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Hi

I have joined as I am researching the life of my great grandfather Henry Lewes Colebrooke Miller born in Egham Surrey in 1870. He was usually known as Lewes but sometimes as Edward Colebrooke Miller. I believe he served with the served as E C Miller Unit: 93 Imperial Yeomanry Company (3rd Sharpshooters), Rank: Trooper, Number: 32989, and was awarded The Queen's South Africa (QSA) Medal Clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 in the Anglo-Boer War.

I am interested to find out more about his Service which I believe started in 1901 after his marriage to my great grandmother Elizabeth Lockyer in March 1901.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Regards

Richard

Richard,

There are some service papers available for him. These can be accessed for a fee from FindMyPast or free at the National Archives in London.

The entry for his states:

MILLER EDWARD COLEBROOK 1872 —1901 British Army Service Records 1760-1915 Sydney

Please let us know what you find

Best wishes
David

Hi David

Thanks for your reply. I have found two references to my grandfather.

The first is as E C Miller Unit: 93 Imperial Yeomanry Company (3rd Sharpshooters), Rank: Trooper, Number: 32989, The Queen's South Africa (QSA) Medal Clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 in the Anglo-Boer War.

The second is Edward Colebrook Miller Service number(s) 44694 Rank Trooper Regiment Imperial Yeomanry Literary references The National Archives WO128. Imperial Yeomanry, Soldiers' Documents, South African War. Notes No QSA entitlement on I.Y. Rolls.

This second reference seems to contradict the first and say he wasn't entitled to the medals etc?

I have also found his attestation records which state that he joins the Mounted Sharpshooters Imperial Yeomanry, giving his name as Edward Coleboook Miller of Sydney Australia with father's address Myall Creek, Inverell, New South Wales, wife Elizabeth Miller ne Lockyer a spinster of 17 Grove Road Acton who he says he married in 1893 in Inverell NSW and also mentioning the birth of his first two children in 1893 (my grandmother) and her brother also Edward Colebrooke Miller born in 1894 and both baptised in Inverell NSW!!!.

Actually my great grandfather married Elizabeth Lockyer widow in 1901 in Brentford after the birth of their 3 children in Middlesex, England.

This attestation record doesn't give any account of his Service with the MSIY is there any way of finding that out?

Regards

Richard

Hello Richard

The data you found on FindmyPast I own - it was compiled by a very good researcher.

The IY papers on FmP are from a series called WO128 at The National Archives, London. It is known that FmP do not have a complete set on their website, every now and again I come across this situation.

The record for 44694 EC Miller complete with first names could only have come from WO128. The medal rolls and WO128 were the two sources used to compile the original data.

Why 32989 EC Miller does not have first names, I cannot say, as his papers are clearly in WO128 and on FindmyPast. This may be a compilation error.

It would be worth checking at The National Archives for WO128 papers to 44694 EC Miller.

As to your question on "account of Service" - these are not shown in Attestation papers. What you need is a regimental history or failing that reading around the various histories of the war to pick up references - which will be scant. In general the history if individual IY units is lacking.

Regards
Meurig