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Hi Everyone,

I recently did some research for a family whose father fought in the Boer War.

It made me think; there can’t be many people alive today who can say that their father fought in the Boer war.

What are your thoughts; it seems quite unique.

Regards,
Shaun

Hi Shaun,

My initial thought was that I should think that would be a very rare situation. However, this made me think about this scenario.

For instance if a boy soldier of 14 served in South Africa in 1902 he would have been born in 1888. If he lived until he was 100 he would still have died in 1988. His children could have been born anywhere say between 1904 and 1968, but perhaps most likely between 1920 and 1940. A crude formula but one which I believe shows that the scenario you were involved with perhaps isn’t so rare, even if the children are elderly now themselves.

Ian

Hi Ian,

Thanks—your scenario is absolutely plausible.

Here in Australia, I came across a gentleman who claimed that his father had served in both the Boer War and World War I. Most people dismissed it as unlikely, but I was curious and decided to investigate. As it turns out, he was right—his father had indeed fought in both conflicts. I also discovered that his only uncle was killed during the Battle of the Somme.

His father was born in 1878, married in the early 1900s, and had several children. After his first wife passed away, he remarried in 1938. His second wife, born in 1914, was significantly younger, creating quite an age gap.

Their son was born in the late 1930s or 1940’s.

It’s certainly a rare occurrence—there can’t be many people who can genuinely say their father served in both the Boer War and WWI.

Thanks again.

Regards,
Shaun