TOPIC:

Hello,
I am new to the site and this is my first post. Well done with the site, it's very well designed and is great to use.

I have just started collecting and have come across a QSA to the a soldier of the 3rd RPR who was allegedly Australian but serving under another commonwealth flag.

I have found him on the nominal roll via this website. Is there somewhere I can find his attestation paperwork? Also any unit diaries for the 3rd?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Varlin

Good afternoon and welcome to this forum,
The information you require is to be found at the TNA Kew, in London, the Railway Pioneer Regt nominal roll in WO127 is available, here, on this site, any surviving attestation and perhaps a discharge paper will be found in WO126/106-111 at Kew, the QSA medal roll is also there in WO100/265, this latter is also available on line via ancestry.
In addition, I can tell you that, for official purpose, the RPR was a Class "C" corps of the South African Mounted Irregular Force, i.e. it came under the direct control of the AAG Colonial Forces, Army HQ Pretoria, being raised during the war, for General Service in South Africa on the 18th of January 1901, the 3rd Railway Pioneer Regt with a strength of six companies, enlistment was for six months or until the end of the war.
Companies were merged and disbanded in Johannesburg by the 30th of June 1902.

Perhaps you would like to tell us the name of the recipient for the Queens South Africa medal you have?

Again welcome,
Regards Frank

Varlin wrote: Hello,
I am new to the site and this is my first post. Well done with the site, it's very well designed and is great to use.

I have just started collecting and have come across a QSA to the a soldier of the 3rd RPR who was allegedly Australian but serving under another commonwealth flag.

I have found him on the nominal roll via this website. Is there somewhere I can find his attestation paperwork? Also any unit diaries for the 3rd?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Varlin

Hi Varlin, welcome to the ABW forum.
Attestation papers for the RPR can be found here:
www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/so...way-pioneer-regiment

Frank,
Thanks so much for your advice, the information you provided was very helpful. The name of the recipient is James GALLAGHER, Private 1423. I found his nominal roll on the site and with a link provided by Mark Wilkie I located his attestation paper. There are 3 clasps on the medal, Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal. The medal does not show any ghosting and the arm points at the F.

I have learned that the RPR was created to act predominantly in defense of the railway which were integral in transportation about the theatre. There were several occasions where they acted away from the lines in unison with regular infantry. I am not au fait with the British or South African Military records, I know in Australia via the War memorial we can follow the unit in its history and action by reading the war unit diaries, is there something similar in existence for the Boer War?

Again thank you Frank and Mark for your help.
Marcus.

I also have another question regarding a VMR sword, should I start a new discussion thread or continue with this one?

Good morning Marcus
Gallagher is shown as being discharged time expired on the 2nd RPR medal roll page 132, his address is given as "The Standard Brick Works" Petersham, Sydney NSW.
You are lucky that this corps attestation papers are also here on this site as most of WO126 is not normally available on line.
Regards Frank

Frank, I did see that, the Brickworks buildings still stand today in Petersham. I used to work not far away from them.

I also have a sword stamped 1892, it has the Victorian Mounted Rifles sigil embossed on the gaurs and again in scroll on the blade. I have not heard or seen of such a blade allocated to a NSW mounted or imperial/bushmen. I was wondering if you might know why? I have also tried to locate who may have been issued such a blade, in all the photographs/pictures and postcards I can find the infantry have a long bayonet and the NCO? or officer has the sword. Is this correct?

Marcus.