TOPIC:

Hello,

On holiday in SA I acquired QSA with Cape Colony clasp, awarded to Private F. Petersen 329 DEOVR (Duke of Edinburgh Volunteer Rifles).

Searching the internet, IWM, Ancestry,SA mil. archives, cemeteries etc. I only found the medal index but nothing else.
What I discoverd that there were many native Petersens, but couldn't connect this information.

Even on this with information loaded website I only found 1 topic www.angloboerwar.com/forum/11-research/2...-petersen-where-from a person that could be a relative.

Anyone that can help me out?

With kind regards.
Dutch*Jim (yes I am from the Netherlands)

Hello Dutch*Jim

Apologies for the late welcome to the forum.

With reference to Private 329 F Petersen. Unfortunately I have also drawn a blank regarding information on your QSA recipient.
As you mentioned there are a number of Petersens recorded.
I have cross referenced that surname through the medal rolls to see if Private Petersen moved from the DEOVR to another regiment. No luck I'm afraid. I checked Border Horse, Driscol's Scouts, Imperial Light Horse, Scottish Horse, Kimberley Horse and the Cape Colony Cyclist Corps. Using variations of Petersen, Peterson and Pietersen. Nothing matched any correlation to your man. It is possible he only served for a short period of time. I also checked to see if he had moved on from the DEOVR - to the Colonial Light Horse section, alas no joy there either. Without a Christian name the research is very limited. The surname suggests that Petersen is Scandinavian in origin and refers to son of Peter.
The DEOVR medal roll records 4 Petersen's which as you previously mentioned, there could well be a family connection.
I am not sure if there are any records in South Africa regarding Attestation papers or paperwork pertaining to the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Volunteer Rifles? Perhaps fellow forum members may be able to help?

Best Wishes

Dave......
Ps..Link to the DEOVR regiment attached.

www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/so...own-volunteer-rifles

I was wondering if any forum members could suggest a point of contact as a starting point for Jim to investigate his F Petersen, reference South Africa archives/ research?
I searched Ancestry with the Christian name Frederick last night and there were quite a few living in Cape Colony that certainly fitted the time frame. Any suggestions would be most welcomed on possible connections to DEOVR. Frederick was my 1st choice and I realise the first name could be completely different, but we have to start somewhere


Dave........

Thanks Dave!
I figured if he was a volunteer, he probably lived in Cape Province and would be between 15-25 years old, meaning born between 1875 and 1885..

So I checked birth and buriel registers, both SA and UK and found a private Fortuin Petersen 6154 Cape Corps buried in Kimberley who died in 1918, while in service of the 2nd bat.Cape Corps, on influenza (source SA Graves Project)
He was the son of Elizabeth Petersen of Stickland, Bellville, Cape Province. But onfortunatly he was Aged 20. I have his service record which also states his medals were engraved.
So I checked his family but this track did not yet lead to suitable info. (EggSA register in Familyserarch).

Jim

The Cape Colony's Defence Dept introduced regimental numbers for the volunteer units in 1896. In each unit, all serving members were numbered in order of date of joining the unit, and later recruits were assigned numbers as they joined. Petersen's number 329 suggests that he was probably already on the strength of the DEOVR in 1896, and may already have been for a few years. He would then probably have been born in the 1870s or earlier (minimum age for enrolment was 18).