Militia Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment (RSR) - militia battalions were about home defence and the majority of the members were part time soldiers.
11/12/1899 - the 3rd Battalion were embodied with the intention of serving overseas in South Africa
26/02/1900 - your GF attested (volunteered) to serve overseas with the 3rd Battalion and was placed in the Army Reserve
29/03/1901 - the 3rd Battalion including your GF embarked for South Africa
During 1901 your GF was attached to the short-lived Mounted Infantry Company formed from the 3rd Battalion
15/06/1902 - the 3rd Battalion including your GF embarked for St Helena to guard Boer PoWs held there
11/09/1902 - the 3rd Battalion including your GF disembarked in England and were immediately disembodied and your GF returned to being a Militia man
28/04/1905 - having completed the 6 years service he originally signed up for your GF was discharged

Presumably you have followed up the link I gave you - if not you should because it describes your GF's time in SA & St Helena in more detail than I have - as you will see the dates I have retrieved form his records accord with the information given in the article.

Having found a Public Family Tree on Ancestry created by a Pippa Whybourne, your GF went to Canada in 1911 but Pippa does not supply any evidence he served in the Canadian Army during the Great War.

You can message Pippa via Ancestry if you are not already in touch with her - she appears to be descended from a brother of your GF.

Regards, David.

David, thank you so much for both the link and the copies of his attestation papers and service records. They are a wealth of information that we did not have.
It is my understanding from my uncle Stanley Whybourne that my grandfather did guard duty during the war on radio towers here in town. Back then we were Port Arthur and Fort William Ontario but have now amalgamated to become Thunder Bay Ontario. When he was doing guard duty it would have been in Port Arthur. Whether he belonged to any militia or not we are not sure. The article was very informative as well. It is interesting to see and read about the contributions of the 3rd Battalion.
We will reach out to Pippa.
Thank you so much once again for your help in this matter. It truly is appreciated.
Robert
ps, as soon as I find the only photo we have of Robert in uniform I'll attach a copy.