TOPIC:

Lance Sergeant William George Johnson from Hampshire in England was recruited by the SAC in March 1901. He had spent 2 years in the Hampshire Regiment before that.
There are 6 entries on his SAC Record of Service. We read that his first posting was on 1.05.1901 to 24 Troop. I don’t know the meaning of some of the other entries.
1.05.1901 – 3rd Ch T (?) to Camp 1 (?)
7.10.1902 - he was promoted from corporal to Lance Sergeant
1.03.1903 – he was transferred. I think it reads Caledon R.S.Q. – what does that mean?
1.10.1904 – what does the C.R.S division mean?
30.04.1906 - discharged
Is there any way of finding out which ship he would’ve come out on to South Africa in May 1901 and if he went back to England after discharge in 1906? One of the documents say that he took a payout in lieu of a free passage home.
Can anyone help?
Syl

Hi Syl

You would need to post the relevant images from his service record for us to get to grips with this one. Your first point - 3rd Class Trooper - this was the entry level rank for a man in the SAC, before any promotions.

Read here for more info - www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/so...constabulary?start=1

Regards

Rory

According to the shipping records on this site:-

The Pinemore arrived at the Cape on 20th May 1901 with 900 SAC on board.

The Orient left London on 14th May 1901 with 400 SAC on board.

Thanks for your prompt replies. I'm attaching a screenprint of that record and two photographs
In the first photo (taken in Bloemfontein) he is the man in the middle
2nd Photo he is 3rd right standing.

I would say:
On 01/05/1901 he was promoted from 3rd Class Trooper to Corporal
On 07/10/1902 he was promoted from Corporal to Lance Sergeant
On 01/03/1902 he was transferred from 24 Troop to the Caledonian Ranger South Office
On 01/10/1904 he was transferred from Caledonian Ranger South Division to Rouxville District
But don't quote me on that - those more expert might have an alternative for "Ranger South" or even "Caledonian". None of which helps to answer your which ship question.

Thank you! My Boer War geography is vague!
Would the Caledonian Rangers have been in the Cape?
And Rouxville in the Orange River Colony?