TOPIC:

I am researching the above character who joined Kitchener's Horse and was discharged in June 1901. Shortly after the Battle of Belmont Kitchener's Horse was divided and one party moved south to Prieska to secure lines of communication and cover any possible revolt coming from that area in the Cape. I believe he was in that group because there are no battle honours after Belmont.
Once discharged George Lennox joined the Field Intelligence Department but I can find no record of a unit by that name. My question is how did the Field Intelligence departments work? I have in my possession copies of a restored military Field Diary (+- 125 pages Nov 1901 - March 1902, Upington) of correspondence, reports, coded correspondence etc that has only just seen the light of day. The original diary had fallen into a state of disrepair and the book restorer amazingly has been able to recover much of the diary. However where did the Field Intelligence people fit if not in a designated unit such "Field Intelligence"?
The reports have many acronyms. Is there a directory of military acronyms?
James

James,
The FID roll is in WO100/301, I've just had a very brief look and the only Lennox I could see was G T Lennox on Cape Colony Seaports Intelligence Department No2.
Will take a further look later, as time permits.
The FID was raised by Major David Henderson, he had raised the Corps of Imperial Guides/Corps of Natal Guides in 1899, because there was no established intelligence department at the start of the war.
He then raised and ran the Field Intelligence Department, which was split up into various regional sections and sub-sections, Major Henderson recruited men from all of the various Corps/Regts of not just the British army/SAMIF, but the empire as well, although, he did seem to have a few favourites, such as the Colonial Scouts/Damants Horse/Steinaecker's Horse etc!
From that very little acorn, a mighty oak grew!
Frank

Hi Frank
Many thanks for your response and the background to the FID. In one military web site record he is erroneously called Leonnox (cannot remember which). His Kitchener's Horse number was 25324. In the copy of the record you sent I think the initial T could be an S (maybe not) and that would fit with his propensity to call himself George St Leger Gordon Lennox. He also went under the pseudonym "Scotty Smith" erstwhile outlaw.

I have looked at the FID on this website and there is no Lennox in the Nominal Roles but there is for Smitheman, Parton and Wilbraham who are all in this picture with Lennox on the RHS without uniform. Smitheman is seated, Wilbraham is left.

The other attachment shows George Lennox signing as Agent FID in Upington. Is the nominal role possibly incomplete?
Regards
James

Files disappeared!!

Hello James,
Yes, the FID nominal roll is not complete, I had already looked at the Kitchener's Horse QSA,Supplementary and Nominal rolls to establish your mans exact indentity, none of them indicate service with the FID.
Upon looking again at the entry in WO10O/301, I must conclude the the initial is in actual fact a T and not a J or an S, though, this, of course may be just an error on the part of Major Milne at AHQ Pretoria!
Moreover, he appears to be the only Lennox on the roll, always assuming no error on my part!
Regards Frank

Incidentally James,
I think you are very lucky to be able to put a face to a Victorian soldier, a nice picture!
Regards Frank