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Hi Brett,

Fantastic to see Frank's medals and read about his service. I have his date of birth as 24/Oct/1874 parents Francis Allerston (born in Bridlington East Yorkshire) and Harriett Lavender.

Regards
Keith

Picture courtesy of Lockdales

QSA (4) DoL OFS Tr Ln (466 Corpl W F Mason. Natal Carbineers)

A Boer War group to a Colonial who served in the Natal Carbineers and was wounded during the Siege by a shell.


QSA Medal, to 129 SERJT: J. GILLAM. NATAL VOL: COMPT. REGT.

KSA Medal to 129 O.R. SJT: J. GILLAM. NATAL V.C.R.

NATAL 1906 Medal to STF: SGT: J. GILLAM, NATAL MILITIA STAFF

Attested for service with the Natal Carbineers as 726 Tpr J. Gillam on 29th September 1899 and joined the Natal Volunteer Composite Regiment on 1st October 1900 as 129 O.R. SJT J.Gillam, and was discharged on 31st July 1902

All medals and clasps issued from the NVCR rolls with the cross reference to the Natal Carbineer roll

After the sucessful raid on Gun Hill on 7th December 1899, Boer artillery concentrated their fire on the place where the Carbineers were camped. This would lead to the biggest single loss the Regiment would suffer during the war.

On 18th December 1899 in the early morning, a 100lb Long Tom shell from "Umbulwana" landed in the Natal Carbineers horse lines, whilst the men, including Gillam were at stables.

An eyewitness account published in an newspaper told the story

A FORMER WATERLOO RESIDENT IN LADYSMITH.
Private Edward Lightfoot, of the Natal Carabineers, and formerly of Mount-pleasant, Waterloo, writes from the Carabineers' Camp, Ladysmith, December 28, 1899, as follows : -

We have just been told we can send one letter each of half a sheet. It costs us 2s. 6d. each to send, and I don't know how they are going through. We removed our camp about 300 yards from where it was - more under cover. The Boers have put about 7,000 or 8,000 shells into Ladysmith since Lombard's Kop, but have done very little damage. We got a shell into our squadron horse lines on the 18th of this month, when we were at early morning stables at 5.30. It went through one horse and then burst, and killed ten more, and killed four men and wounded three. Billy Buxton, of the band, was killed. A piece of shell hit him over the heart and went right through him ; you could get your fist into the hole. Miller of our squadron, had his side ripped open and his leg taken off. They were both killed outright. Miller is the chap I brought back from Lombard's Kop on my horse. The other two belonged to Dundee. They were at our lines drawing horse feed. One named Elliott, only 16 years old, had both legs taken off at the top, and the other, named Smith, was shot through the body ; these two lived for about an hour. Our lines were like a slaughter house. There was blood, flesh, legs, khaki, and dead horses all over the place.

Killed
Tpr T. Elliott
Tpr W.C.Smith
Tpr R.M.M. Miller
Tpr W. Buxton

Wounded
Corpl J.H. Holley
Tpr C. Craik
Tpr S. Daly
Tpr J. Gillam
Tpr J.E. Greig
Tpr A. Nicholson
Tpr W.S.Warrick

He would serve in the 1906 Natal campaign in the NATAL MILITIA STAFF, where just 31 medals were issued to the unit. Arquably the unit with the highest proportion of high ranking officers and men. Comprising of Major General (1), Lieutenant Colonel (5), Colonel (1), Major (3), Captain (6), Lieutenant (1), Q.M.S. (1), S.S.M. (4), Sgt. Major (5) and Staff Sgt (4).!!

Regards
Jon

Hello,
this medal belonged to my great grandfather, Walter John Crouch. I have attached some family photographs of him. Should you ever wish to part with it please could you give me the opportunity to have it returned to my family.

Regards Lesley Milne

Hi Lesley

Which medal are you referring to?

Rory

Rory wrote: Hi Lesley

Which medal are you referring to?

Rory

Look at page 11 and 12 of this thread Rory...…

Mike