TOPIC:

Hello to all. I'm on this site because I'm researching a distant family member, Cyril Augustus DRUMMOND (1873 - 1945). After brief service in the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Royal Berkshire Regiment, he sailed to South Africa probably in February 1897. I know little of his civilian time there other than that he joined De Beers in March 1898, as a guard in their No.1 Compound at the Kimberley mine. He resigned in January 1899 (I looked up No.1 Compound on the internet and was horrified - I'm amazed he lasted there that long!).

The only information I have on his Boer War service is an appearance on the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Volunteer Rifles' medal roll; it shows that he was awarded the KSAM on the 1st October 1902. His South Africa Medal was with both the 1901 and 1902 clasps and he's noted as being attached to the Army Service Corps., but still on the D of E's payroll. In later military service he seems to have avoided actual combat (sorry if that's unfair) and specialised in railway transport so perhaps he did this with the ASC too.

I think he returned to England with his new wife and daughter in 1905.

As the ASC was a very wide-ranging organisation but doesn't seem to have many records of its own, I wonder if anyone here can recommend any research lines I could follow?

Regards - David

Pitstone, Buckinghamshire, UK

Hello again,
I would be quite surprised if this man had ever held a commission in the ASC, I think if I were you I might pop over to the RLC museum and see what they have to say, they are at Deepcut in Surrey.
He is a very interesting man so I would look at the social side of things, as I am sure you must have done, the De Beers archives were held in the library at Kimberley in the Cape, it was on Chapel Street, hopefully, that is where it remains today, they also had the voters lists and marriage records along with the Diamond Fields Advertiser etc, so you might wish to talk to them as well.
I would also talk to the Cape Archives in Capetown too, in addition to the KSA you have mentioned he also had a QSA and Cape Colony clasp as you would expect.
A very interesting man to be sure, you could write a book on this very well travelled gentleman.
Regards Frank

Hello David and welcome to the forum.

There are a couple of sets of service papers for C Drummond's but, because there is little information, they may well not be him.

DRUMMOND ? WO97 Chelsea
DRUMMOND C ? -, - WO121 Chelsea
DRUMMOND Charles 1873 London, Surrey WO97 Chelsea
DRUMMOND Chas ? WO131 Chelsea

These are available at the NA or online at FindMyPast.

There are some enrolment papers at the NA for DOEVR which might be worth a look.

There is a Lt C Drummond on the QSA roll for the DEOVR with clasp CC and another man called C Drummond, a trooper with number 90 who also received the CC clasp.

Trooper Drummond also received the SA01 clasp while Lt C A Drummond received the KSA with two clasps (the note says he remained on regimental pay whilst serving with the ASC - as you note).

I cannot see him listed on any ASC roll.

You are right that the ASC was a large and diverse organisation. I'm not sure where else to direct you.

Might he have served in the Great War?

Best wishes
David

Thanks to Frank and djp! Cyril Drummond did make the rank of Major back in the UK but was in his 40's by the time WW1 started so didn't see any active service as far as I can find. His WO medal card is blank apart from his regiment.

Yes I have been in touch with the very helpful Africana Library in Kimberley - the only records there are the De Beers one, plus a birth record for his daughter. But no marriage details sadly.

Looks like the RLC museum is the place to go next. How are they at answering emails I wonder?

Best regards - David

Hello David,

There are no attestation papers or records in the Cape Town Archives pertaining to the DOEOVR. However, a chap by the name of Natie Greeff who is the curator of the Museum in the Cape Town Castle (which also houses the HQ of the Cape Town Rifles the "Dukes" as it is now known)and which is the unit that your family member served might be of some help.

I cannot for the life of me remember the Dukes Regimental Historian's name!!

Natie Greeff: [email protected]

Regards
Adrian

Adrian - thanks very much for this link, I'll try him today. Looks like service in the ASC was a good way of falling through the cracks between research sources....!

Regards - David