TOPIC:

Hello there,
My question will no doubt seem rather dim witted to those who are initiated, so please bear with me. I am researching a soldier who was in the Coldstream Guards during the Boer War. His records say 1st(at least it looks like 1st) posted private 18 mar 1900 and the next entry reads 3rd posted private 16 Oct 1901. Does this indicate that he was in the First Battalion on 18 Mar 1900 and then the Third Battalion on 16 October 1901? I do not know how to interpret this, and looking up pages of abbreviations has not helped. There is all sorts of information out there, but none seems to deal with the elementary essentials of understanding the service record. Can anyone help?
I would really like to know which battalion he was in as it would help understand where he was in the Boer War. Many thanks in advance.
Melody

What is this mans name and number?

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Edwin Percy Symonds Coldstream Guards 1131

Okay, so he joins the Coldstream on the 16th of October 1897, he is posted to their 1st Battalion on the 18th of March 1900, then to their 3rd Battalion on the 16th of October 1901, to the Depot on the 18th of September 1902.
On the 9th of May 1903 he transferred to the Military Foot Police, he extends his service and is appointed Lance Corporal on the same day, as you would expect and is promoted to Corporal on the 13th of January 1912, to Sergeant on the 23rd of May 1915.
His actual Anglo Boer War service in South Africa with the 1st Battalion, was from the 18th of March 1900 to the 15th of October 1901, so he would have been what would be called within the Guards Division these days, at least, a battlefield replacement, so he missed out on the opening battles on the western front in the Cape Colony.
I see he became an Old Contemptible too, with service from the 9th of August 1914 with the BEF in France.

Melody wrote: Hello there,
My question will no doubt seem rather dim witted to those who are initiated, so please bear with me. I am researching a soldier who was in the Coldstream Guards during the Boer War. His records say 1st(at least it looks like 1st) posted private 18 mar 1900 and the next entry reads 3rd posted private 16 Oct 1901. Does this indicate that he was in the First Battalion on 18 Mar 1900 and then the Third Battalion on 16 October 1901? I do not know how to interpret this, and looking up pages of abbreviations has not helped. There is all sorts of information out there, but none seems to deal with the elementary essentials of understanding the service record. Can anyone help?
I would really like to know which battalion he was in as it would help understand where he was in the Boer War. Many thanks in advance.
Melody

Melody
I had a look on my CD of the rolls of the Foot Guards and "1131 E.P.Symonds" was awarded the clasps "Cape Colony","Orange Free State,"Transvaal" and "South Africa 1901" on his QSA. The rolls have no marginal notes for this man.
Regards
IL.