Thomas Barnett

Trooper, “D” Company, Natal Carbineers – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal (Defence of Ladysmith, Transvaal) to 127 TPR: T. BARNETT. NATAL CARBNRS:

Tom Albert Barnett was born in Natal in 1872 the son of Thomas Barnett, a Farmer of Warsash in The Dargle (Natal Midlands) and his second wife Catherine. There were altogether seven children born of this marriage and thus it was that Thomas was never lonely with older siblings Kate, Susan Gertrude, Joseph and Olivia keeping him entertained along with younger siblings Florence and Charles.



Those who know this sun-kissed idyllic haven in the midst of the Midlands know too that the pace of life, even to this day, is a more sedentary one and it was thus something akin to shock and disbelief that would have greeted the news that the Anglo Boer War had erupted on the South African stage in October 1899. There had been long simmering tensions between the two Dutch-speaking Republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal on the one hand and the British Government on the other but no-one had thought it would end in full-scale war but, as it so happened Natal was one of the first territories to be invaded by the Boers.

Most young men were members of one of the many Militia regiments that dotted the Natal landscape. Barnett was no exception, on 17 March 1891, at the age of 19, he had attested for peacetime service with “D” Squadron of the much famed Natal Carbineers. Assigned No. 127 and the rank of Trooper, he was one of the many called upon by the authorities to augment the meagre resources at the military’s disposal on the outbreak of war. The Carbineers were ordered out for active service on 29 September 1899 in anticipation of what was to come and by 1 October every man had mustered in full service order at Ladysmith which was the northern-most bastion against any Boer invasion in the Colony.

After a number of initial skirmishes with the invading forces, the Carbineers, along with all the Imperial forces withdrawn after the Talana and Elandslaagte actions, fell back on Ladysmith where General Sir George White determined that he would make a stand.

The Boers invested Ladysmith on 3 November and the Carbineers, along with several thousand other troops, were besieged – a Siege that was to last a long and draining three months – a period in which food supplies ran dry and men, in their hundreds, succumbed to Enteric Fever or other conditions which flourished in the unhygienic and unsanitary conditions. And The defences were always under threat by the Boer forces who, having surrounded the town by occupying all the prominent hills in the area, sat it out hoping to starve the British and Colonial Forces into submission. On an almost daily basis the town and its populace were subjected to bombardment from the Boer Big Guns which dropped shells into the town indiscriminately. Very little loss of life was occasioned by this but one never quite knew where the next shell might fall.



As the weeks grew into months and the siege still dragged on the situation became more dire for the inhabitants – Buller’s many attempts (and as many failures) to break through and come to their aid were slowly but inexorably sapping the already low morale of those who now had almost no food with which to succour themselves. The hospital at the Intombi Camp on the outskirts of town lacked even the basic necessities with which to feed and nourish its growing bed-ridden occupants – struck down by Enteric Fever, there was not even the prospect of decent food with which their health would have rapidly improved.

Finally on 28 February 1900 the siege was lifted and Buller and his men rode into Ladysmith to be confronted by rows of emaciated men, women and children lining the streets dusty streets. The Carbineers, Barnett among them, were sent down to the Highlands area and to Hilton for a period of rest and recuperation before being called on to resume the fight.

Buller, in what many described as an unnecessary delay, finally moved his ponderous army northwards in May 1900 – marching along the Biggarsberg mountains in the direction of Elandslaagte and Dundee – in an effort to finally purge the Colony of any armed Boers. The battle of Alleman’s Nek weas fought and won and the army, the Carbineers included, continued on into the Transvaal where they finally succeeded (for the moment) in ridding Natal of the Boer threat.

By October 1900 it was felt that the Colonials could be stood down and most were sent home to their families and permanent occupations although still on standby should the need for their services arise. Although this move was welcomed by many it was also the breeding grounds for discontent. Having been stood down meant that no further battle bars, medals or accolades could be earned by these men who had given so much. Unlike their Colonial counterparts elsewhere in the country, they were denied the opportunity for additional service which might have led to the award of the Kings South Africa Medal.

