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Dear forum members, I have been given a box containing items belonging to a relative named Joseph Wainwright from Nantwich. Reading a letter I notice that he served as a Bombardier in the Royal Field Artillery in the Boer War, but I cant trace him at all. In the letter home, dated Feb 13, 1900, he is in Cape Town, but he is sick and has been left behind while his unit moves on. He states he is now attached to the 23rd Western Division, Royal Artillery until he gets better. He does also state that if he doesnt get better they would send him home as they need the hospital beds for the wounded. I wonder if this happens? In the box is a police whistle and handcuffs, so he probably ended up as a policeman in later life. Any help would be gratefully received. Yours, Mark A. Potts.

Joseph Wainwright served as 65788 Gunner initially, whilst actually with the 85th Battery Royal Field Artillery in South Africa, from the 18th of January 1900 until the 17th of April that year, a most interesting "character" and a very typical Thomas Atkins,
His service papers, which include his statement of service, have survived in WO97 at Kew and are available whilst actually there or via your PC.

Joining the police force seemed to be a good job option for ex-army men in the 1890s, and, judging by what I read in contemporary newspaper reports, a fair proportion were reservists, resulting in their being called up for active service.