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The lychgate at Manfield church, Darlington is a memorial to Col. J.G. Wilson, commanding 3rd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment and his son, Lieut. R. B. Wilson, Yorkshire Hussars Squadron, 3rd Batt. Imperial Yeomanry. The latter died of wounds at Rustenberg on 26th July 1900 received in action at Oliphant's Nek five days previously, while his father died of wounds a year and half later, received between Tweebosch and Palmietkuil the previous day. They are both also commemorated on the Men of Yorkshire memorial in York, as is their brother and uncle, Lieut.-Col. R. B. Wilson, C.M.G., commanding 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry, who died of enteric at Kroonstad on 21st March 1901.

The memorial to the Wilsons is particularly poignant. It made me wonder how many fathers and sons fought in the Boer War on the British side?

Justin

Justin
Some time ago, I contributed a post on Father and Son in the South Australian Bushmen and I recall that Rory once had something similar. There must have been a number of Fathers and Sons who fought on the British side; especially with the locally recruited units.
Thanks for your post.
Regards
IL.

Morning Justin

That is a good find and a sad story.

I posted this a few years ago, a father and son with Marshall's Horse, the son being killed in action and the father wounded, both at Frederickstad in the same small action. I found a letter in the local Grahamstown newspaper printed a short while after describing the details of the action which made for a sobering read.

angloboerwar.com/forum/11-research/9161-...y-pair?start=6#14742

Regards
Jon Tombs

I wonder if Major Marshall's medals are still safely stored in the Albany Museum? Much has changed in Grahamstown in recent years.

Brett

Morning Brett

The Albany Museum had a fantastic display of medals, including Major Marshall's. On instruction from an official all the medals were removed and placed in storage in the museum's safe, and now you can be amazed at displays of reed baskets and beaded necklaces and other indigenous artifacts. The Museum Curator graciously allowed me access to the safe and allowed me to view one group of medals, of which I chose those of Major Marshall. So hopefully all are still safely locked away.

Jon

I hope so, Jon. Ironically, such collections can be safer on public display, rather than in 'safe' storage behind the scenes. The major theft of medals from Durban's Local History Museum was revealed when a collector was taken to the 'safe' storage to view them, and he realised that there were medals missing from the collection. Much more dramatic was the tale told by a man transferred to newly independent Sri Lanka. When he found that there were no medals on public display in a major museum, he was informed that silverware, including medals, dating from Ceylon's Colonial era had all been melted down.

Regards
Brett