TOPIC:

My Great Uncle, Robert Floyd, a private in the 60th Co., 17th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, is listed as dying on Jan 30 or 31 in Wynberg, S.A. as a result of military action. I don't know if he died of wounds received that day or as a result of an earlier wound. I am interested in learning any information about the unit's actions around that time that may have led to his death. What sources, on line if possible, are available to seek that information? Thanks in advance for any help.

Hi, welcome to the ABW Forum. I had a look at the casualty listing and all it says is died 31 January 1901 at Wynberg. Generally if someone was wounded and then later died it is listed as "wounded" and under "result" "died" is entered. This appears more like a listing of someone that died as a result of sickness or a mishap to me. It may be worth it to search for other casualties from his unit at about this time. I had a quick look and didn't notice any obvious ones.

Cheers,

Mark

Padannyboy,

Welcome indeed!

In the book In Memorial he is listed as having died of disease in Wynberg, Cape Town on 30 Jan 1901. He was interred in Maitland Cemetery, Cape Town.

Kind regards
David

There is an excellent book (recently republished but sadly not available on line) Rhodesia and After Being The Story of the 17th and 18th Battalions of I.Y. by Sharrad. H. Gilbert in 1901.

Sharrad was himself a Trooper in the 65th IY and the book is a detailed account of each of the companies in the 17th and 18th Batts. I highly recommend this book if you want to know more about the conditions in which your ancester lived and died in South Africa.

Sharrad lists the casualties of the 60th (North Irish) I.Y. as
9452 Tpr. N. Crynble slightly wdd. Dec.22, 1900 Matjesfontein, near Houtkraal

11060 Tpr. F. Floyd slightly wdd. Dec.22, 1900 Matjesfontein, near Houtkraal

Tpr. T. Wood slightly wdd. Jan. 1901 near De Aar.

Although Sherrad shows Floyd as having the initial ‘F’ I think this is a typo as the medal record for the 60th shows Robert Floyd to have the same service number (11060).

Sharrad gives a lengthy account of the incident in which Floyd was shot. Briefly, on 22 December 1900 the advance guard of the 60th and 61st Squadrons were caught and encircled by a large Boer group close to a Matjesfontein Farm. Outnumbered, outflanked and caught in the open the Yeomen eventually surrendered. Forty-four prisoners (fifteen of the 60th and twenty-nine of the 61st ) in all were taken. Seven were wounded, though none seriously. The one most seriously hurt was Major De Burgh, with a bullet through his shoulder. The others were Troopers Crynible and Floyd of the 60th; Corporal Rowland and Troopers Cleary, Kirkwood and Nash of the 61st.
The prisoners were treated well and released the next day to start a 25 mile march back to Houtkraal and thence by train to De Aar to refit.

Floyd does not get another mention in the book so we do not know if he subsequently died from his injuries or from an illness.

Hope this helps.

I am deeply grateful for the information you all have provided; it is just what I was looking for!

I see that there was a military hospital at Wynberg where my Great Uncle died, so that fits the scenario. I plotted the locations of the names Wynberg, Houtkraal, De Aar, and Matjesfontein in Google Earth. They all seem to make sense with the info you provided except for Metjesfontein, which seems to be off track from the others. Perhaps there is another location with the same or a similar name, just as there is for Wynberg. I assume the Wynberg referred to is the one near Cape Town, not the one that shows up near Wellington or the one north of Lesotho near Newcastle.

As a "Yankee", I have known very little about the Anglo-Boer War until I undertook this research. Your web site is a wonderful source for learning about this conflict, and I am enjoying it very much.

Again, thanks for your excellent help.

ianelder,

Can I also thank your for your contribution and take this opportunity to welcome you to the site.

Best wishes
David