TOPIC:

Another RoK / Wepener combination was identified this afternoon. It was listed in Seaby, July 1980.

To Trooper/Corporal A Farmer

BSACM reverse Rhodesia 1896;
QSA (5) RoK Paard Wep Tr Witt (Cpl)

He is listed on the Robert's Horse roll as Trooper and on the Kaffrarian Rifles roll as Corporal. The QSA is named to Corporal so I wonder if the unit name has been altered?

Evening

Given Coope's connection with Swaziland, or eSwatini as it has been recently re-named by the king, he figures in my fathers Biographical Register of Swaziland to 1902, University of Natal 1993. He gets nearly two pages, here is an abbreviated version from The Register

"Born 1832, died Alverstoke, Hampshire November 1918.

Educated at Winchester School. Joined the 7th Foot as an Ensign by purchase in 1854. Served in ther Crimea War with the 57th Foot, promoted Captain 1857. He sold his commission, now with the 17th Lancers in 1867.

Coope joined the Turkish Imperial Ottoman Gendarmerie under Baker Pasha with the rank of Lt-Col. He became a prisoner of the Russians which he wrote about in "Prisoner of War in Russia", and also published "History of the Imperial Ottoman Gendarmerie". In 1881 he went to south Africa with Lords Roberts and in 1883 was hunting in Swaziland. In the late 1880's he tried to interest the Shepstones, sometime advisors to the King of Swaziland, in his plan to construct a railway from Sodwana Bay through Swaziland to the Transvaal. T "Offy" Shepstone junior dismissed Coope as an opportunist, "with one object - to make money and to make it as quickly as possible". In 1889 Coope was in London to raise support for his scheme, he published "Swazieland as an Imperial Factor". He was known to Cpt (later Col) RSS Baden-Powell who wrote in a private letter that Coope was "a shady character in Swaziland: is said to have got cattle from natives, and money, on pretence that he was an emissary from Queen Victoria".

He returned to south Africa in the 1890's and raised and commanded B squadron 2nd regiment Brabant's Horse. During the siege of Wepener he commanded the defence of the Mill House. He was medically invalided and given command of the Boer POW camps in Ceylon."

Regards
Meurig

Many thanks, Meurig. He sounds quite a character!

Another Wepener man has a fascinating career too: Vincent Henry Robert Biscoe:

Entered the Royal Military College of Canada in 1897 but failed to complete due to drunkeness and insubordination. Discharged from the SAC as unsuitable. Also served 1st and 2nd Batallions, Canadian MR, 1 November 1901 to 12 February 1902. Also served PTC 21 June 1900 to 28 October 1900, LSH (523), Canadian Scouts (Sergeant) 1 November 1901 to 11 February 1902 and Pietersburg Light Horse (Lieutenant) 12 February 1902 to 31 May 1902.

After the Boer War, served in Somaliland. Enlisted in the CEF (20281) 22 September 1914 to 15 October 1915. Commissioned into the LNLR 15 October 1915 until dismissed 19 April 1916. Returned to the CEF as a private (20936) between 15 May 1916 and 15 March 1919.

Born 10 May 1880 in India. Died 19 December 1959 in Saanich, British Columbia.

It is not yet clear how he earned the Wepener clasp!

Yes David, yet another opportunist.

Biscoe - I assume you have his biography from Woolmore's book on the Bushveldt Carbineers?

He also claims service in Strathcona's Horse - but is not listed in the modern regimental history. I think his Wepener clasp is a mistake/embellishment.

djb wrote: Another Wepener man has a fascinating career too: Vincent Henry Robert Biscoe:

Entered the Royal Military College of Canada in 1897 but failed to complete due to drunkeness and insubordination. Discharged from the SAC as unsuitable. Also served 1st and 2nd Batallions, Canadian MR, 1 November 1901 to 12 February 1902. Also served PTC 21 June 1900 to 28 October 1900, LSH (523), Canadian Scouts (Sergeant) 1 November 1901 to 11 February 1902 and Pietersburg Light Horse (Lieutenant) 12 February 1902 to 31 May 1902.

After the Boer War, served in Somaliland. Enlisted in the CEF (20281) 22 September 1914 to 15 October 1915. Commissioned into the LNLR 15 October 1915 until dismissed 19 April 1916. Returned to the CEF as a private (20936) between 15 May 1916 and 15 March 1919.

Born 10 May 1880 in India. Died 19 December 1959 in Saanich, British Columbia.

It is not yet clear how he earned the Wepener clasp!

Good Afternoon Everyone.......

Back on the 12th of May 2012 I purchased at a Garage Sale the following items......A Victorian Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Cap Badge a Victorian South African Constabulary Helmet Badge and a Transvaal Town Police Cap Badge......

Along with the cap badges there was a small package of items that included a BWM to a Major J.R. Biscoe, a 76th Officers Collar Badge, Silver War Badge and a For Service at the Front badge to the Canadian Patriotic Fund......

Also a pair of Binoculars with Broad Arrow and the date 1900, and a Military Snare Drum dated 1901 with brass body .....

They all came from the same family, the Biscoe family......

When I checked the CEF documents there were 4 Biscoe's (a unique name on the roll) and they were all 4 brothers..... I still have the cap badges, Binoculars, and Drum but the medals for Major Biscoe I cannot tell at this time as they are packed away and I due to medical reasons cannot go digging to look for them.....

Since Major Biscoe did not have any service in South Africa it makes me wonder if the badges were from Vincent Biscoe....

Mike

James Best of Brabant's Horse attested in Wepener, on 8th April, just before the siege. This is the first person I have seen attest in Wepener - but I'm only on the Bs!