TOPIC:

Hello

I'm trying to find out a bit more about where these two men served in the war and any battles etc they may have been involved with.

Eli's service number was 23538 and I have his papers which say he was in the 12th Squadron 3rd Imperial Yeomanry. He appears to have only been entitled to one clasp, that of Cape Colony. He was there from 16th March 1901 to 23rd May 1902. I'm not sure exactly what date he arrived in South Africa as he was at a farewell dinner in the village on 12th March. I would like to know more about what he was doing there. Was it common to only get one clasp?

His brother Robert (service number 28080) appears to have been in the 65th Company 17th battalion Imperial Yeomanry. I haven't managed to find his service papers but he appears to have been entitled to 3 clasps Cape Colony, Orange free State and Transvaal and was listed as invalided at the end of March. I assume this means he was ill rather than wounded. Again I would like to know more about what he actually did in South Africa.

If someone could tell me what they did or point me in the direction I could look I would be most grateful.

Thanks
Max

Max,

The newspapers frequently carried stories of the farewell dinners for the men before they departed. 16th March would have been the day they departed and it would have taken 3 weeks by boat to each South Africa. As he served in the War but for less than 18 months, he is also entitled to two further clasps SA01 and SA01. These are shown on the roll WO100/121p110.

You are correct about Robert's three clasps. The medal roll WO100/127p156. The note says he was medically unfit 4 May 1902. As Robert served from 1901 and 1902 he is additionally entitled to the clasps SA01 and SA01 (On WO100/127p166) where a note says he was invalided 31 Mar 1902. Perhaps the month on the QSA roll should have read March rather than May?

In terms of what they did, the records for the IY are not complete. We have some IY companies for which histories were subsequently written by individuals. Failing that, its a case of tracking where they served and piecing together the events.

Best wishes
David

David

Thanks very much.
Max

The note says he was medically unfit 4 May 1902. As Robert served from 1901 and 1902 he is additionally entitled to the clasps SA01 and SA01 (On WO100/127p166) where a note says he was invalided 31 Mar 1902. Perhaps the month on the QSA roll should have read March rather than May?

Max,

Robert's papers are on FindmyPast.

"Invalided" is the date he was sent from SA. "medically unift" is the date discharged from the IY. In England there was an IY depot at Shornecliffe which most (all?) invalided IY men passed through to be discharged.

Regards
Meurig

PS - Do you know the Elliott family in Hallaton? I know Mr Elliott has done some work on the men who served in WW1, not sure if he collected anything on pre-WW1 men.

Meurig

Thanks for that info.
I'll get someone to send me the FMP file.

I know Tom Elliot who was part of our original WWI research group in the village. I'll ask him if he knows anything.

I'm not sure how much anyone knows about the men from the village who served in the Boer War. I suspect we have discovered rather more than we originally knew about.

Many thanks
Max