Hello Bob,
Your GGF’s January 1900 attestation papers and service record covering his service in the South African War of 1899-1902 can be found on Find My Past under the regimental number of 7552.
The attestation papers show he was already a member of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion (VB) attached to the South Wales Borderers (SWB). This battalion should not be confused with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion of the South Wales Borderers.
Going back to 1859 those in power became concerned about the undefended state of the country when the French, despite having been our allies in the Crimea War, became involved in the Second Italian War of Independence (also called the Sardinian War, the Austro-Sardinian War, the Franco-Austrian War, or the Italian War of 1859). As a result local communities were asked to create volunteer companies which generally became known as Rifle Volunteer Companies. Over time these companies became organised into Voluntary Battalions attached to the regular army regiments. By the end of the 19th Century there were five VB’s attached to the SWB covering different areas in south-east Wales. I think the 3rd VB covered the Pontypool Area. The various companies that made up the VB’s were still popularly known as Rifle Volunteers named after the local community but officially were known the “A”, “B” etc Company of the VB. Thus, I think the reference to “I” Company on your GGF’s WW1 discharge papers refer to his membership of “I” Company of the 3rd VB of the SWB. This is not as unlikely as it sounds as the VB’s existed until 1908 when they became absorbed into the Territorial Army (with no doubt much muttering from the older members of the VB’s such as your GGF). Old and local allegiances die hard and I suspect the 9847 regimental number was his regimental number in “I” Company of the 3rd VB, SWB. Based on my own experience investigating Staffordshire volunteers do not bother to pursue this avenue on line although the Royal Welsh Regimental Museum at Brecon may be able to help.
In December 1900 when the South African (Boer) War of 1899-1902 war was going badly for Britain the regular army regiments were asked to raise a company for service in SA from their VB’s. To serve in SA members of the VB’s had to volunteer, be selected from the excessive number who volunteered and re-attest to agree to one year of overseas service plus a possible second year if the war had not ended. Those selected in early 1900 became known as the Volunteer Service Company (VSC) or sometimes the Volunteer Active Service Company (VASC) or even just the Active Service company (ASC). The war dragged on and rather than make the members of the VSC complete a full second year a replacement VSC was raised in the spring of 1901 thus the original VSC became known to history as the 1st VSC. The war dragged on even more and in 1902 the 3rd VSC went out to SA to replace the 2nd VSC.
Hope you managed to follow that!
Your GGF set sail for South Africa on St Valentine’s Day 1900 as Private 7552 of the 1st Volunteer Service Company attached to the 2nd Battalion of the South Wales Borderers and it seems to have taken them until May 1900 before they caught up with the regular soldiers of the SWB. Your GGF set foot on the soil of England again on 21 May 1901. He was discharged from his obligation to serve overseas on 27 May 1901 and reverted to being a part time soldier, once again serving in “I” Company, 3rd VB attached to the SWB. In this role he would have lent pomp & circumstance to local events and high days (they had a fancy uniform and a band). He would have kept up his ability to defend the home country if needed by attending training sessions, short camps etc. No doubt this was accompanied by some time in local hostelries when there would be much remembrance of deeds 7000 miles away and those who did not go to SA would mutter “Oh Gawd, they’re off again”.
To find out where some of those deeds might have occurred go the “Unit Info” section on the menu to the left remembering the above dates and allowing for a circa 3 week voyage home. Wikipedia gets quite specific about the SWB VSC’s as you will see from this link, do not be put off by the title, ignore the first part which I have trouble getting my head round and scroll down to the heading South Wales Borderers and then read with interest:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brecknockshire_Battalion
Having read these you cannot assume your GGF would have been present at every engagement mentioned. The majority of British soldiers who served in SA spent time in hospital for some reason or other. Rarely a soldier’s medical records during the South African War survive with the other paperwork but not in your GGF’s case. What you can say he was amongst the troops that occupied Johannesburg in the Transvaal in May 1900 because of the Johannesburg clasp to his QSA. The other two clasps tell you he was involved in engagements in Cape Colony & Orange Free State. The reason for his fourth clasp is obvious. The medal roll you have posted tells you he did not qualify for the KSA, this was for two reasons his service in SA was less than the required 18 months and did not extend into 1902.
Regards, David
