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Hello msgibson
There are a few T Brown's who served in the DLI. You mentioned in your last post that he may have been a Sergeant?
I have found a T Brown 6009 4th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. This could be your man. The 4th battalion were around Ladybrand & Orange River in January to May 1902 which fits in with the dates you mentioned. I have enclosed a medal roll, unfortunately there is no indication on any clasp awards. However, a Cape Colony & Orange Free State would be my guess. Also, for clarification it is Thomas Brown (Footballer) you require and not Thomas Gibson ?
regards
Dave

Thank you Dave,

This helps a lot as the Sergeant above T Gibson (W. Birlison) is possibly also a former Sunderland footballer. Do you have any more details you can share on this Sergeant W. Birlison (6262). I can not read the text that is alongside his name.

Also edited the original post to be Thomas Brown (Thomas Gibson was one of my forefathers!!)

W .Birlison notes state he was attached to and served with the 3rd battalion Durham Light Infantry as a Corporal.
A second medal roll has him being awarded a QSA with 2 date clasps.
Thomas Brown was awarded a QSA with a Cape Colony and 1902 clasp.

Hello, I now know that Thomas Brown signed up for the earliest part of the Boer War in late 1899. He left Sunderland for about a year returning back in 1900. He signed up again in January 1902 leaving Sunderland on 6 Jan.1902. He may be the person with regiment number 5022. Does any one have any details of the soldier who had this regiment number. In addition if someone signed up in WW1 would they retain the same regiment number as they had in (1899-1902)?. I have found Thomas Brown living at 7 Moorgate St, Sunderland signing up on 2 Jan 1915 aged 35 yrs 5 months and think this could be the same person. He gives previous served in DLI 4th Bn (ex. reserve) in his attestation papers.

Looks to me that your man is 5459 Thomas Brown 4th Durham L.I.
Signed up with 4th on 14 April 1896. B. St Mary's Gateshead, c.1877
Transferred to 3rd DLI 7 Jan !900. 3rd DLI sailed on Umbria 11 Jan 1900 arr. Cape Town 29th Jan.
Re-transferred to 4th and served with 4th 1 Feb 02 to 4 Oct 02
Disch. medically unfit 3 Aug 1905
QSA with CC;OFS;SA01;SA02

link search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2F...O96%2F1073%2F1529386

Dangerously ill on this list
www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=...highlight=5459+brown
and on other lists until 3rd July.

This could be him in 1901 census
www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/78...96735b6c5452a8f4dc00

Pete

Thank you for your help. I dont think that the person you suggest is correct for the following reasons and some other possibilities being considered:
1. My understanding is that Thomas Brown was born in Sunderland (probably East End)
2. Thomas signed up in late 1899 and served for about 1 year. When he returned to Sunderland he played football for Sunderland Royal Rovers and won a Wearside Lge Championship medal in May 1901. Stated in 1902 as returned as a Corporal in local newspaper
3. Thomas returned to action signing up in early January 1902. He was back in Sunderland playing for Royal Rovers at least by October 1902 and continued to play for them until signing for Sunderland AFC in May 1907 (height 5'9" and weight 12 st)
4. Another possibility is that he is Thomas Brown who married Mary Ann Partland on 1 Jan 1902 she already had a baby daughter born 6 September 1901. Could this marriage have been because he was going off to war?
5. DLI 5022 Pte T. Brown reported as dangerously ill with enteric (Ermelo March 23) in Sunderland Echo 27 March 1902 - is this the ex-footballer?