TOPIC:

REGISTER OF DECEASED SOLDIER'S EFFECTS

Entry 100148 of the above mentioned record shows that 6027 Private Dai St. John left the meagre sum of sixpence in his Army account. No recorded benefactor or claimant (see below).




Perhaps a good thing he left some money over the bar back at The Rock Inn, Neath before he departed for South Africa. Maybe he had a premonition that he wouldn't be coming back and wanted his pals to have a jar or two in his memory?

QUEEN'S COMPANY GRENADIER GUARDS

There cannot have been many of us who did not watch the funeral of Queen Elizabeth the Second last year, and no doubt, few that could fail to be impressed by the soldiers chosen to be the bearer party for their late monarch.
These men were of the Queen's Company Grenadier Guards. The Queen's Company are the men responsible for the close protection of the monarch and are at the forefront of state events such as funerals.
To qualify for the Queen's you must be over six feet tall and only the very best recruits from each intake are accepted. They may be considered the epitome of the Grenadier Guardsman.
6027 Private David St. John was just such a man.
Please find below a newspaper article describing an event shortly after the Battle of Belmont in which the fallen from Queen's Company are mentioned.

From "The People," Sunday, December 3,1900; page 11:

"THE QUEEN AND SOLDIER'S WIVES.
PARADE OF THE LIFE GUARDS AT WINDSOR.
SPEECH BY HER MAJESTY."
" A scene of unusual brilliance took place at the Victoria Barracks, at Windsor on Wednesday, where the 1st Batn. Grenadier Guards are quartered, when her Majesty, who was accompanied by Prince Henry of Battenburg and Princess Charlotte, inspected the battalion, and commanded the attendance of the wives and families of the soldiers in the Windsor district, under orders for South Africa, or actually at the front. It may be remembered that the Grenadier Guards already, figure in the casualties. To the 1st battalion at Windsor there belonged five who had been killed, 16 wounded and 2 missing. Three of those killed belonged to the Queen's Company (Corporal) Fraser and Privates David St. John and Bryne O'Beirne. The remaining two killed were also of the 1st battalion (Privates Hickling and Goodson). By 12 o'clock the entire battalion turned out on parade, facing the south of the barracks square.
The Queen's Company every member of which stands OVER SIX FEET IN HEIGHT being on the right facing the officer's quarters........"

Thank you to all who have posted about Dai St John. I have been searching for information for many years. He was my Great Uncle, half-brother to my grandfather Benjamin Lansdown. They shared the same mother, Hannah Davies from Resolven. But I digress. Through your postings, I was able to purchase the "Mountain Fighters" book from some lovely people in Ponty. I'm excited and can't wait to receive it and start reading.

I am in possession of his medals from both the Sudan and South Africa. Sudan is missing the ribbon, and the ribbon on the South Africa medal is a bit tattered. I also have a commemorative jug. Unfortunately, the handle has been broken for as long as I can remember. My cousins took me to the monument in Resolven many, many years ago.

I do have a few questions that I hope someone can answer. Were there many commemorative jugs produced, or only a few? Someone posted that his last name was Jones. I have been doing ancestry research for a number of years. I did find one census with the last name Jones. However, I have found evidence of Hannah Davies having married a Daniel John (or Johns), and that Dai St John had a younger sister Mary John born in 1875, and younger brother Daniel John born in 1880, the same year his father Daniel died. I know people such as census takers from that era wrote down what they heard, or thought they heard. If anyone can provide a definitive answer, it would be most appreciated. Perhaps the answer will be in the book?

Again, Thank You for all your posts and photographs.

Kenneth,

You have had better luck than me in acquiring a copy of "Mountain Fighters"! There is still a space on my bookshelf that is eagerly awaiting a copy!

Many thanks for joining the forum. You have answered a question that many of us collectors have sought to answer. Namely, that the medal trio to Dai St. John are still out there and with the family. You have made my day.

As for the numbers of the commemorative jug produced, I really have no idea. But maybe fellow forummer Neville C may be able to provide more information?

Could I respectfully ask that if you should have any anecdotes about Dai (or Daffydd Jones by birth) could you please post them here for our enjoyment?

Regards Steve

Steve,
Thank you for your kind reply. Unfortunately, I have no stories other than what is known - that he was a pugilist and was killed after killing a number of Boers with his bayonet. The only difference (as relayed by my grandmother some 60 years later) was that he was stabbed in the back with a bayonet.

A few more questions if I may... You mentioned a trio of medals. I only have two. Sudan and Belmont. What was the third? In addition, you said he was Daffydd Jones by birth. Do you have a citable source? I have been doing ancestry work since 2007. One of the dilemmas has been the last name of Jones or John. The 1881 census lists the last name as Jones. But the 1891 census lists it as Johns (with an s). It includes Hannah (now Lansdowne), David, Mary and young Daniel, along with my grandfather Benjamin and his older brother William (both Lansdowne). Also, the Marriage Index for 1866 Has Daniel John and Hannah Davies both in vol 11a, pg 651, which is indicative of their marriage. The preponderance of the evidence indicates the last name was John, but as of yet I can't be certain. I have a vague recollection of my grandparents saying John, but I was very young. Any information along these lines would be greatly appreciated.

If I can figure out how to upload photos of the medals and the jug, I will post them.

Again, I wish to thank you for the information you have provided thus far.

Kenneth

Steve
You show Register of Soldier's Effects extract 100148 above. This entry was made in October 1902 and represents a balance remaining after a previous payout was made under number 57356 in probably 1900. These earlier registers seem not to be available on line.
Pete