TOPIC:

Hi,
I posted the Spion Kop Subject.
My Grandfather was Thomas Orrell Pte 2448 in the 2nd Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers. He had been de-mobilized a couple of years before being called back for the crisis. He won the Campaign Medal Queens South African Medal with Cape Colony Clasp. I looked for him on site but he is incorrectly shown as Orrell S? I hold copies of his attestation papers which show he was awarded the medal and also his army number. The site was interesting as I knew nothing about the Boer War. It helped me understand what he had lived through and how lucky I was not to be involved in a War.

Good heavens, that is the second "character" I've looked at in under twenty four hours, initial desertion is one thing, but, I wonder what happened after being recalled to the colours that resulted in his confinement, at sea, his subsequent trial and imprisonment with hard labour in South Africa, whilst his battalion were fighting for their lives on that wretched kop?

Oh yes, I didn't realise that. He was in prison when the battle took place and I thought he was in it!
I am trying to track down the Court Martial from National Archive to see why he was jailed. He previously deserted at the outset of his army life and was not long married when he was called back. I would bet he tried to desert at Southampton.
Phil Orrell

Certainly, from memory, in the case of the British Army, rank and file trial proceedings of courts martial, not only those that took place during the Anglo Boer War, but, actually up to 1914, were destroyed when the Army Records Office was damaged by some German visitors.