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Just embarked on trying to track down my grandad's South Africa record. He was in the 3rd Hussars but I believe he'd left them before 1899 (need to pursue that one in regimental records). The 3rd didn't arrive in South Africa until late 1901, but there are a couple of photographs which put him there much earlier, including one which has penciled on the back "With Remington's Tigers". This is obviously Rimington's Tigers, aka Guides, and I've been able to track down enough info to be pretty certain grandad wasn't with the Guides. His QSA has the clasps for Cape Colony and Orange Free State and the engraving indicates it was awarded to him as QMS with the 3rd Hussars.

One question at this point - if a former soldier served with an irregular unit (such as the Guides) might his medal be engraved with his old regiment rather than his new unit?

Apart from that, if anyone comes across any references to John Thomas Stokes at any time I'd love to hear from you

Peter Stokes, Cheltenham UK

Photo.......

Peter Stokes
Welcome to the forum! The photo Mike expanded is a really good period shot; better than a lot I have seen. On the off-chance, I had a trawl through my CD of names of Cavalry men who served in the Boer War and I have to say that I did not see any J.Stokes who served with 3rd Hussars. I also ran over the Rimington's/Damant's rolls for QSA and KSA and similarly. I realise that none of this adds to your knowledge - but it was worth a look.
Is there a possibility of your GF serving under another name? Quite a few did for various reasons best known to themselves! Perhaps you need to dig deeper into family records. The preservation of at least one photo from the time does indicate some connection.
It was reasonably commonplace for QSAs to ORs to feature engraved naming. This engraved naming was usually of a distinctive style and if you could post a picture of the engraved naming on that medal, it might tell us something. Measuring the medal itself over three diameters will reveal if it was re-named.
Good luck with your quest.
Regards
IL.

Thanks for the quick feedback and for making the effort to hunt the roles. Even negative information can help!

The inscription on the edge of the QSA is all in block capitals so looks as if it's stamped on rather than inscribed, and reads simply "2569 Q.M.S. J. STOKES 3rd HUSSARS"

The QSA medal itself is an undated version, and measures a consistent 36mm diameter.

Another picture the family used to have, unfortunately long since lost, apparently showed (according to the caption on the back) horses being shot for food at Ladysmith during the siege, and my father always reckoned the two photographs had been taken at the same time. I think that unlikely as my reading shows no indications of Rimington's Guides being at Ladysmith.

My own working theory has long been that grandad enlisted in the 3rd Husssars as a teenager, served his 21 years and mustered out ranked as QMS (he also did a stint as horse breaker of remounts) . He would have left the 3rd about the right time to seek his fortune in the burgeoning gold and diamond fields of South Africa, only to get caught up in the war soon after he arrived. That being the case it would make sense that as an experienced cavalryman he would join a local unit, such as the Guides.

Attractive as this is we've nothing so far to confirm the story, hence my embarking on this attempt to fill in the gaps. I plan to raid the 3rd Hussars museum in Warwick this summer in the hope their records have something to offer.

Peter

John Stokes, a twenty three year old clerk from Hackney joined the Army, the 3rd Hussars on the 9th of April 1888, appointed to Lance Corporal on the 26th of September 1891 and subsequently promoted to Corporal on the 28th of July 1891, he entered the reserve on the 9th of April 1895.
Recalled to the Colours for the Anglo Boer War and posted as a Corporal on the 18th of January 1900, he served in South Africa, with the Remounts Department from the 25th of February until the 4th of March the following year, discharged on the 17th of April 1901, he gave his mother, Ann Stokes, of number 3 Westbound Park Terrace, London as his next of kin, he intended to reside in Brixton, in addition, WO100/234 clearly shows his Queens South Africa medal and clasps was issued to him on the 6th of January 1905.

peejayess54 wrote: Just embarked on trying to track down my grandad's South Africa record. He was in the 3rd Hussars but I believe he'd left them before 1899 (need to pursue that one in regimental records). The 3rd didn't arrive in South Africa until late 1901, but there are a couple of photographs which put him there much earlier, including one which has penciled on the back "With Remington's Tigers". This is obviously Rimington's Tigers, aka Guides, and I've been able to track down enough info to be pretty certain grandad wasn't with the Guides. His QSA has the clasps for Cape Colony and Orange Free State and the engraving indicates it was awarded to him as QMS with the 3rd Hussars.

One question at this point - if a former soldier served with an irregular unit (such as the Guides) might his medal be engraved with his old regiment rather than his new unit?

Apart from that, if anyone comes across any references to John Thomas Stokes at any time I'd love to hear from you

Peter Stokes, Cheltenham UK

To answer your question, John Stokes served in the British Army only and not in the SAMIF.


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peejayess54 wrote: Just embarked on trying to track down my grandad's South Africa record. He was in the 3rd Hussars but I believe he'd left them before 1899 (need to pursue that one in regimental records). The 3rd didn't arrive in South Africa until late 1901, but there are a couple of photographs which put him there much earlier, including one which has penciled on the back "With Remington's Tigers". This is obviously Rimington's Tigers, aka Guides, and I've been able to track down enough info to be pretty certain grandad wasn't with the Guides. His QSA has the clasps for Cape Colony and Orange Free State and the engraving indicates it was awarded to him as QMS with the 3rd Hussars.

One question at this point - if a former soldier served with an irregular unit (such as the Guides) might his medal be engraved with his old regiment rather than his new unit?

Apart from that, if anyone comes across any references to John Thomas Stokes at any time I'd love to hear from you

Peter Stokes, Cheltenham UK