TOPIC:

Hello My name is Dave and I am researching my great grandfather, Samuel Norman who was a Trooper in the 2nd Life Guards and also my wife's grandfather, Douglas Moodie who was in the Black Watch and the Royal Navy. With regard to Douglas, we found two possibilities but are unable to narrow it down to one as they are both listed as D MOODIE and both in the Black Watch and at one time in the same unit. He could also have been in the Royal Navy at this time. We do not know his service number during the Boer War and the medals he received were stolen fifteen years ago. Regarding Samuel Norman, I had found information on the ANCESTRY website that he had died on May 30th, 1900 at Springfontein which was confirmed on this site along with the fact that he had "died of disease" which, I understand was fairly common during this conflict. I understand that there was a hospital at Springfontein. Would he have been buried in a cemetery close to the hospital or is there an outside chance that his body would have been sent back to England? Many thanks!

Tyler
My QSA to the Cavalry roll has "1218 Tpr. S.Norman" of 2LG as entitled to clasps "Relief of Kimberley/Dreifontein/Paardeburg" on his QSA and otherwise confirms what you have already found out about his Dying of Disease. You are correct in assuming that there were many deaths by disease during the ABW. My guess is that he would have been buried in a cemetery near to the hospital. There may be enlistment papers and other documents in the UK National Archives for Tpr. S.Norman.
Enlistees for the 2LG had to be of a certain height and were highly disciplined. They were and are a crack outfit . The ABW activities of 2LG may be found in the Books section on this site under the title "Our Regiments in South Africa" by Stirling.
Regards
IL.

Samuel Norman, a nineteen year old railway porter, from Graveley Cambridgeshire joined the Army, the 2nd Life Guards, at Regents Park in London on the 16th of May 1883.
A fairly typical recruit and being over six feet tall, exactly what the regiment was looking for, as far as mounting the sovereign's escort went, he had, at this point in time, signed a standard twelve year engagement.
He married one Louisa Thorley at Christ Church St Pancras in London on the 7th of July 1889, doubtless, a very happy and I would suggest, a very colourful day, all Albert's, Plumes and Cuirass and so on.
He re engaged in the regiment at Windsor on the 4th of May 1895 to complete a full twenty one years service in the Army and had there not been an Anglo Boer War that is where the story would have ended.
During the nineteenth century and up to 1914 the 2nd Life Guards had formed part of the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment in actual wartime, with their other duties and in particular that of providing the sovereign's personal escort, only a certain number of the regiment could be deployed for active service in South Africa, only the very best tended to be selected for this duty, there were normally movements made between squadrons, with the rank and file as well as officers, anyway Samuel Norman was one of the men who had a place within the squadron from his regiment.
To go further, just to clarify the way things were then, a gentleman could join the regiment in 1900, despite the Anglo Boer War being a very serious national emergency, that very same gentleman would not serve in South Africa, that did not happen throughout the rest of the cavalry.
He served in South Africa from the 29th of November 1899, the squadron from the composite regiment being part of General French and his soon to be very famous cavalry brigade.
Sadly, he died of that awful killer disease, enteric, on the 30th of May 1900, all it took was a mouthful of the wretched Modder River or similar and that was it for so many men.
Today, both he and his brother Life Guards are remembered on the regiments memorial at Holy Trinity church in Windsor.

Sadly, in October 1992, the Life Guards merged with the Blues and Royals to form the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, although, the 2nd Life Guards ceased to exist from 1928, they had merged with the 1st Life Guards in 1922, but, had retained their own identity for the intervening period.
However, these days, both the Sabre and Mounted Squadrons still retain the tradition and doubtless, the spirit of all those who have gone before since 1660.
As far as public duties go, the separate identities have been retained and this is likely to continue into the future, moreover, Gold Stick endures the passage of time!

LinneyI wrote: Enlistees for the 2LG had to be of a certain height and were highly disciplined. They were and are a crack outfit . The ABW activities of 2LG may be found in the Books section on this site under the title "Our Regiments in South Africa" by Stirling.
Regards
IL.

Linneyl and Frank Kelley:

I must apologize for the lateness of this more formal "THANK YOU!" to you both for the wonderful information you have supplied me with!
If I may, I would offer one small correction. Samuel's wife was Louisa (Margaret) Morley. They had three children and their daughter, Elsie May, was my paternal grandmother. They also had two sons, Fred and Henry (*Harry*).

I will certainly check out the other research references you have mentioned.

My thanks again to both of you. You have done me a great service!

Best regards,
Dave

Okay, well I just glanced at it very quickly to provide a transcript for you, but, it is really just the way it was written, I spend far too much time on here, when I really cannot afford to, so you must forgive the error.

Tyler wrote: Linneyl and Frank Kelley:

I must apologize for the lateness of this more formal "THANK YOU!" to you both for the wonderful information you have supplied me with!
If I may, I would offer one small correction. Samuel's wife was Louisa (Margaret) Morley. They had three children and their daughter, Elsie May, was my paternal grandmother. They also had two sons, Fred and Henry (*Harry*).

I will certainly check out the other research references you have mentioned.

My thanks again to both of you. You have done me a great service!

Best regards,
Dave