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Kevin Jordan has produced a roll of honour for the Natal Mounted Rifles (24 page PDF) and the Durban Light Infantry (9 page PDF).

Each document contains details of those who died during the ABW and is supported by information and excellent quality pictures of graves and memorials.

My grateful thanks to Kevin for sharing these on the ABW site.

NMR: www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/so...unted-rifles?start=2

DLI: www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/so...ght-infantry?start=2

QSA, 1 Clasp, TRANSVAAL, to 924 PTE J.W. BOOTH. DURBAN L.I.

Attested for service with Durban Light Infantry on 1st August 1900.

Attested for service Natal Volunteer Composite Regiment 1st October 1900

Died of wounds received at De Jager's Drift 2nd October 1900.

Extract from Durban Light Infantry History, Volume 1 :

The newly formed N.V.C.R., as one of its first assignements was ordered to send an escort to a convoy of 36 wagons travelling from De Jager's Drift to Blood River. While the wagons were outspanned some 8 miles east of De Jager's Drift, they were attacked and captured.

Pte E.A. Mills of the D.L.I. has given the following account :
"We left De Jager's Drift early in the morning to proceed via Blood River and met the Regulars who were coming from Wakkerstroom. Norman Fisher, J.W. Booth, two others, and myself were told off to extend out 600 yards to the left front of the wagons and in advance of the squadron. At about 09:30 a.m. I caught a half caste, hiding in a donga. I took him prisoner and he admitted he was a Boer scout. Taken before the O.C. of the convoy, he stated that there were about 40 Boers in the spruit (Riet Spruit) and that they had slept at a nearby farm.
I suggested that our best plan was to man the donga which was about a mile long and 6 feet deep. As far as I can remember, the officer said ' It can't be as serious as that'.
He ordered me, however, to hold fast with my four men. The squadron had a Hotchkiss gun and the non-commissioned officer in charge of it went ahead with it into the open with about six men. He opened fire and the mules, with the ammunition for the gun, stampeded. His party was now about 200 yards ahead of the main body. The Boers were on a slight ridge and when they opened fire everyone made for an ant-heap. This provided fine sport for the Boers.
I told my group to take up positions and as they did so Booth was shot through the stomach and fell back on me. Fisher and I got behind antheaps, but he was dangerously wounded in the head, a part of the bone being shot away. The situation deterioted and became hopeless. Someone away to the right put up a white flag.
I decided to prevent as many mules as possible falling into enemy hands and I deliberately stampeded about 9 teams. When I got back to the waggons they were in enemy hands"

The Natal Volunteer Record lists:
Pte. J.W. Booth, D.L.I. died of his wounds
Ptes. J. Caddy, M. B. Hawtrey, and N. Fisher, all of the D.L.I. were wounded.

James Wood Booth was buried initially at De Jager's Drift and re-interred in Dundee where he is listed on the memorial as Pte Wood Booth J.



The medal was initially brought as a disc and is slightly fire damaged. It has now been restored.

A scarce casualty to the Durban Light Infantry, (6 killed in action or died of wounds, 21 died of disease) and Natal Volunteer Composite Regiment, who had 12 killed in action or died of wounds, and 5 died of disease.