Barnett stayed on standby until the end of the war – 31 May 1902 – but his services were no longer required and he had returned to his farm in The Dargle area of Lion’s River. He took his final discharge from the Natal Carbineers on 1 July 1904. Ten years later, on 26 October 1914, at Gilgal in Polela, he wed Elizabeth Catherine Johanna Van Dyk – he was 42 years old and from the farm Ripon whilst his Dutch-speaking bride was 20 and from the farm Gilgal. More than twice his wife’s age the married couple set about the making of a family.

Tragedy struck almost from the outset of their fledgling union – Elizabeth’s father passed away on 1 October 1915 whilst she was heavily pregnant with Charles Thomas and, two weeks later she herself expired on 15 October 1915, whilst giving birth to their only child. A distraught Thomas was on his own once more but with the added responsibility of raising an infant.

Barnett soldiered on until passing away at the age of 77 on 21 April 1949. He was a Retired Farmer who succumbed to a Myocardial Infarction.

Acknowledgements:
- Familysearch for family details
- Ancestry/FMP for medal roll
- Natal Carbineers Resource Centre for NC service details.

Duku
As a member of the Camperdown and District DRA, your GGF would have earned a no-clasp QSA; twenty-six issued and the recipients were certified as having been "called out for active duty against the enemy". Roll dated January, 1905.
If you go to the Unit Information panel of the main menu (at left) you can navigate to "Natal Rifle Associations" and check each Association's medal roll for yourself. Most DRAs would not have taken part in battles; the exception being the Natal DRA - where members received the clasp Talana on their QSAs.
Regards
IL.

Can any forummers provide the forenames of the following participants in the ABW?
There will be others, but here's a start:

Reverend AP Burger, NGK, Middleburg
Lieutenant Colonel BD Möller, Talana.
burger EJ Weeber, who wrote a book "Op in the Natalse front..." in 1940

A lot of modern copy clasps.



Described as:

Copy Clasps: A large selection of copy clasps for the Queen’s South Africa Medal: Rhodesia (10); Relief of Mafeking (18); Talana (13); Defence of Kimberley (11); Elandslaagte (9); Defence of Ladysmith (8); Belmont (10); Modder River (13); Natal (10); Relief of Kimberley (6); Paardeberg (15); Relief of Ladysmith (15); Driefontein (16); Wepener (12); Defence of Mafeking (16); Johannesburg (15); Laing’s Nek (20); Diamond Hill (13); Wittebergen (24); Belfast (18); and South Africa 1902 (20), all stamped ‘copy’; together with three copy ‘Fort Detroit’ clasps for the Military General Service Medal (these three lacking top lugs and unmarked), all of modern manufacture, extremely fine as produced (lot)

Good day

where and how can I find out more about Johannes Jacobus Izak Stefanus Coetzer he took part in the Battle of Talana in Dundee but unfortunately died in the battle.
Also, more about Erasmus Johannes Pretorius but he did not die in the war, I would like to know if they received medals for attending the battle and under who's command did, they took part.

Sorry for turning this into a genealogy session
It seems that he had three wives.

1854-09-08: Johan Sanfrid Carlgren; born in Yllestad, Skaraborgs län (now Västra Götlands län), Sweden. Father Gustaf Edvard Carlgren (1834-02-14--1924-05-25) was a soldier in Bredeneds rote. Mother Clara Johansdotter (1833-06-12--1926-02-20).

1854-1857: Lived in Gärdegården, Yllestad, Skaraborgs län, Sweden.

1857-1862: Lived in Hjälmshögen, Smula socken, Norra Åsarp, Skaraborgs län, Sweden.

1862-1886: Lived in Hjälmshögen, Norra Åsarp, Skaraborgs län, Sweden.

1886-08-16: Johan travelled alone to South Africa. Unmarried.

1888-07-04: Selma Josefina Hansdotter travelled alone to South Africa. Unmarried. Born 1861-11-18 in Kölaby, Älvsborgs län, Sweden. Father's name Hans Olofsson.

1888~1889: 1st marriage to Selma Josefina Hansdotter.

