TOPIC:

...I have very little information about him, but know that my maternal grandfather was a 'doctor' in the Boer War. He was I believe in the RAMC and although I am not certain.

He was Alexander Henry Edwards, and there is an A.H. Edwards on the site's roll and it says he was on the Cunard Ship, the Aurania and the source of the information was that it came from the Transport Medal Rolls. The question is -what was a 'Transport Medal' issued for? I assume it was a service medal of sorts? And if he was down there why would he have got that and not a Queen's South Africa Medal and/or a King's South Africa Medal

He definitely had a big box of 'doctor's stuff' that my mother can remember as a young girl as well as a box of chocolates that was sent to him and all the troops for one of the Christmases by Queen Victoria. May have been two boxes -just trying to find out now.

Many thanks,


Tom

Tom,

Have a look at this page. It contains information on the Transport Medal and a list of recipients.

www.angloboerwar.com/medals-and-awards/b...h/52-transport-medal

Regards
David

David,

Many thanks for the link -I found it after I posted this comment, so felt a bit of a twit!

In his particular case this would mean that he would have been on board the 'Aurania' as a surgeon (presumably doctor too?) and would treat the more seriously wounded soldiers? and then would they be transferred to other ships for returning too England if they could not go back out to fight another date. I was (perhaps unnecessarily) catalogue-ing regiment by regiment the casualties of certain regiments from the "Casualties of the S.A.F.F." and noted that a couple had died 'at sea' and in St. Helena -I am guessing these were troops that were homeward bound, but their predicament got the better of them.

...and would the next step be to start looking to Merchant Navy records? Or would you keep battling on in military records.

My mother says she can remember him talking about wounded Boers coming on board, and being absolutely petrified about leaving dry land! So he definitely treated them too!

Many thanks,


Tom