TOPIC:

I am delighted to have found this site - thank you!

I am the great nephew of Ernest and William Carey from Hebden Bridge in England. Having lived in Africa for 30 years, and not having any knowledge of the family's history, it was a surprise to us to discover that Corporal Ernest Carey served with the East Lancashire Regiment and died in the battle of Karee Siding in 1900. We have a photo of his brother William Carey, in uniform with a ?white cross on his arm...........recently we discovered a St John Ambulance Brigade Bronze medal, on an auction site, which had been awarded to Private W Carey from the Hebden Bridge Corps, who, apparently, served with St John Ambulance Brigade in the Boer war.............. despite all our efforts to find out more information on this person we have been unsuccessful. It would be wonderful if someone could advise us how to go about finding out more.

Many thanks, John

Hello John.....

Cannot find William in Find-my-Past but here is Ernest......

Mike


First name(s) Ernest
Last name Carey
Service number(s) 3461
Rank Corporal
Regiment The East Lancashire Regiment
Literary references Hebden

Notes
[Anglo-Boer War Memorials Project] Private [Trying their luck in South Africa, Letters from South Africa. Peter Thomas Old Yorkshire 1999]

Memorials
St John The Baptist. North wall. Plaque. Parish. Halifax, WEST YORKSHIRE, England
Duncombe Place. Edwardian Cross. County. York, NORTH YORKSHIRE, England
Plaque. Council offices. CTV. Hebden Bridge, NORTH YORKSHIRE, England

Units
Unit: 1 The East Lancashire Regiment Battalion, Rank: Corporal, Number: 3461

Casualty units
The East Lancashire Regiment
The East Lancashire Regiment

Casualty details
Wounded on 29 March 1900 at Karee Siding (Official casualty roll location: Karree)

Casualty source
South African Field Force. JB Hayward & Sons

Gazzetteer
[2826: 2852-2622] a station on the Bloemfontein-Kroonstad railway line in the Orange Free State (Brandfort district; Free State), 20 km south of Brandfort. Variants: Karree (CR). The Boers were well entrenched on either side of the railway line at Karee Siding under the command of Asst Cmdt-Gen T. Smuts. They comprised the Utrecht and Wakkerstroom commandos, Theron's Scouts and a detachment of Johannesburg Police. On 29 March 1900, the right flank was turned by Maj-Gen J.D.P. French's cavalry division and the left was reported to be retiring before the mounted infantry of Lt-Col P.W.J. Le Gallais. The centre was then attacked by Lt-Gen C. Tucker's 7th division and a sharp fight ensued before the Boers retreated towards Brandfort*. The 7th division bivouacked at Karee Siding and its headquarters remained there during April. On 3 May 1900 Field Marshal Lord Roberts left Bloemfontein (2)* to take command of the army at Karree Siding. HMG II pp.269-273 and 327 (map no.35), III pp.40-41; Times IV pp.19-22 (map of the Orange Free State in the front pocket).

Thank you so much for this wonderful additional information on Ernest Carey and the Karee Siding incident! Very much appreciated!