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The 2nd North Staffordshire Regiment arrived in South Africa in February 1900. Their history in Stirling is quite brief.


Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (1) Cape Colony (Capt. C. B. Webb. N. Staff. Rgt.);
KSA (2) Capt. C. B. Webb. N. Staff. Rgt.)

Charles Boyer Webb was appointed Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment on 4 May 1894, and promoted to Captain on 14 November 1894. He served with the 4th Battalion (formerly the King’s Own 3rd Stafford Rifles) in the South African war in 1900-1902.

Both medals verified.

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[ QSA (2) CC OFS Joh ]
KSA (2) (2338 Serjt. C. Parker. N. Stafford. Regt.)

QSA roll says invalided.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (4) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 (Capt. B Wardle Composite C.C. & N.Staff: R.);
VD Ed VII, the reverse engraved, 'Major B Wardle 1.V.B. North Staff Reg. 19th Feb 1907';
[ BWM ]

B. Wardle was commissioned Lieutenant with the 1st Volunteer Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment on 8 November 1890. Serving with the Reserve of Officers for some time he was appointed to command the Composite Cycling Company on 15 June 1901. The English Composite Cyclist Company originally comprised of five officers and 103 other ranks. Later also appointed to the Honorary rank of Major on 12 March 1902.

Resigning his commission on 20 December 1907 he was unable to enjoy his retirement as the outbreak of the Great War forced even the elderly to take up arms. Wardle was again commissioned Major in the Royal Defence Corps on 28 June 1916 (British War Medal). He was appointed as an Area Commandant in December 1916 and continued in that role until forced to resign due to ill-health on 19 June 1918. His silver war badge was sent to Danesford, Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (1) Cape Colony (4766 Sgt. Drmr: J. Neill. N. Stafford: Regt.);
KSA (2) (4766 Sjt:- Dmr: J. Neill. N. Stafford: Regt.);
Army LS&GC Ed VII (4766 Sgt. Dmr: J. Neill. N. Staff: Regt.)

James Neill was born in Limehouse in 1859 and worked initially as a musician in London. Stating previous service with the 32nd Regiment of Foot, he attested at Manchester for the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, on 11 November 1884 and served as a Bandsman at Curragh Camp, Dublin and Aldershot. Raised Band Corporal 25 January 1893, he transferred to the 4th North Staffordshire Regiment and served in Egypt from 18 February 1893 to 26 April 1895. Returned home to Lichfield as Sergeant Drummer, Neill was posted to South Africa from 9 March 1900 to 9 June 1902, and was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1903.

He was subsequently discharged upon termination of his second period of engagement on 10 November 1905.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg (2914 Pte. F. Wells. North Staff: Regt.)

Francis Wells, alias Alfred Young, was born in Rugeley in 1871 and enlisted at Lichfield for the North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s) on 23 November 1889. A tailor by profession, he served in Mauritius, Malta and Egypt, and is confirmed in his Army Service Record as entitled to the 1896 Sudan Medal with clasp Hafir. It also notes a considerable number of entries in the Regimental Defaulter’s Book, including three weeks’ imprisonment with hard labour (for conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline) after offering his trousers for sale at Devonport.

Declaring his true name and age at Cairo on 21 January 1897, Wells was posted to South Africa with the 2nd Battalion on 14 January 1900. He subsequently transferred to the Reserve Depot and Headquarters Depot of the South African Constabulary and is later recorded as a ships steward. Recalled for duty in July 1916, he was posted to France in December 1916 and served at the Regimental Base Depot of the North Staffordshire Regiment. Transferred to the Labour Corps, his Army Service Record notes continual breaches of military discipline; it was around this time that he was confined to barracks for ten days after ‘shoving his dinner in the cook’s face’. This incident was followed by further altercations involving excess alcohol and disobeying orders. Admitted to No. 30 General Hospital at Calais, Wells was later invalided from service, the medical practitioners stating that he looked much older than his years.