TOPIC:

Hi, I’m new to the forum searching for information on the Boer War. Particularly on Scottish Grandfather who served in the Boer War I believe in the Black Watch.
Douglas Moodie (often misspelled as Moody) born 1869 in Dundee, Scotland was a veteran of the Boer War. He signed up sometime after the 1881 census at a young age and may have fibbed about his age. It’s been difficult tracking his military history since he switched back forth between the Royal Navy and the Black Watch. His WW1 Attestation Papers, indicated a total of 17 years in the Black Watch; the most recent of those years was 6 ½ yrs in the 42nd Black Watch No 3722. I don’t know his service number for his earlier years or for the Boer War. His Queen’s South Africa Medal, along with his other medals were stolen in a home robbery in 2000. I did find two individuals who were in the Boer War at the Forces War Records site as D Moodie, in the 1st and 2nd Battalion Black Watch: No 7661 Private Moodie, D and No 6003 Lce. Coopl. Moodie, D with no more information, therefore I don’t know which one was him.
Recently looking at Heritage Home site my other grandfather Albert Sadler (birth 14 Aug 1879 Lambeth, London) states he was a Boer War veteran. I believe this may be an error as I didn’t see a Boer War medal amongst his medals. He joined the Royal Navy Aug 1897 for 12 years, for the period of 11.11.99 to 31.8.01 the name of the ship is illegible.
If someone could direct me where to look, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Franceyne

Franceyne, what a fascinating story you have presented ,like yourself, I'm hoping for some response to my Boer war draft regarding my gf's service oversea, at some point back in time I did receive contact from a man whose gh also served with a Scottish Regt but at Mogersfontain, a true slaughter house for those men as the Boers had lain in a ditch along side the river and the scots didn't know they where there, have you heard/read of there plight?, although, some 100 years age this incident took place. look forward to your response
kind regards,
brin

Welcome to the forum Franceyne.......

From Find My Past.......

Hope this may be your man.......

Mike



First name(s)
Douglas

Last name
Moodie

Birth year
1870

Birth parish
St. Andrew

Birth town
Dundee

Birth county
Forfarshire (Angus)

Birth country
Scotland

Service number
3722

Regiment
Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) - 42nd & 73rd Foot

Year
1888

Attestation date
27 Mar 1888

Attestation age years
18

Attestation service number
3722

Attestation corps
Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

Discharge corps
Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

Document type
Attestation

Series
WO 97 - Chelsea Pensioners British Army service records 1760-1913

Archive
The National Archives

Archive reference
WO 97

Box
3487

Box record number
58

Mike, nice to meet you and thank you for replying. Yes, that is my grandfather, thank you so very much for the information! Having the date of his attestation is helpful in tracking his military history. You don't happen to know of a war the Black Watch participated in either before or after the 2nd Boer war ? I was lucky finding his WW1 attestation papers at they were amongst the ones which survived the WWII bombing in London England.

Franceyne

Nice to meet you brin.
Thank you for replying. I was only 9 when my grandfather died, so the stories I was told were second hand from his daughters. However, my eldest cousin, now 80 yrs old, told me our grandfather told him stories of the war. Recently something about the soldiers having to be careful when shaking the hands of the Boers as they would cut your hands off with a dagger. I could be wrong but to me that sounds more like India as daggers were carried in India since my grandfather served in India and Mesopotamia in WW1. I will ask my two of my elder cousins what war stories our grandfather told them and will reply back. He originally signed up about 13 or 14 years of age but I don't know if it was army or navy or if he fibbed about his age at that time. He was involved in another war before WW1, that was either before after the Boer War. He also attempted to sign up for WW2, fibbing about his age, but when his dentures were examined they knew he was much older than he had said and was rejected. He didn't marry till he was 44, my grandmother was 19 yrs his junior, so his children didn't pass away till recently and all his grandchildren are living but one.

Franceyne

brin wrote: Franceyne, what a fascinating story you have presented ,like yourself, I'm hoping for some response to my Boer war draft regarding my gf's service oversea, at some point back in time I did receive contact from a man whose gh also served with a Scottish Regt but at Mogersfontain, a true slaughter house for those men as the Boers had lain in a ditch along side the river and the scots didn't know they where there, have you heard/read of there plight?, although, some 100 years age this incident took place. look forward to your response
kind regards,
brin

Brin and Franceyne

BATTLE OF MAGERSFONTEIN......

Look Here......

www.britishbattles.com/battle-of-magersfontein/

2nd Black Watch attempting an attack on the Boer trench at the Battle of Magersfontein on 11th December 1899




Mike