TOPIC:

This is my first post on the site. Please can anyone offer any information on this soldier.

I have found his medal records on Ancestry
Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal clasps
King's South Africa Medal with South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902 clasps

On FindMyPast
Served with 14 Mounted Infantry
Wounded Severely on 19 December 1901 at (Official casualty roll location: Holland)

I am familiar with the history of 2nd Bn Gloucestershire Regiment

What I would like is some information on

14th Mounted Infantry — first impression is 2/GHLOUC R was one of the elements contributing to battalion
Is there a history of the mounted battalions? 14th? Where did the battalion serve? Higher formation?

What does roll location Holland mean? I cannot find a Holland in South Africa. Any ideas?

Please help.

Hello Aria
Welcome to the forum .
Some information for your records.

George James Potter
3181 / 2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment
Born 1872 at Ashchurch, Tewksbury Gloucestershire.
Labourer by trade. Father, John Potter.
Attested in 1891. Served in Malta, Egypt, India and South Africa.
He was awarded his Mounted Infantry certificate in 1897 in Egypt.
He married Phyllis Elizabeth Taylor in November 1899.

His time in the M I would have certainly included numerous patrol duties and during the Guerilla phase of the war there were many skirmishes along the lines of communications. December the 19th 1901 included engagements at Holland ( 14 th MI Gloucester)which is where Private Potter along with several of his comrades were wounded and killed.
Alas, I am still trying to find the location of Holland SA.
Other actions on that same day were at Ermalo, Elandspruit, Dullstroom and Transvaal. I am sure one of the learned forum members should be able to help with the location of the action at Holland? I will have a look over the weekend for any specific details or further actions involving the 14th Battalion MI.

Regards

Dave......

Aria
Please see the attached regarding the action at Holland (Eastern Transvaal) on 19/12/1901.


They are from the Times History Volume V, pages 455/6.
Any MI Bn research in the latter stages of the campaign is fraught with difficulty due to the nature of things. The best way I have found is to access the SAFF Casualty roll and - as far as the Glosters MI Coy is concerned - and see where casualties were incurred. Later today, I will have a look and update if I can.
Mounted Infantry were a key component in anti-guerilla operations and Rudyard Kipling summed things up very well when he penned his poem MI. Well worth a read and gain an understand the role of the Mounted Infantry.
Regards
IL.

Aria
A trawl of the SAFF Casualty roll shows several casualties (in addition to those of 19/12/1901) for the MI Coy of the Glosters attached to the 14th Bn., M.I.;
Joubert's Kop 8/7/1901
Wagen Pad 7/11/1901
Boomje Aileen 15/11/1901
Vlakfontein 30/11/1901
Near Twyfeller 14/2/1902
Lindley 6/5/1902.
The actions at those locations doubtless meant a great deal to the men of the 14th Bn., M.I. at the time - and were probably in the Eastern/Western Transvaal; occurring during operations to clean up the remaining Boer hard-liners. It would be probably difficult to place some of the abovementioned locations on today's maps.
Each British infantry battalion of that era had a Mounted Infantry company and those companies were combined into M.I. Bns. Their lot was usually column work or escort duty and it could be hard and dangerous work.
Regards
IL.

Very many thanks for the replies.

I now have some leads to follow up on and will be able to go much deeper in my research.

Following up on The Times History Volume 5 pages 455-456

Lt Moeller who was Died of Wounds as a result of the Action of Holland on 19 December 1901. His diary his on the website at
www.angloboerwar.com/books/163-moeller-t...preface-and-contents

From reading the Gloucestershire Regiment formed No 4 Company of 14th Mounted Infantry