TOPIC:

Hello - I am new to the site and trying to trace a relative who served in the Railway Pioneer Regiment after initially travelling to SA as a miner from Pendeen in Cornwall in 1894.As far as I can tell he never returned to Cornwall. I believe he is shown on this site as 1331? Family folk lore says that he was involved in the Jameson Raid - my knowledge of the Boer War is sketchy although I am trying to read up! but I would be very grateful if anyone could advise me if this is a possibility or urban myth? and if correct why would he be involved as an immigrant miner?

Hello and welcome,
The very mention of Dr Jameson gets me very excited he is only very seldom referred to on here!
Your relative appears to have served in the 2nd Railway Pioneer Regiment as both number 1381 and 3200, he joined at Cape Town on the 10th of December 1900 and served until the 9th of June 1901, he rejoined as number 3200 on the 29th of July 1901 and served until the 3rd of April 1902.
There is also a 1386 W Eddy, but he has differing service dates.
1381 W Eddy is in WO100/265 page 131, which is the QSA roll, for the medal and the three clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal, in the remarks column, "Discharged time expired, address Pendeen Corn" next to his name, "Not issued"
He is also shown on WO100/265 page 189, this is the supplementary roll and shows entitlement to both date clasps 1901 and 1902.
This fits in with the two enlistment/service dates in WO127.

Now then, regarding the Jameson Raid, I cannot see him on the Charter prisioner roll, nor, on the casualty roll, so my next question must be, why do you believe he took part in the Jameson Raid and in what capacity was he so employed?
It is getting rather late in the day for me, so I look forward to talking to you, perhaps tomorrow, I have a few more thinks to look at with this man and I will follow him up.
The year 1894 is very significant as I am sure you realise.
Very best regards Frank

Thank you so much for this information. I know that William Trembath Eddy went to South Africa in June 1894 to join his brother Richard Eddy who had been in SA for some years (both were Cornish miners from Pendeen near St Just, following their father and Uncle who would have been contemporaries of Francis Oats and therefore I assume supporters of Rhodes. Family stories were that one of the brothers were involved in the Jamieson Raid in some way. My father always referred to it as the Jamieson siege. I cannot imagine they would be doing anything very important simply following instructions of their employer Francis Oats. Richard returned to Cornwall in the summer of 1902 and died soon afterwards. I'm still searching for William T Eddy. He wasn't able to return to St Just because of a Court ruling involving an illegitimate baby.

Okay,
So regarding the Jameson Raid, this is really a story that has been handed down through your family to you?
There is a clear link here with Francis Oats, he was a director at De Beers and became their chairman after the war.
Is there anthing else you can add to this, you must understand that Dr Jameson's force was really very small, so it is possible to account for virtually every member of it by name and age.
Regards Frank

Dear Janr,

There is an alternative possibility. I was interested that your father referred to the 'jameson siege'. Jameson was never besieged during his Raid in 1896 but he was besieged in Ladysmith during the Boer War between October 1899 and February 1900.

Many of the British miners (and there were a lot from Cornwall) on the Rand left Johannesburg for the Transvaal in an exodus when war with the Boers appeared a certainty and headed for Natal in September/October 1899. Some ended up in Durban, some in Pietermaritzburg, some in Ladysmith etc.

So it is possible that your grandfather was besieged in Ladysmith as civilian alongside Jameson. You can imagine how delighted the Boers were to have the villains of 1896 besieged - Jameson in Ladysmith and Cecil James Rhodes in Kimberley.

Best wishes,

Justin

That is really interesting and sounds more likely - I need to do some more reading! Thank you