TOPIC:

When in Cape Town a few months ago , I bought some Queen Victoria gift tins as well as a few Princess Mary's gift tins. I was under the impression that they were all empty, and was surprised to find these letters in one of the QV boxes. The letters refer to actions at Labuschagne's Nek and Buffelsfontein ( with list of participants ) . Can anyone throw some light on which unit the participants belonged to . I'm guessing the CMR, but could be way off.
Thanks
Mike]

Hi Mike

Wodehouse Yeomanry WO100/286

See this link open.uct.ac.za/bitstream/handle/11427/92...ne_rj.pdf?sequence=1

A short extract:

...the 29th Kritzinger was at Buffelsfontein, midway between Molteno and Dordrecht. He captured the Wodehouse Yeomanry of Capt. W.T. Clarke there, after a short clash. 42. Cmdt. C.J. Lotter rejoined Kritzinger at Leeuwekraal on the 31st May. These two men operated together until August 1901. After the capture of the ...

The casualty list and medal roll both have some of the names on the list of participants.

Regards
Jon

Hi Mike

3rd letter appears to be signed by G. Brooker, R.S. Major Brabants Horse

From the name search :-

Brooker G 222 RSM QSA (4)
Source: Provisional list of Wepener recipients Brabant's Horse

Regards again
Jon

Thanks, Jon
Well done on identifying the men mentioned in the letters.
I guess that one now has to look for medals to the men. I think that I have only ever seen one Wodehouse Yeomanry QSA for sale and my bid wasn't adequate. If I had had these papers at the time, I might have been a bit more assertive. That said, medals are tangible links to historical people and events and so too are documents like this.
I was very pleased with your link to the dissertation. Look forward to reading it.
Regards
Mike

Thanks for the story Mike.
I have the QSA medal awarded to Trooper T. Williamson. I am pleased to see that he is included on your listing for the Buffelsfontein clash on 29 May 1901. At least I now know that his name was Thomas!
The story of the Wodehouse Yeomanry is a good one. Not only for their clash with General Smuts but also for the verbal barrage between Kritzinger and Captain Clarke after he had been captured.
I have always wondered whether or not there is a link between the Wodehouse Yeomanry and Clarkes’s Light Horse. I also have the medal awarded to W. Bentley of the Light Horse and wonder whether he was he same individual as “W. Bentley” as listed on your Buffelsfontein roll as well as the Yeomanry QSA medal roll.
One must of course be aware that the families who settled on the Eastern Cape frontier tended to have very large families and thus a few surnames, such as Clarke, tend to crop up very often!
RobM

Hi Rob
Glad that the letters could add something to the history of your medal recipient.
I know very little about the Eastern Cape battles, having concentrated on the Natal aspect of the War. I guess that this will open a new avenue of investigation. It doesn't take much !
Regards
Mike