TOPIC:

Evening everyone,

I know nothing of the Boer war, only that my 2nd Great Uncle was supposed to have fought in it. I cannot find anything on him and the war so I would like to ask if anyone on the forum could help me please?

I know that he joined the army on 8th July 1897 in Sheffield United Kingdom and that his number was 7527 and he was in the 65th and 84th Foot York & Lancs, but the family say he did fight in the war. I have attached an image of him in a uniform I have dated to about 1808 and I think his medal ribbon is the King or Queens medal but not sure.

Any help would be much appreciated

Thank you

Liqnov
Welcome to the forum!
The pair of ribbons shown in your pic certainly have the appearance of the Queen's South Africa medal and the King's medal as well. Sometimes it is difficult to be certain - as photographers frequently "touched up" images. However, that is what they look like to me. If you could tell us your 2GU's name, I am sure someone here would be able to help.
Regards
IL.

Ahh good point IL - his name was Leonard Tew b 1880 Sheffield UK. Thanks for the info

Leonard Tew, an eighteen year old cutler, from Sheffield, joined the York and Lancaster Regiment on the 16th of February 1898, having previously served in their 3rd Militia Battalion.

Hi Frank
Thanks for the info, but I am a little confused to what the 3rd Militia Battalion is?
I say that because he joins the Army aged 17 years & 7 months old, but I cannot find any connection to the 3rd Bn. Could you possibly send me a link to the information please
Many thanks

WO96, which you appear to have already read, actually does confirm, beyond reasonable doubt, that he joined the 3rd Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment Militia, at that age, on the 5th of July 1897, before joining the 1st Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, as already stated on the 16th of February the following year, he served in South Africa with the 1st Battalion in the Army as shown in WO100/200 and not the Militia, the latter, in effect, a reserve force.