TOPIC:

My name's Damon and I've just joined this fascinating site. I'm quite new to the history of the Boer War and there's a good reason why I'm here.

It started with a family tree and discovering my grandfather Sidney Alexander Corr (of Belfast) was born in Fyzabad in 1902 and that his elder brother Robert James was born in Ladysmith on September 26th 1899. At that stage I had no idea of the events that were soon to follow at Ladysmith and left research in to 'Uncle Bob's birthplace until later while I explored his lengthy army career that started as a private soldier of the Royal Irish Rifles in 1914 with continous service until discharge as Major as the end of the second world war.

It was evident that his father James Corr was also a soldier of the RIR having attested in 1883, lying about his age (he was born in summer 1867) and serving until discharge in 1904, although at the unlikely age of 48 he joined up for two more years in 1916 and was immediately reinstated as substantive Colour Sergeant. Anyway the point is that I have uncertainty about which battalion my great grandfather James served with because from reading the RIR history it's not definitively stated anywhere that there were any RIR within Ladysmith in Sept 1899 but for Uncle Bob to have been born there there was certainly the wife (Jane Corr) of an RIR soldier in the town.

That sent my research from being one of family tree to one of much wider interest in the conflict in South Africa.

Meanwhile I still remain a little confused as to how Uncle Bob was born in Ladysmith at that time when it seems that the RIR were all elsewhere.

If anyone in the know can give me some direction with this I'd be extremely grateful.

Damon
This is only general info about the Ladysmith siege; the Royal Irish Rifles as a unit were elsewhere at the time of the siege - the operations they were present at included Stormberg, Reddersberg and the great DeWet hunt. Have you looked for his personal papers (if any?). Is it possible that your GGF might have served in Ladysmith as an Officer's servant? Have you looked up your GGF's QSA clasp entitlement? That might tell you something. The aspect of your post that is a little puzzling is that his wife,Jane Corr, was actually in SA whilst he was on active duty there. The wives of other ranks did not accompany soldiers on campaign at that time to the best of my knowledge. Did he marry in SA before war broke out?
You have a lot of work ahead; good luck
IL.

Hello Damon

In haste - papers on findmypast.co.uk 1342 James Corr RI Rifles.

Earned QSA with Natal clasp - was not present at Defence of Ladysmith.

Wife placed on married establishment March 1897 - the year he went to SA - no doubt with his new bride.

Regards
Meurig

Hello Damon,
Upon reading your post it does seem very clear you have established that 1342 Colour Sergeant James Corr is indeed the man in question here and that you have already seen his service papers.
He served as part of the British Armies garrison in South Africa from the 25th of April 1897 to the 19th of May 1900, having married at Aldershot the month before on the 29th of March 1897.
His actual wartime service appears to have been with the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, he is shown twice on their roll, interestingly, attached from both the 1st and 3rd Battalions Royal Irish Rifles, hence the Natal clasp, it is interesting to note that he had not received his medal upon being discharged, this was issued to him on the 4th of May 1905.
Kind regards Frank Kelley

Damon Corr wrote: My name's Damon and I've just joined this fascinating site. I'm quite new to the history of the Boer War and there's a good reason why I'm here.

It started with a family tree and discovering my grandfather Sidney Alexander Corr (of Belfast) was born in Fyzabad in 1902 and that his elder brother Robert James was born in Ladysmith on September 26th 1899. At that stage I had no idea of the events that were soon to follow at Ladysmith and left research in to 'Uncle Bob's birthplace until later while I explored his lengthy army career that started as a private soldier of the Royal Irish Rifles in 1914 with continous service until discharge as Major as the end of the second world war.

It was evident that his father James Corr was also a soldier of the RIR having attested in 1883, lying about his age (he was born in summer 1867) and serving until discharge in 1904, although at the unlikely age of 48 he joined up for two more years in 1916 and was immediately reinstated as substantive Colour Sergeant. Anyway the point is that I have uncertainty about which battalion my great grandfather James served with because from reading the RIR history it's not definitively stated anywhere that there were any RIR within Ladysmith in Sept 1899 but for Uncle Bob to have been born there there was certainly the wife (Jane Corr) of an RIR soldier in the town.

That sent my research from being one of family tree to one of much wider interest in the conflict in South Africa.

Meanwhile I still remain a little confused as to how Uncle Bob was born in Ladysmith at that time when it seems that the RIR were all elsewhere.

If anyone in the know can give me some direction with this I'd be extremely grateful.

Chaps I'm overwhelmed by the speed and quality of the feedback, thank you all.

Frank your information has unlocked the door that's been barring my way, I had no idea of the Leicestershire connection which puts a completely different perspective on things. Would you be kind enough to send me a link to the rolls you referred to if indeed they're available on the internet?

SWB could you tell me how you discovered the reference to James' wife on findmypast, I've been trawling that website since New Years Day and never discovered any references to Jane and never his full service records just bits and pieces.

Breakfasting to these new leads has inspired me to arrange a late leave request today so I can pick up on your discoveries, thanks again!

Roll entries are WO100/177 pages 103 and 104, Military History paper in WO364 shows he married Jane Miller at St Joseph Church Aldershot on the 29th of March 1897, she was placed on the Married Establishment two days later on the 31st of March 1897.
Ladysmith was the British Armies depot in South Africa before the outbreak of war and so no surprise whatsoever that he found himself there, but, unless a mistake was made, he was not part of it's garrison actually during the siege itself.