TOPIC:

My grandfather Arthur Fowles, known as Roy Fowles after he emigrated to America, may have served in the Boer War. He was born in 1883 in Fulham, Middlesex. The family was in some financial difficulties, so he may have had incentive to lie about his age to enlist early. His younger brother left school and started work at age 13. There is a letter between his younger siblings where one says of him to the other, "You're probably too young to remember, but Arth was a very fine cavalryman in the Royal Dragoons."

Is there any way to trace if he did serve? Could someone from a poor family be a calvaryman - did the regiment supply their horses and tack?

Advice appreciated.

Heather Fowles

Hello Heather......

I have gone through the records that I have and am sorry but I cannot find him..... Under either name......

Someone else may have some records that I do not.......

The Regiment supplied all horses and tack.......

Mike

When you say "may have served in the Boer War" could you clarify that, do you actually have any reason or tangible evidence that suggests he did, beyond reasonable doubt and if so can you tell us what that is?

Hfowles wrote: My grandfather Arthur Fowles, known as Roy Fowles after he emigrated to America, may have served in the Boer War. He was born in 1883 in Fulham, Middlesex. The family was in some financial difficulties, so he may have had incentive to lie about his age to enlist early. His younger brother left school and started work at age 13. There is a letter between his younger siblings where one says of him to the other, "You're probably too young to remember, but Arth was a very fine cavalryman in the Royal Dragoons."

Is there any way to trace if he did serve? Could someone from a poor family be a calvaryman - did the regiment supply their horses and tack?

Advice appreciated.

Heather Fowles

He told some stories about having been in South Africa, and my father thought he may been in the service as a result, as he was the right age for that war. There is also the note in the letters between his siblings I quoted above, but that could have been service in England or elsewhere.

Okay, well I don't think that he did serve in South Africa, in the Royals, actually during the Anglo Boer War, but he certainly could have served with them afterwards, proving it, is rather difficult as you have no real evidence to help.
He could have easily served with them before emigrating, sadly, the Army Records Office was subject to some attention by the Luftwaffe, with the result that a great many individual soldiers service papers were destroyed, the obvious way to go would be to talk to the MOD.
Going back to your original post, the British Armies Cavalry had many openings for Boys at the turn of the twentieth century, the arm did indeed have it's own horse's and family background and status was not an issue (in fact, for certain people, it was all the other way!) you could be born in the gutter, it made no difference whatsoever, as long as you were up for it and met the physical requirements.
Good teeth were up there at the number one spot, if you did not have those, then you were off to a non starter.

Sorry, what's MOD?

Heather