TOPIC:

I have been very fortunate to acquire the following group of medals to George Henry Moffett of CPD1

- CGHGSM bar Bechuanaland to 965 Pte. G.H. Moffett, Cape Pce.
- QSA bars Cape Colony and Orange Free State to 965 Cpl. G.H. Moffett Cape D.1
- KSA bars SA 1901 and 1902 to 965 Cpl. G.H. Moffett, Cape Police D1

Thanks in large measure to Adrian who has already sourced and supplied his papers (I only bought the medals an hour ago!) I know that Moffett was from the Eastern Cape and attested twice into the CP.

Research has already commenced!

Regards

Rory

Fantastic Group Rory......

Looking forward to read their history......

Rory,

I am very glad to have been of some help.

You have acquired a super group of medals to the CP. The group in my avatar is a group to a CP chap that also served in District 1 and then later the FID (KSA) and then reattested back into the CP. His number was 988 perhaps they knew each other??

Cheers

Adrian

George Henry Moffett

Corporal, Cape Police Division I

- CGHGSM bar Bechuanaland to 965 Pte. G.H. Moffett, Cape Pce.
- QSA bars Cape Colony and Orange Free State to 965 Cpl. G.H. Moffett Cape D.1
- KSA bars SA 1901 and 1902 to 965 Cpl. G.H. Moffett, Cape Police D1

George Moffett was born in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape part of South Africa in about 1875. At the age of 20 he attested for service with the Cape Police by completing the Candidates Paper at Cala on 29 July 1895.

He confirmed that he was 20 years old, five feet five inches in height and weighed 140 pounds. He had been recommended by a Mr. W.A. Whittle and was a Kaffir Trader by occupation. He claimed to be able to speak Kaffir and Dutch as well as Speak, Read and Write in English and that he had lived in South Africa “all my life long”.

Single, he also professed to be able to swim and that he was accustomed to travel on horseback and to the use of firearms (very few self respecting colonists in this border area of South Africa would have claimed otherwise)

The attending Doctor stated that “I have examined George Moffett and find him in good health and that he suffers from varicocele (an enlargement of the veins in the scrotum) but I consider him fit to be with the Cape Police force”

On 16 September of that year he signed the Form of Engagement undertaking to, among other things, to “cheerfully obey all the lawful orders of my superiors”.

This commenced the service of Trooper George Moffett, no. 965, who appears to have been deployed in police duties primarily in the Eastern Cape, Transkei areas.

Having been a mere year or two in uniform he and his comrades were confronted with the uprising of the natives in the Bechuanaland (now Lesotho) area. This stemmed from an edict that had been given in April 1896 to slaughter native livestock to prevent the spread of virulent cattle disease. The revolt rapidly gathered alarming momentum and the local troops under Lt Colonel Dalgety were hard pressed to contain the uprising. A large force was required to subdue the fighting and troops and volunteers were mobilized for the Bechuanaland Field Force of which the Cape Ploice stationed in the area were an integral part. Actions were fought at Gamasep Kloof, Riet Kloof and finally at Langberg on the 30 Jul - 1 Aug 1897 before peace was restored.

For his efforts Moffett earned the Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal with the Bechuanaland clasp which was awarded to the troops for operations which spanned the 24 December 1896 to the 30 July 1897. This medal was only authorised for issue in 1900.

Life was probably pretty uneventful but, whilst still on service, the spectre of the Anglo Boer War arose. One would have thought that life for a Provincial policeman would have gone on without interruption as the majority of the fighting took place in either Natal or the Central Cape Colony, Free State and Transvaal but, this was not necessarily true as several Boer Commando’s made their way south and east into the Eastern Cape with a view to surprising the few troops stationed there.

Apart from their duties in regular warfare the Police had throughout the campaign to look after the numerous rebels and suspects, very many of whom they captured and brought in during January and February 1900. Moffett was deployed on secondment to the War Effort from the very beginning in October 1899 until the war ended on 31 May 1902.

For his efforts he was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony and Orange Free State – denoting that he had seen service in both areas during operations there.

With war a thing of the past he continued with the Cape Police now with no. 116. He re-attested at Burghersdorp in the Eastern Cape on 2 February 1905 where the District Surgeon of Albertina swore that, “I hereby certify that I have this day examined No. 116 Corporal Geo. Hy. Moffett for reinrollment for a period of three years.

Save for a varicocele which has not hitherto interfered with the discharge of his duties. I find him free of defect. I therefore recommend that he be reinrolled"

On 17 March 1905 Mr. T.H. Roux, Acting Assistant Regional Magistrate at Indwe certified that “no. 116 Corporal G.H. Moffett possesses a sound colloquial knowledge of the Dutch and Kaffir languages and is capable of carrying on an ordinary conversation in the same.”

What happened to Moffett after this? Not even his family can recall – the man seems to have remained in the Eastern Cape where his brother became a prominent Attorney.

Hello Rory
Thank you! I have been looking for information on "George Henry Wendy (Moffett).

His mother was Elisabeth Schreiber (d/o Johann and Eva (Sponagel) Schreiber who arrived in 1858 with the German settlement in Stutterheim, South Africa. Elizabeth was 8 years old at the time. Johann was an Apocathery.

Elizabeth's first husband, George's father's surname was "Wendy". George took the name of "Moffett" when his widowed mother married William Moffett (formerly a lieutenant of the 13ths Somersets and a graduate of Sandhurst).
William had two other children by his first wife (his eldest son William Armstrong Moffett served and died in the Boer war).
Together William and Elizabeth had the following sons who also served in the Boer War:
- Thomas Benjamin Gordon Murray Moffett
- John Schreiber Moffett
- Edwin Armstrong Moffett
- Charles Rose Moffett
- Kenneth William Walter Moffett (died in the Boer War)
and the brother who became a lawyer, then eventually a judge and major in Queenstown: Lionel James Moffett.

Is there any chance you have any information on George's brothers' contributions in the Boer war?

Thank you!
Zeme

Hello Zeme

It's a small world thanks to the internet!

What I can tell you is that Benjamin Moffett served with the Cala Mounted Native Levies and the Xalanga Border Scouts.

John Schreiber Moffett served with the South African Constabulary

Edwin Moffett served with the Cala Town Guard - I also have a medal to a Whittle who served with them

of Charles Rose and Kenneth William there is no trace but it could be that the spelling of the surnames was corrupted - (it happened often enough)

I must thank you as well for the info you provided of which I was not aware. Winston Moffett from whom I obtained the medals didn't have any details.

Is there a surname Mills with a connection to the Moffett family that you are aware of?

Regards

Rory