TOPIC:

Hi

Here is an ABO/Queens medal combination

ABO - Korporal RC Wilson
Queens medal no bar - Condr RC Wilson ASC

from the ABO roll - Richard Carew Wilson - Gen P A Cronje Kmdo

I have no other information on this man.

Its not a National Scout but he did serve on both sides.

Munroe

Munroe,

Thanks. As far as I can gather he was a National Scout in that was a generic term used by the British for the former burgers who swore the oath of allegiance and then served on the British side.

The National Scouts regiment came later.

As you surmised in an earlier quite a few seem to have served in the A.S.C. and the Corps of Rangers.

But only the second such pairing I've seen!

All the best,

Justin

Hi Munroe & Justin

I do not agree with Justin that the term “National Scout” was used by the Boers prior to the formation of the National Scouts as a unit.
I have an extensive Dutch/Afrikaans Boer War library and the terms used when referring to these renegades were “hensopper”, “joiner”, “judasboer”, “hanskakie” and (occasionally) “rooikop”.” National Scout” is only used in later literature, discussing events in 1901 and 1902 (there was already a small unit of National Scouts in Pretoria as early as Feb 1901).

The QSA/ABO combination to R C Wilson could be to one recipient, but it could also be father & son or family members. There are two estates in the Transvaal Archives for Richard Carew Wilson: one died in 1915 and one in 1953.
· According to the QSA roll (signed in Pretoria 10 Jan 1908) Conductor R C Wilson served in the Army Service Corps from 8 Dec 1900 to 31 May 1902 and the medal was issued on 19 Feb 1908. I do not know if any attestation forms (giving age, etc) for the ASC survived.
· The ABO “Vorm B” for Korporaal Richard Carew Wilson was processed Dec 1944/Jan 1945 and he claimed Boer War service from 23 September 1899 to 31 May 1902. Vorm B was confirmed and signed by Capt E P Snijman DTD MC, whose only query was the original end-of-service date of 31/7/1902 given by Wilson: this was amended to 31 May 1902. Vorm B was obviously submitted by the R C Wilson who died in 1953.

Comments welcome!!

Henk

Hi Justin

I misread your comment on the "National Scouts" : oops! You did not say it was used by the Boers but by the British.

Henk

Dear Henk

Interesting that you think it could be father and son. But just as easily it could be the same guy. I will try pull files from the National archives and see if there is anything that could be found there. You never know what his estate file can say. I have had estate files refer to their medals on their distribution account.

worthy of further research I think

Munroe

Dear Members



This has been in my collection for a few years and some of you have seen it, it was purchased locally in the Lowveld, the old Eastern Transvaal.

I have never been able to find out much about him as it seems Broodwyk is an unusual name, and did not give me any hits in the archive or other sources. However someone recently suggested I should try Broodryk or a variation of.

Taking all the variations found in the National Scout Medal Roll revealed the following

ISSUED MEDALS
64 TPR G.C. BROODWYK
97 TPR W.F. BROODWYK
296 TPR S.W. BROODWYK
328 TPR S.W.P.J. BROODWYK

RETURNED MEDALS
213 TPR H.P. BROODWYK
215 TPR G.M. BROODWYK
216 TPR C.W. BROODRIJK
70 TPR S.W.P.J. BROODRIJK
CPL G.F. BROODRYK
SGT J.J. BROODRYK
3543 TPR G.F. BROODRYK
3544 TPR G. BROODRYK

Cross referencing the BCCD Concentration Camp Data base I found only one Broodryk with the initials G.C., where it lists a Mr Gert Christiaan Broodryk, a white male farmer from Ermelo, Transvaal, arrived in Barberton Camp on 16th August 1901, aged 17 years. He subsequently departed the camp on 18 October 1901, reason given as " joined National Scouts"
In the register notes it states " surrendered Bremersdorp July '01 after having been on commando 7 months"

It is interesting to note that the medal issued to 328 TPR S.W.P.J. BROODWYK, also the returned medal to 70 TPR S.W.P.J. BROODRYK, (same man??) has a listing in the same database.
Sarel Willem Petrus J. Broodryk. a 26 year old married white male farmer from Letchefield, Swaziland, along with his wife and two children arrived Barberton Camp and left on the same dates as Gert Christiaan to join the National Scouts. In his notes are stated " surrendered Bremersdorp 4 July 1901. Was on commando until last Feb"

I surmise they were related and it is known both surrendered July 1901 at Bremersdorp, whether they were there when the town was attacked and escaped or if they left prior to the attack is not known, Justin Davies has covered this incident in a previous post in this topic, excellent reading should you want to refresh your minds.

Just 159 medals claimed from the roll which has 1747 names on it, and medal in good condition.

There is a Gert Christiaan Broodryk buried in the Amsterdam Cemetery, which is near Ermelo and I assume it is the same person, the birth year on the headstone matches his age.

So I can say with much confidence that there was no Broodwyk, and that the man who joined the National Scouts is Gert Christiaan Broodryk.

Regards
Jon