TOPIC:

Were all the soldiers who died of wounds/ disease buried where they fell or in mass graves..... were they even marked?

We know that from WW1 onward they had individual graves but what happened to them in South Africa

I ask because I am researching a medal - India General Service (Relief of Chitral) - who I have just found out (from soldiers effects) died in Bloemfontain 21 Oct 1900.

Is there any way to find if it was disease/ wounds or any other personal info etc?

2885 Pte William Taylor 1st Gordon Highlanders

Thanks

Wayne

Wayne,

According to Steve Watt (2000), 2885 Private C.[sic] Taylor, 1st Bn. Gordon Highlanders, is buried in President Brand Cemetery, President Street, Bloemfontein. His name is on the battalion's memorial there. He died of disease on 21 [or 22] October 1900.

From reading other posts on this forum, it sounds like the cemetery is in a shocking state, with most of the individual grave markers now lost. In the main, only the larger memorials have survived. Very sad.


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..

Welcome Wayne......

Take a look at this thread.......

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/17-memorials-...rk-in-progress#67764

Here are a couple of headstone put up by Canadian Government......

Mike

Also this thread.......

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/6-places/3004-intombi?start=0

Mike

Wayne,

The memorialisation of deaths in the Boer War changed over time. During the war Imperial soldiers were buried often where or nearby where they fell, in individual graves if the number was small or mass graves if the number were large, for example at Elandslaagte or Spion Kep. At the time wooden crosses marked the location. Soon after the war officers were typically reburied in stone graves and some countries such as Canada created headstones for Canadian troops as exemplified by Mike's pictures. The War Graves Commission after the Second World War took it upon themselves to centralise manu graves in local cemeteries, creating the round metal marker were the soldier was known and central plinths with a nominal roll of soldiers. As an example, the graves of those who dies at Charlestown hospital were moved and commemorated in Newcastle: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/17-memorials-...castle-cemetery#2037 .

Best wishes
David

Wayne,

He was mentioned in despatches, 8 February 1901, p847 ( www.angloboerwar.com/images/pdf/LG19010208wf.pdf )