TOPIC:

IL,

My you're quick. I just had another look at an April 1916 Toronto newspaper article about my grandfather (and a couple of other veteran sergeants who enlisted in 1916). The article says that Grandpa fought at Belmont, Modder River, Johannesburg, Belfast, Pieters Hill, and Colenso Heights. I knew about the first four battles from his Scots Guards service record but not Pieters Hill and Colenso Heights. Instead his service record lists Diamond Hill and Driefontein. Would you know if Pieters Hill and Colenso Heights are completely different engagements from Diamond Hill and Driefontein?

Also that 1916 newspaper article says that my grandfather was wearing both the King's and the Queen's SA medal. Grandpa's Scots Guards service record says that he was presented with the clasps and the SA medal by H. M. The King 12/6/01. GF signed acknowledging receipt of the Medal (doesn't specify which one) and clasps on 9-4-02. I have a copy of his Forces War Record too and it says that the QSA was the medal issued to all who served in South Africa until the end of the war in May 1902. So he must have had both.

I don't have my grandfather's medals....I am quite sure that my uncle does. He is the one who spent decades researching his dad's past....the old fashion way too....or pre in-home computer era.

You mention the Regimental Museum. Do they have a website? Or would there be a link on the AngloBoerWar site? I would like to contact them. Should I be successful in obtaining a group photo of the Sgts of 1st Bn, I would definitely let you all know.

Thanks so much for your time and doing that research.

Anne

Anne
Yes, Pieter's Hill and "Colenso Heights" were on a different Front (Natal). Your information regarding his clasps (Bel/MR/Dreif/Joh/DH/Belf) is correct. A supplementary roll shows the "SA1901" clasp. I don't doubt that he had the Kings medal if his service record says so. My roll only covers the QSA.
I really don't know about the Scots Guards museum. Just now I had a look and the Guards Museum site it says that they hold no archives about individuals. Maj. Gen. Maurice wrote a two-volume history of the Scots Guards from inception to 1914; however I have never seen it and it may not help you at all.
Good luck.
IL.

Thank-you again.

LinneyI wrote: Anne

Just now I had a look and the Guards Museum site it says that they hold no archives about individuals. Maj. Gen. Maurice wrote a two-volume history of the Scots Guards from inception to 1914; however I have never seen it and it may not help you at all.
Good luck.

IL.

Hi Anne.....

I have just gone through the Maurice book and I am afraid except for officers there is very little on enlisted men..... There is one photo and that is of a group of men marching and it is from a distance and you cannot make out who is who..... I tried to scan and enlarge......

Just out of curiosity I looked in The Muster Roll of Angus and he was not there......

Mike

Hi Mike,

I wrote to the Guards Museum and the reply was that the Curator will be away until November 5th. I'll write back at that time.

There is that full bodied group image of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards on the (AngloBoerWar) website. I enlarged the photo but again, unless there is a list of names to go with it, it is really impossible to know which one would be my grandfather. I've even tried comparing the features of my three uncles (his sons) when they were young men to the features of some of the men in that image. But there is too much uncertainty there. It's a longshot.

In the early part of 1901 my grandfather fell from his horse while descending a kopje in South Africa and received a kick to his left knee from the horse—a lifelong injury resulting in chronic synovitis. Grandpa returned to England in April. He received a medical discharge from the Scots Guards being invalided on September 28th 1901 receiving a life long disability pension. Therefore, I don't think that would grant him a place in the Muster roll of Angus. But now that you have mentioned that book, I will spend some time looking through it and reading various parts. I love old stuff like that.

He was also a Sergeant for the CEF in WWI at Camp Borden....went with his battalion to Witley Camp, England but never served active duty. His health was no longer optimum combined with his progressing age (46 yrs) and trauma that he was still suffering from the Boer War. (I've read his CEF medical records.....rather an eye opener).

Thank-you for checking those two books.

Anne

Mike,

The Muster role of Angus is about Scots in South Africa, is it not? My grandfather wasn't Scottish. He was the son of an Irish army officer sent to India. My GF was born in Murree, India.

Anne