TOPIC:

I am keen to find out more about my grandfather Albert George Gidney born 1879 in India. He was a soldier in the Boer War and mentioned in Lord Kitcheners dispatches. Thx Debbie

Greetings Debbie,
I just had a look at the medal roll and there is a 3586 A G Gidney 3rd Dragoon Guards shown in WO100/112 page 246 and page 302, will assume this to be him?
Not a very common name! any surviving papers will be at TNA Kew in WO97 WO363 or WO364, most of these are availble to you on FMP and Ancestry.
Regards Frank.

Hi Debbie,

3586 Private A. Gidney 3rd Dragoon Guards was mentioned in Lord Kitchener's final despatch of the Boer War (published in the London Gazette 29th July 1902). Link below:

www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27459/pages/4838

The cavalry recommendations for the final despatch still exist in TNA Kew in the Kitchener papers (WO 108) so you may find more details there as to what he did to be mentioned in despatches.

Best wishes,

Justin

Thank you!! Do you know if there are any photographs of soldiers from Boer War and/or their regiments?

It would be worth contacting the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards museum in Edinburgh to ask whether they have any Boer War photos of your grandfather or any other details.

Link:

www.scotsdgmuseum.com/pages/contact.php

Best,

Justin

What an interesting chap! After his initial service in the 3rd DG he re-enlisted in 1907 then went to Canada and enlisted in 1912 and again in 1920 after being demobbed.

There are four sets of papers on Ancestry in the WW1 Pension series - this includes his Canadian service papers (presumably he came to the UK?) which states he was MID for "gallantry under fire". He was wounded in the Anglo-Boer War 03/06/1901 nr Vrede - receiving seven wounds to his right leg. This action may be mentioned in the regimental history.

It would be worth checking www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/index-e.html
for more information.

Regards
Meurig