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A Johannesburg Mounted Rifles man 9 years 4 months ago #23785

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William Henry Rouse

Private, Johannesburg Mounted Rifles – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasp Transvaal (also entitled to South Africa 1902) to 2772 Pte. W. Rouse, Johannesburg M.R.

William Rouse was born in West Bromwich on 26 August 1882 the son of William Rouse and his wife Emma, born Brown.

The first glimpse we have of William comes with the 1901 Wales census where he was living with his parents and younger sister Mary (16) at 14 Chesterfield Road, Barry and Cadoxton, Glamorgan, Wales. He was 19 at the time and was, like his 51 year old father, a Labourer by occupation.

Quite what induced a young William to head south to the tip of Africa in late 1901 is unknown. Perhaps it was the spirit of adventure; perhaps it was the fact that, at home, people were agog about the Boer War which was then in its second year showing no signs of coming to a speedy conclusion. Whatever the case may be Rouse found himself in Durban, South Africa on 12 April 1902 which was where he completed the Attestation form for the Imperial Irregular Corps. Enlisted with the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles he was assigned the rank of Private and no. 2572.

Physically Rouse was 5 feet 6 inches in height with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He weighed a healthy 150 pounds and wore a size 8 boot. As his next of kin he provided his mother, Mrs E. Rouse of 14 Chesterfield St., Cadoxton and he confirmed that he had been born in West Bromwich. By way of “marks on body” he had tattoos on both arms.

During the first quarter of 1902 the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles were chiefly employed in the Ermelo district of the Transvaal. In May of that year they crossed the Vaal and had some skirmishes in the Frankfort district of the Orange River Colony. Down to the close of the campaign they did service which proved them a most useful and well-led body.

On 17th June, after peace had been declared, the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles, Imperial Light Horse, Kitchener's Fighting Scouts, and the Scottish Horse had the honour of marching past and being inspected by the Commander-in-Chief in Johannesburg. Lord Kitchener referred to the fine service of these splendid irregular regiments, and indicated that there was a prospect of permanent volunteer regiments being formed which would be successors to the work, traditions, and organisation of each of them.

With the end of the war came the end of Rouse’s service. He was awarded the Queens South Africa medal with Transvaal clasp for his efforts. He was also entitled to the South Africa 1902 clasp but this was issued off a Supplementary Roll and is not with the medal.

Sometime later Rouse returned to Great Britain and, according to the 1911 Wales census, was a Dock Labourer resident at 3 Quarella Street in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. He had been married to Eliza for 4 years and they had a son, William Rufus Rouse aged 3.

William Henry Rouse passed away in June 1951 at the age of 68.







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A Johannesburg Mounted Rifles man 9 years 4 months ago #23786

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Hi Rory,

Another nice medal and detailed write up, you seem to have hit a rich vein at the moment ;)
I like the JMR possibly because it was my first KIA medal.
www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...fontein?limitstart=0

Keep up the good run :)

Paul
"From a billow of the rolling veldt we looked back, and black columns were coming up behind us."
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A Johannesburg Mounted Rifles man 9 years 4 months ago #23791

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Thanks Paul

I must say you have a special medal there!

Apropos my rich vein - if I could get the research done fast enough there would be many more but I am falling behind, Not enough hours in the day......

Regards


Roory

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A Johannesburg Mounted Rifles man 9 years 4 months ago #23793

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Rory,

Thank you.
"if I could get the research done fast enough there would be many more but I am falling behind, Not enough hours in the day......"
That must be a nice problem to have ;)

Paul :)

Rory wrote: Thanks Paul

I must say you have a special medal there!

Apropos my rich vein - if I could get the research done fast enough there would be many more but I am falling behind, Not enough hours in the day......

Regards


Roory

"From a billow of the rolling veldt we looked back, and black columns were coming up behind us."

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