TOPIC:

I hope the post by me ”my scandinavian medals” can be split and the posts on the volunteering aspects, travelled spefically to SA to join, or already in SA when the war broke out merged here.

ATB,

Lars

EFV wrote:

” Lars, in Part 1 of Skandienawiers in Die Tweede Anglo-Boere-Oorlog as translated into Afrikaans by Cornelis de Jong (University of SA) that was published in Amsterdam in 1983 it is written that the majority of the Scandinavians in the Corps had already been in the Transvaal, implying a minority of the Corps members had come over for the occasion (de Jong doesn't cite where that iformation came from). This latter category must however have been a low number (a couple of dozen at most) as the Scandinavian Corps was small (at Magersfontein the Corps was composed of 45 Swedes, 23 Danes, 13 Norwegians, 18 Finns, 7 Germans, 3 Hollanders, 2 Russians and a lone Italian). I was mixed up with the Irish Volunteers, the majority of which came from outside the Republics (notably the USA). So, it could very well be that your statement “For some time I realised that the Scandinavians on British side were as many and more as on the Boer side” is correct. The only proviso is that I do not have any data on the number of men of Scandinavian descent who fought in other Boer Commandos, something that could skew the comparison into the other direction. Do you have any information about the number of men of Scandinavian descent fighting on the British side?”

I have not done an exact tally of the Scandinavians I’ve seen in the locally raised units like Brabant’s Horse, Steinaecker’s Horse, Cape Mounted Rifles, BSAP, Kitceners Fighting Scouts, Kimberley Town Guard snd others. Some followed the British Regular unit doctrine and did not recruit foreigner. An estimate would be around 2-300 though. But it would need a thorough check of all nominal rolls, and a margin for names that sound scandinavian but could be 2nd or 3rd generation.

ATB,

Lars

Scandinavians fighting on the Boer side during the ABW

Stellan Bojerud, Professor of Mil. History (Rtd) wrote in June 2009 an article for the SA Military History Society about this subject. In addition to the those who had joined the Scandinavian Corps, he came up with 12 names of Scandinavians who fought in regular Boer commandos (3 of these men died during the war). Based on his article, and deducting double/triple mention of the same person in different categories as well as by eliminating non-Scandinavians, I composed the following list:

Central Committee 5
Local Committee 2

Killed/died in camp
* Other Boer units 3
*Magersfontein battle 19
*Post Magersfontein 4
*Jacobsdal 2
*Paardeberg 1
* St. Helena 3

Wounded but escaped
* Mafeking 1
*Magersfontein 3

Escaped or left 10

Taken POW
*Magersfontein 35
* Paardeberg 44
* Unknown 1

Identified in other units 9

Medical staff 7
TOTAL 149



Another source of information for the number of Scandinavians fighting on the Boer side is the list of “Scandinavian Volunteers” on this site:
Total number of names listed 320
Minus Double/Triple listing 109
Minus Non Scandinavians 1
TOTAL 210
*This number is an approximation only because of various reasons such as the occurrence of different spelling of family names.

To determine the difference between the Bojerud figure and above, a cross check of names should be made. This is not a viable undertaking for an IT-retard like me.

What I did do though, was to undertake a scientifically-flawed test to get a ball park figure for comparison. Fortified by a tot or two, three of Vodka, I counted the names in Forsyth’s ABO list that were of Scandinavian origin. Of the 13.800 in the list, I counted 58 names that qualified without doubt. Forsyth’s ABO list contains approximately 35% of the 25.000 Transvalers and 15.000 Free Staters who fought in the war. So, assuming that Forsyth’s list is representative of the entire Boer fighting force, that would give about 165 for the total number of Scandinavians fighting on the correct side.

Lastly, men in the Scandinavian Corps are referred to as “foreign Volunteers”. This is confusing to say the least. Any able-bodied white male citizen of the Boer Republics aged between 16 and 60 was drafted for commando service at the start of the war, regardless of whether his name was Boet van der Merwe or Ole Lundquist. If certain ZAR or OVS citizens with Scandinavian roots were allowed to join the Scandinavian Corps in place of the commando of their District, they can neither be called “foreign” nor “Volunteer.”

Many thanks for an interesting discussion!

Many Scandinavians in the Boer republics were new arrivals, or had emigrated not for citizenship but for making money before returning home in a few years.

When Paul Kruger adressed the corps he was grateful for them volunteering, so not conscripted.

The register of Scandinavian Volunteers on this side is faulty and not to be relied on. I have checked, and some (haven’t checked all) of my british recipients are listed as on the Boer side.

Bojerud is good for military history, but there are better sources for emigration to South Africa and also for stories about participation. A book by Eero Kupparinen i english (a dissertation) is very good.

The Marburg settlers (Durban) were mainly ryNorwegian. Not fully integrated when the Boer ear broke out, some were interned in spite of sons in the Durban Light Infantry.

The british recruited heavily among sailors (better wages, better life) and unemployed miners. I have one or two examples of men who travelled to South Africa to join the british forces.

ATB,

Lars

This is a list I compiled from looking at just the KFS. Brabant’s, Marshall’s, Steineacker’, Cape Mountd Rifles, Cape Town Guard and others will show similar results.

”Edwardson Gustaf 470 Trooper 2KFS Durban 29/7/01 discharged 26/6/02 disbandment
Goransson Ernest 25498 Trooper 2KFS Johannesburg 1/7/01 from CinC Body Guard discharged 27/12/01 Pretoria
Hansen Emil Chris 511 Sergeant 2KFS Durban 28/8/01 discharged 20/9/02 London Coronation Contingent
Johanson Gustav Arvid Leopold 126/35983 Trooper 2KFS Cape Town 24/7/01 discharged 10/2/02 completion of service
Jonson Gottfrid 1705/38152 Trooper 1KFS Cape Town 12/9/01 Pretoria 8/8/02 disbandment
Jorgensen Carl 1697/38138 Trooper 1KFS Cape Town 11/9/01 discharged 5/4/02 Cape Town
Larsson John Ludwig 1410/35766 Trooper 1KFS Port Elizabeth 15/7/01 discharged 25/9/01 Port Elizabeth medically unfit
Laxholm Martin 441 Trooper 2KFS Gwelo 30/4/01 transferred from 1KFS discharged 27/6/01
Lofblad Henry Peter 443 Sergeant 1KFS Port Elizabeth 2/1/01 transferred 29/4/01 2KFS
Lunderstedt Frederick Charles 25270 Corporal 2KFS Cape Town 10/12/00 from CinC Body Guard discharged 11/12/01 Pretoria
Ohlsson Charles George 183/36040 Trooper 2KFS Cape Town 31/7/01 discharged 7/7/02 disbandment
Olsson Carl 540 Trooper 2KFS Durban 31/8/01 discharged 7/7/02 disbandment
Sandberg Frederick 739 Trooper 2KFS Durban 30/4/01 transferred from 1KFS 12/7/01 (DP Pretoria)
Solberg Alfred 968 Trooper 2KFS Durban 30/4/01 transferred from 1KFS discharged 26/9/01 time expired”

I am sure that you have seen this thread.....

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/20-tribute-me...fontein-1899?start=6

Mike