TOPIC:

Hello and greetings from Canada.
Joined this forum to clear up some info on my grand uncle Alfred James Parnell (AJP) Suche. He was born in England in 1881 but most of his military records indicate 1879. He started off signing up with the Royal Fusiliers 1889 - 1900, where according to records he was discharged being medically unfit. Yet he shows up with the 2nd Tasmanian Imperial Bushman Contingent as a Colour Sgt and later promoted to Lieutenant. He received both the QSA and KSA medals for Orange State and Transvaal area's. Have docs for these records. Then moved to Doyle's Australian Scouts also as a Lieutenant .( I could not find him listed as being with them, except on the records I have found. The Record I have included lists his name as SAUCHE not sure if its a transcription error or originally entered incorrectly
My 1st question is how would he have been able to sign-up with the subsequent units if he was considered medically unfit for the Royal Fusiliers?
and 2) Would there be any record of when he signed up with the 2nd Tas Imp Bushman and subsequent move to Doyle's Aus Scouts?
Any suggestions or guidence on where to chk and confirm my info is appreciated ....Thnx

Welcome to the Forum SucheTS.

In relation to your first question, there are lot of examples of people being discharged medically unfit and then attesting for a different unit only a few weeks or months later. Perhaps they recovered or their new unit needed then in a different capacity to their previous role?

As to your second question, I am not sure. I do know the records are not here in the UK and in the past I have looked at detailed information from the Australian archives. Perhaps one of the members with better knowledge will be able to assist.

Good luck
David

Thanks for the add to the forum!. Will look forward to any further responses to my query. I have what I believe is most of his military history from Fold3. Would he have attestation records when he joined the 2nd Tas Imp Bushman? I have come across other links currently at the casus-belli.co.uk where they have a couple of hits when I searched for him. Seems very reasonable cost but I hate paying for info I already have, Which has happened in the past.

SucheTS
I had a look through the medal rolls for your GU. In the medal roll for the 2nd Royal Fus. as 6403 he qualified for clasps Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith and the three state clasps (marked with a cross) and marginal note connecting him to 2TIB and Doyles. Another marginal note says "Discharged July 1900". The roll reference is WO 100/171 page 79.
On the 2TIB roll, his address is "PO PMB, Natal" and he qualified for clasps OFS and Tvaal. He served with them from 24/4/01 to 22/5/02 and the roll's margin links 2 RF. (WO100/293)
On the Doyle's roll, he is shown as serving from 23/5/02 to 31/5/02 (WO100/293).
On the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre site, there is found a portrait of your GU (taken from Bufton's "Tasmanians in the Transvaal War").


Concerning access to records of the 2TIB and Doyle's Scouts, many have sought them - and if anyone on the Forum has succeeded, please let me know. It is probable they still exist somewhere in the bowels of the Aust. Army Records office in Melbourne.
Your GU's situation of being discharged from an Infantry Regiment of the Line (i.e.,the 2RF) and later enlisting in a Colonial unit certainly did happen sometimes. In my current custody is an example where a chap was Time Expired with the West Yorks, subsequent to the Battles on the Tugela, returned to the UK and a little later enlisted in the Second Imperial Yeomanry contingent and very quickly rose to Sqn,Sgt.Major. They clearly needed experienced men. He later won an excellent DCM at Moedwil.
I think the situation with your GU was similar as far as the 2 TIB were concerned; they needed experienced men. To conclude, 2TIB were a crack unit; operating in the Cape Colony in 1901-02. Some time ago, I submitted a post about the doings of the unit and one chap in particular. You may find their operational history in Murray - or else in Stirling's "The Colonials in South Africa".
Regards
IL.

Here is Murray's account of the 2TIB highlighted by IL www.angloboerwar.com/images/pdf/Murray_Tas_4con.pdf which mentions your GU.

Hello SucheTS and welcome to the forum.

His attestation papers for the Royal Fusiliers are on Findmypast although from what you say you may well already have these. He originally enlisted as James Parnell. He was discharged medically unfit 24/10/1900 but as David says it's not so unusual for a man discharged medically unfit to re-enlist soon afterwards. Much will have depended on the exact nature of his condition and how meticulous the new unit was about recruits.

David