1890-01-04: Daughter Emma Josefina Carlgren is born in Eshowe, South Africa.

1890-04-18/20: Johan's 1st wife Selma Josefina Hansdotter dies in Eshowe, South Africa.

1895-09-28: Johan arrived from South Africa with his daughter to Hög Trädgården, Norra Åsarp, Älvsborgs län (now Västra Götlands län), Sweden.

1896-06-28: 2nd marriage to the elementary school teacher Augusta Wallander. Born 1859-08-21 in Karleby, Skaraborgs län, Sweden.

1896-07-31: Augusta Wallander travelled to Zululand, South Africa.

1896-09-04: Johan travelled with daughter to South Africa. Carpenter.

1897-04-11: Birth of son John Erik Valdemar Karlgren, in Eshowe, South Africa.

1897-11-17: Death of son John Erik Valdemar Karlgren, in Eshowe, South Africa.

1898-03-29: Johan's 2nd wife dies in Eshowe, South Africa.

1899-1902: Johan took part in the Boer War on the Brittish side, D section of Dundee Towns Guard. QSA with clasp TALANA and rim text "J. S. CARLGREEN. DUNDEE TN: GD:".
Carlgreen; John Sandfrid; QSA (1) Source: List of QSAs with the clasp Talana from the Talana book; Dundee Town Guard

1902-10-07: Hilda Eleontina Ahlén travelled alone to South Africa. Unmarried. Born 1864-05-04 in Tillberga, Västmanlands län, Sweden.

1903-05-23: 3rd marriage to Hilda Eleontina Ahlén in Dundee, South Africa.

1904-10-12: His daugther Emma Josefina returns from South Africa, to Vättlösa, Skaraborgs län, Sweden.

1908-12-22: His daughter Emma Josefina is married to Frans Vilhelm Pettersson (1886-02-28 -- 1955-08-27). She took his last name.

1933-07-15: Johan Sanfrid Carlgren dies in Dundee, South Africa.

1975-08-24: His daughter Emma Josefina Petterson dies in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Thanks David and Pat for your help.


//Stefan

I had reference links for almost all dates, but I wasn't allowed to post them. PM me and I can send them, if interested.

Great David!
Then I can spend this evening researching a few hours more with the new data that you gave me

Regards,
Stefan

Stefan,

What a lovely medal.

The first medal could certainly be a single clasp QSA.



I can only add a little information. He worked as a carpenter. His second wife dies at 71 Cornhill Street, Dundee. He served in D section of the Dundee TG.

According to Pat Rundgren, he died 15 July 1933.

Pat also suggests he married for a second time, Hilda Eleontina Ahlen (b 1864) on 23 May 1903 in Dundee. Pat gives another middle name for his daughter, Pettersson.

Best wishes
David

A QSA with a TALANA clasp to a Swede in the Dundee Town Guard.

QSA rim text: J.S. CARLGREEN. DUNDEE TN: GD:

www.angloboerwar.com/name-search :
"Carlgreen; John Sandfrid; QSA (1) Source: List of QSAs with the clasp Talana from the Talana book; Dundee Town Guard"

Could be the man in the middle:
digitaltmuseum.org/021016047268/missiona...s-carlgren-sydafrika

Johan Sanfrid/Sannfrid/Sandfrid Carlgren.
Born in 1854-09-08, Yllestad, Skaraborgs län, Sweden.
Died in 1933-04-07, Dundee, South Africa.


Johan went the first time to South Africa in 1886-08-16.
Married to Selma Josefina Hansdoter (born 1861-11-18 Kälaby, Sweden; died 1890-04-18 Eshowe, South Africa).
Daughter Emma Josefina; born 1890-01-04, in Eshow, "Zulu land", South Africa.
Went back to Sweden with his daughter 1895-09-28.
Returned to South Africa with his daughter 1896-09-04.
The daughter Emma returned to Sweden in 1904-10-12 and died there 1975-08-24.

//Stefan

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (2) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith (4446, Pte. H. P. Rendle 18/Hrs.) engraved naming.

C Squadron. Invalided 21 March 1900