TOPIC:

A friend approached me and asked if I could research 1596 Pte Chambers. She has his medal which was given to her at a young age , but does not know why she was given , or his relationship to her.
So finding this site has been the first step , now for the second
My location is Melbourne Victoria (Australia), any suggestions where I might find his military records , Victorian Library ?. National library in Canberra ?. National War Memorial in Canberra ?.
His ribbon has 5 bars
South Africa 1901 - South Africa 1902 - Transvaal - Orange Free State - Cape Colony & a large VIC badge is pinned to the top of ribbon.

A very nice medal, yes, I'd start at the National Archives of Australia, in Canberra, move on to the NWM and then perhaps take matters to Victoria, I looked briefly at both the main and supplementary roll in WO100/291 and Private F J Chambers 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles is clearly shown in both, for the medal and all five clasps, they are really quite scarce so tell your friend to look after it.

Jae
If you go to the topic "Medals and Awards" and scroll down, you will find a post I did some time ago regarding the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles; "The Fateful Fifth". It got that name due to it's first Commanding Officer having some very strange ideas about camp security - causing what was described at the time as a "mishap" to a part of his force. The medal roll will tell you which "wing" of 5VMR Pte F.J.Chambers served in. His enlistment papers may well have survived and they should tell your friend his home location if nothing else.
Good luck with the AWM and ANA. Reason being that preFederation military records are usually held by State Archives. You might also try ancestry. If you can run across a home address, searching the newspaper trove for contemporary newspapers at or about the home address might give some more clues.
The 5th VMR had a shaky start in the field; however they proved to be an excellent outfit. Very effective against the Boers in the guerilla phase of the ABW.
Regards
IL.

Jae
I have pm'd you.
IL.

Great to see that the Melbourne Leader took photo's of all the Victorians that when to the Boer war. Now I have a face to put to the Medals.

Off to the Office Of Public records in Melbourne next Thursday to look up his enlistment papers. Not quite sure what I will find there , but the is excitement in the hunt , with or without a prize at the end.

Jae
Managing to get a portrait/picture of a soldier from the BW is always a great achievement. Brings another dimension to one's field of interest. Keep us posted as to what you find in Melbourne OPR. I note that you posted "....a face put to the medals"; did Pte. F.J.Chambers serve in the Great War?
Regards
IL.