Here is the very first group I have ever owned to the K.O.S.B
What attracted me to the group was firstly the fact that this time last year I was walking all over the Paardeberg battlefield and secondly the fact that he ended being a good solid citizen of Durban.
6042 Pte John “Jack” Lynes, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers
Born: January 1879
Died: 06th February 1961
John Lynes was born in January 1879. He was the son of Benjamin and Fanny Lynes nee Aaron (married in1874) the family resided at 3 Richard Street in the Parish of St George in the East, London. Benjamin was a Leather Dresser by profession and his mother; Fanny was a full time housewife.
John Lynes makes his first appearance in the census of 1881 where he is recorded as a 2 year old child residing at the above-mentioned address. Little is known of his early years other than in 1885 he was perhaps the 6 year old John Lynes that was at a Workhouse School in Prince’s Road. However by the time the 1891 census came around John was now noted as a 12 year old scholar residing with his family at 182 Wolseley Building in Bermondsey, London. His mother Fanny, had passed away in 1886 and his father remarried soon afterwards in early1887. His stepmother, Elizabeth was a busy lady as by the time of the1891 census the family had 7 children.
One can only assume that John was busy completing his schooling and then working as a labourer in the years from 1891 until early 1897 but we do know that on the 23rd March 1897 he attested into King’s Own Scottish Borderers at Aldershot. He attested for a period of 7 years in the colours and 5 years in the reserve and was noted as being 18 years and 3 months old. He was a small chap, weighing in at only 52 Kg’s (115 LBS) and was 5 foot 5 inches tall.
His other personal particulars where noted as follows:
Chest measurement: 33 inches
Complexion: Dark Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Black
Marks: Scar on back of neck and “lost tip on third toe left foot”
Religious Denomination: Church of England
NOK: Father, Benjamin Lynes, 12 London Street, Dock Head, Bermondsey, London
John was to spend the best part of the next 3 years serving at home. I can only suspect that this would have been rather boring for him after a while, however, by the time 1899 came around and with the war clouds forming down south in Africa perhaps he was thinking ahead to a possible adventure in sunnier climes…
The 1st Battalion of the KOSB to which John was attached, sailed on the 3rd January 1900 aboard the Braemer Castle and the Goorkha destined for the Cape. They arrived on the 26th January 1900. Along with the 2nd Lincoln, 2nd Hampshire and the 2nd Norfolk Regiments they formed part of the 14th Brigade under the command of Brigadier General Chermside and were part of the 7th Division under Lieut-General Tucker.
Within 3 weeks John was to find himself in the thick of it at the battle of Paardeberg. This battle took place between the 18th and the 27th February 1900 with General Cronje eventually surrendering on the 27th February 1900 when he and his commandos where trapped along the banks of the Modder River. The KOSB did excellent work and were involved in a few sharp engagements in particular on the 23rd February when they repulsed and defeated a Boer forces coming to the assistance of Cronje.
John would have no doubt been involved in the next meaningful engagement at Karee Siding on the 29th March 1900. They were involved in clearing hills north of Bloemfontein, which were held by the Boers. 1 officer and 14 men where killed in this engagement.
With Bloemfontein now in British hands the KOSB were next in Pretoria. The Lincoln Regiment were garrisoned in Uitval Nek and were attacked on the 11th July 1900 by the Boers, the KOSB were dispatched to assist but arrived too late so the post fell to the enemy. July 1900 found the Brigade being changed under Colonel Cunningham DSO. This “Fresh” Brigade consisted of the KOSB, 2nd Berkshire Regiment, 1st Border Regiment, the 1st A &S Highlanders and also the Canadian and Elswick Batteries and was under the overall command of Lieut General Ian Hamilton. This force was sent on the 16th July 1900 to a point 25 miles north of Pretoria and was to form the extreme left for the eastern advance.
On the 22 July 1900 this force was seven miles north of Bronkhorst Spruit occupying Balmoral on the 25th July 1900. Further marching was to take place on the 25th July when Hamiltons force was ordered back to Pretoria and told to prepare for action against the Boers in the Rustenburg district. The force left Pretoria on the 1st August and after a swift but hard action on the 2nd August at Uitval’s Nek carried onto the Rustenburg district.
The KOSB returned to Pretoria at the end of August and after two days rest some members of the Regiment set out towards Belfast and the Delagoa line. I have no doubt the John was not part of this march as he never received the Belfast clasp. The KOSB were on garrison duty at several stations and posts for a few months and in 1901 they were ordered back to Pretoria.
May 1901 found the Regiment in Krugerdorp and on the 29th May 1901 they were part of a column that was involved in a fiercely contested action at Vlakfontein. The next few months found the KOSB involved in the Magaliesberg district hunting the enemy in the kloofs, dongas and spruits with good success.
In September 1901 the Battalion relived the West Yorkshires on the Mooi River Block house line. Several attacks were made on the line during April and May of 1902. As the qualifying dates for the “Natal” clasp where October 11th 1899 to June 11th 1900 with both dates being inclusive, they would not have qualified for it.
John Lynes remained with the regiment in South Africa after peace was declared and eventually took his discharge whilst still in South Africa. This happened on the 18 January 1903. He paid his £18:00:00 and left for Natal. John Lynes obviously liked the South African way of life and settled down to building a future for himself in Natal. It is known that in 1910 he was working as a manager in Durban and was seeing a lady by the name of Miriam Mary Benjamin (Nee Benson), a British Citizen who was born in New Jersey in the USA during 1884. She was a widowed lady and was the daughter of Alfred and Leah Benson. Alfred was a cigar maker working in Durban. Perhaps this is how the two met?
The couple married on the 22nd June 1910 at the Durban Synagogue. It is not known if or when John took to the Jewish faith as his attestation papers shown him to have been a member of the Church of England. Perhaps Miriam was Jewish??
John and Miriam were to have two children from this marriage, Phillip Edward Lynes (1911-1968) also known as “Eddie” and Vera Fanny Lynes (1917-1980). Both are buried in Stellawood Jewish Cemetery in Durban.
John did not serve in the armed forces during WW1, he was building up a business in Durban, Lynes &Co (Manufacture’s agent) opened for business in 1916. The business was situated at 53-58 Salisbury Centre in Smith Street and its core function was to obtain agencies to represent manufactures of products such as men and woman’s ready made clothing, canned vegetables and meats as well as breakfast cereals and also costume jewelry.
John and Miriam lived at 24 Fairholme Avenue in Durban North when Miriam passed away at the rather young age of 57 years and 9 month. She had worked for her husband in the business a manufactures representative. Miriam was also buried in the Stellawood Jewish Cemetery in Durban.
After Miriam passed away John carried on with the business and did from time to time travel to England, we can assume that this was for business and also to see family. He is located on several shipping lists and was still traveling aged 75 years during 1954. He often frequented the Regent Palace Hotel when in London. John, who in 1961 was 82 years old had lived a very eventful and busy life, all his hard work was by now taking its toll and on the 6th February 1961 he took his last breath. He was buried close to his beloved Miriam in Stellawood Jewish Cemetery. He was a man that was surely missed by all who had met and dealt with him.
J
ohn Lynes full medal entitlement
Queen’s South Africa with 3 clasps
Kings South Africa with 2 clasps