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Hi Brett

Herewith my one and only contribution to this thread! Wood's medal is to the East Griqualand MR but he was the ILH at Mafeking and Ladysmith (by all appearances) Here is his story and the medal (missing some of the vital clasps)

Harold Livingstone Wood

Trooper, Cape Mounted Rifles
Trooper, Imperial Light Horse
Lieutenant, East Griqualand Mounted Rifles (Boer War)

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony and SA 1901 - also entitled to Defence of Ladysmith, Relief of Mafeking and Transvaal

Harold Livingstone Wood was born in Tonbridge in the county of Kent, England, the son of Richard Wood and his wife Eliza Annie (born Evens) in 1878.

On 31 March, at the time of the 1881 census, the Wood family was resident at 16 Albert Street in Tonbridge. Wood senior was a Rich Cloth and Tarpaulin Maker by profession. Harold, aged 3, was joined by siblings Grace (6) and Stanley (5) to complete the family unit.

Ten years on, at the time of the 1891 census, Harold Wood, aged 13, was a school boy. The family had moved a few houses up and was now occupying 22 Albert Street. In addition to the family there were also two Boarders, William Mitchell, a Draper, and Edgar Coleman who was a Tailor Manager.

At some stage Wood made his way to South Africa where he attested for service with the H.Q. Squadron of the Cape Mounted Rifles at King Williams Town on 21 April 1898.

According to the C.M.R. Enrolment Register, Wood, now aged 19, was 5 feet 7 inches in height with a brown complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He was a Sailmaker by trade probably having been apprenticed in his father’s business to “learn the ropes”.

On 1 October 1898 he was moved to Kokstad, the eastern frontier of the C.M.R. and bordering on Natal where he was transferred to “F” Squadron.

A mere 11 days later the Anglo Boer War commenced with the two Boer Republics launching attacks into Natal.

From almost the very outset Harold Wood was to prove that he and the discipline required for military life were to be strangers to one another.

After eighteen months of blemish free service he committed his first offence and a serious one at that, of Desertion on 25 October 1899. With Corporal Kelly as a witness he was sentenced by the A.R.M. Kokstad to a fine of 40 /- or 14 days internment with Hard Labour. This sentence could well have been meted out in absentia as, four days later, on 29 October 1899; Wood had made his way overland to Pietermaritzburg where he enlisted with the Imperial Light Horse as a Trooper with no. 681.

Possibly he felt that garrison style duty far from the action was no way for a young man to serve King and country and this fuelled his decision to do a runner.

Having enlisted a few days before White’s men were driven back to Ladysmith he ended up being garrisoned there during the 118 day long Siege which started on 2 November 1899 ended on 28 February 1900.

Having been relieved he then made his way with the I.L.H. to Mafeking and was part of the relief force that entered there at 03h30 on the morning of 17 May 1900, ending the siege there.

On the formation of the 2nd Battalion of the Imperial Light Horse on 30 November 1900 Wood took a transfer but, the very next day, 1 December 1900, he surrendered himself and was brought on strength of the Cape Mounted Rifles (C.M.R.)

Having now returned to his parent regiment he was transferred to H.Q. Squadron. C.M.R. on 7 December 1900. This is where his run - ins with authority became more and more frequent.

On 14 February 1901 he was sentenced to 10 days C.B by Captain Taplin after being found guilty on two charges, Drunk in Camp and Resisting escort. On this occasion Sergeants Cope, Becker and Trooper Dahler were the witnesses.

On 1 May 1901 he was transferred to “A” Squadron, of the C.M.R.

Two weeks later, on 14 May 1901 he was sentenced to 7 days internment with Hard Labour and loss of pay and service, 14 to 27 May, inclusive by the O.C. C.M.R. for being Absent without leave until 1 p.m. on the 17th inst. The witnesses were Sergeants Cope, Elliott and Keys

On 15 June 1901 he was fined 50/- or 21 days internment with Hard Labour for being Improperly dressed in town and Escaping from military custody. The witnesses were Corporals Long, Dyer and Grosskopf.

Not to be thwarted Wood was sentenced to 10 days C.B. by Captain Taplin on 25 July 1901 for being Absent from Roll Call and Absent from Camp whilst under open arrest. Sergeant Catchpole and Corporal Pritchard were witnesses to these charges.

He followed this up on 29 July 1901 where, having been found guilty of being Absent from Camp from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. as well as Improperly dressed in town, Wood was sentenced to 10 days C.B. by Captain Taplin. Witnesses were Corporal Waterfall and Sergeant Holden

Finally, on 15 October 1901, Wood was Discharged with Ignominy from the C.M.R. by the O.C. after being found guilty of being Absent from Camp when a defaulter and being Found in the Masonic Hotel improperly dressed. Witnesses were Sgt Catchpole, Corporal Holden. (No mention is made of whether or not Wood was alone in the hotel at the time…)

Losing no time in his search to quench his thirst for more adventure Wood re-enlisted with the 1st Battalion, I.L.H. on 21 October 1901. This stint of service was, however, to be short lived as he was discharged from them on 10 December 1901, a mere 40 days later.

Wood’s war was not over; on 12 December 1901 he was commissioned into No.3 Troop of the East Griqualand Mounted Rifles as a Lieutenant.

“The E.G.M.R. were European volunteers formed in seven independent troops, at Kokstad dismounted under Captain James Barclay, and mounted at Matatiele under Captain Hugh Nourse, Umzimkulu under Captain Robert Strachan, Newmarket under Captain W.F. Raw, New Amalfi under Captain C.R.B. Bovil, Mpatoane under Captain C.R. Rennie and Droevig under Captain G. Wedderburn They saw quite a bit of fighting against Boer raiding parties comprising mainly Cape rebels.”

With the conclusion of the Anglo Boer War on 31 May 1902 Harold Wood was released from service. He would seem to have redeemed himself in the eyes of the authorities after what could only be described as a tricky start to military life.

Despite being entitled (according to the I.L.H. medal roll) to the Defence of Ladysmith, Relief of Mafeking and Transvaal clasps, Wood was issued with a Queens South Africa Medal from the East Griqualand Mounted Volunteers roll with the clasps Cape Colony and South Africa 1901. The C.M.R. records also indicate that this is what he was issued with. An annotation on the I.L.H. roll refers to “Believed from … C.M.R.)

Post - war little is known about Harold Wood. He set sail from Cape Town for Southampton at the age of 58 aboard the “Winchester Castle” arriving there on 2 August 1937. He was reported to be a Miner resident in Southern Rhodesia at the time. His destination was Tonbridge, Kent implying that he still had family there.

Harold Livingstone Wood passed away at Selukwe Hospital in the Gwelo region of Southern Rhodesia on 14 January 1953 of a cerebral haemorrhage and hypertension. He was 75 years of age at the time and was a Farmer/ Trader by occupation living on his Umguruguru Farm in the Selukwe area.

Despite having never married, Wood was survived by a daughter, June Wood, born on 1 June 1934 and Richard Wood, a nephew resident at Bulawayo.

He was buried in the Selukwe cemetery.

An interesting man.

Hi Rory

Thank you for the record of another very interesting man who spent part of his military career with the ILH. The frequent unit changes made by Colonials caused problems and must have annoyed the men in London allocating QSA clasps. Woods' medal is an example of an apparently 'ordinary' QSA masking an interesting story that was revealed by thorough research.

Regards
Bret

Nice write up Rory,

I am almost certain that this chsp rings a large bell for me, where do I know this name from???

Adrian