TOPIC:

The tablet is in Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery.













THIS TABLET WAS PROVIDED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION INITIATED BY
COUNCILLOR C.W.D. JOYNSON J.P. MAYOR OF WEDNESBURY,
IN HONOUR OF THE FOLLOWING CONTINGENTS OF THE G, H AND I
COMPANIES 2ND V.B. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT,
WHO SHOWED THEIR BRAVERY, LOYALTY, AND PATRIOTISM, BY ACTIVE
SERVICE IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR 1900-1901.

FIRST DRAFT
LIEUTENANT E. SMITH
BUGLER D. FARNSWORTH
PRIVATE A. BANKS
PRIVATE J. FARMER
PRIVATE W. MOSELEY
PRIVATE T. PYMM
PRIVATE J. SEVERN
PRIVATE S. SILK
PRIVATE A. WILLIAMS
PRIVATE R. WARD
PRIVATE W. WISEMAN

SECOND DRAFT
OCTOBER 1900. SERGEANT G. WILLETTS

THIRD DRAFT
PRIVATE J. BROOKS
PRIVATE N. BEASLEY
PRIVATE W. CARTER
PRIVATE G. FOSTER
PRIVATE N. GERMAN
PRIVATE T. JAMES
PRIVATE J. WARDLE
PRIVATE J. WOOD

FOURTH DRAFT
CYCLIST R. CHARLES

WEDNESBURY, JULY, 1901

So who is portrayed at the top of the plaque? Lieutenant E. Smith? I can see a Staffordshire Knot on his collar, was that part of the South Staffordshire's uniform?

An interesting memorial created mid-war - many folk deliberately held off until the war ended to enable them to record accurately the casualties.

The Staffordshire Knot is the cap badge of the South Staffs.

Regards
Meurig

SWB wrote: An interesting memorial created mid-war - many folk deliberately held off until the war ended to enable them to record accurately the casualties.

Regards
Meurig

I wondered if the 1900-1901 date reflected the dates the regiment served in South Africa, rather than the length of the war?

The regiment served the whole war.

I suspect these are the dates of when Wednesbury volunteers went out, although the Council paper says the memorial was erected in 1904. So, perhaps these dates have something to do with the career of the initiator Councillor Joynson.

"Worthy of further research" as medal dealers say.

Regards
Meurig