TOPIC:

Hi
I am trying to find out about my elusive Grandpa Alexander M. (? Macquire) Graham who enlisted in RFA 1897 aged nearly 25. I got his records and no record of his whereabouts until 28./3/1900 where he is given as "transferred to RFA Staff" location unknown. 10/4/1900 promoted to Cpl, 1901 promoted to Sgt - there is no record of him on the 1901census. April 1901 posted to 110 Battery Newcastle.
26/4/1901 posted to 4th Brigade SOUTH AFRICA !! Here lies the mystery as I cannot find anything on him in records of SA. He did not have a SA medal, only MSM,Long Service, British War medal and Victory Medal.
1/4/1903 he is given as Posted Articled Clerk section 24th Brigade Bulford. In 1908 he was in Farnborough 24th Field Artillery Staff
He went to Ireland and Gibraltar and then short spell in France in 1918 clearing mines.
We think he was illegitimate as there is no record anywhere of his birth,we just know it was about 1872 in Scotland and as he appears to have wanted to keep his background a secret and working in offices on Staff may have had access to records that could be altered! We know he learnt Greigs shorthand so perhaps this is how he was "Staff"
The mystery is nothing about him and his service record saying South Africa, did he work in an office in UK but covering Boer War??? Any help would be really welcome as I am stuck!!!

Hello, welcome here,
I'm rather confused as to why you think this man served in South Africa during the Anglo Boer War, given that the first 14 years of his service was in Great Britain.
His papers are very detailed and clear, he did not have a Queens South Africa medal because he did not serve in South Africa, so clearly he was not entitled to receive a QSA, he was actually transferred to the Royal Field Artillery Staff of the 4th Brigade Royal Artillery on the 26th of April 1901, here, in Great Britain, as shown in WO363.
When you say "I got his records and no record of his whereabouts" and so on, WO363 is very clear indeed, he had joined at Dover and had served within two different companies of the Eastern Division Royal Artillery Depot.
Regards Frank Kelley

Hi Frank
Well you have solved a big issue as the Service records I originally got from Hayes had 26/4/1901 Posted 4th Div S.A... I gave Mum the original and they were lost so when visiting Woolwich I was told to get the originals for them to decode for me. I sent off my money to Scotland where the records had apparently moved to and was told they had not records relating to my Grandfather. SO I am happy to learn you have seen them in WO363 - is this at Kew Archives? I went there to research the War diaries as my grandfather was in Gibraltar 1912 -1918 and they said I would not find anything on him as he was an other rank, actually I did find him taking a prisoner back to UK in July 1918 two weeks before my Mum was born.
I am just confused as how we had S.A. as being where he was - I wonder if you can advise on where I might find him in 1901 as no obvious whereabouts on the census. I wondered if Barracks had a special listing as he was not married to my grandma until 1907.
Thanks so much for solving the mystery
Liz

Hello Liz,
As you can see from his statement of service, in WO363, he remained in Great Britain on home service until the 11th of April 1912.
He will be on both RG13 and RG14, as the commanding officers of depots and barracks, were required to include them by law.
If you wanted the exact dispositions of the RA in Great Britain from 1897 to 1912, I would have a chat with the library at Woolwich if I were you.
Regards Frank Kelley

Dear Frank
many thanks for your tips and advice it is much appreciated and the attached photo of records. I am trying to get the full record from National Archives - when I put in the service no: I get no matches which is odd, so have contacted them about it.
The info on RG14 I will try and seek out, I looked at Woolwich website and unless I have read it wrongly they are closing the Museum and moving it??
best wishes Liz

Hello Frank
just in case you think me a right dumbo...the information about Woolwich RA Museum closing was on Wiki pages, when you go to the web page it is still in operation so I will make an apt and search there.
Thank you!
Liz