TOPIC:

How does one add an old solder to the website? Some months ago I submitted an Excel formatted account of my Great-grandfather, William Henry Stanton (1866-1902) who died after being shot in the chest during the Boer war (circa 1901) while serving with the 2nd Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment. (Regimental No.1166). The bullet was removed and William returned to the UK only to die in 1902 from gas gangrene due to a brass tunic button also embedded in his chest which the surgeon was unaware of. William's QSA medal and a pin cushion that he made are on display at his Regimental museum in Stafford.

Sandy,

I have to add the details to the register of participants. I have some updates to process at the weekend so I will ensure his details are included.

Best wishes
David

SandyStanley
If, by "adding an old soldier to the website", you mean doing a post regarding his life and times, then you could do it on "Medals" or "Museums"; the latter might be appropriate as you say you know where his medal and handiwork are. Up to you.
I had a look in the Palmer Casualty roll and did not find an entry for "1166 Pte. W. Stanton" of the North Staff's. I checked SAFF Casualty list just in case it was missed - but nothing there. I had a look on the medal rolls for the 2nd Bn., North Staff's (WO100/199) there he is with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal and marginal note "invalided".
Regards
IL.

His 1884 Attestation Papers, Service Record and 1901 Discharge Papers can all be found on FindMyPast - 8 pages in total. They show he was born in Birmingham and married in Birmingham in the mid 1890's. As his death was attributable to his year's service in the Boer War I wonder if his name appears on the Boer War memorial in Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham - his death occurred before the memorial was constructed. Below the last page of his discharge papers showing the reason for discharge - I think it ends "A'act" which I presume means Army Act.

I am pleased to report his name does appear on the Birmingham Boer War Memorial - follow this link to a MorantHorse1 posting about the said memorial - he is 6th down, 3rd Column on Steve's photo.

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/search?query=...ldforums=1#gallery-4

Thank you to all who replied. It appears my Great-grandfather William will finally join his former comrades on this superb website this following weekend. By contacting the North Staffordshire Regiment museum at Whittingham Barracks, Lichfield, where his medal and Sweetheart Cushion made from old uniforms are, I was able to obtain copies of his original army papers, they too have no reports citing William’s injuries. Consequently, nor do they have information concerning when or where William got shot, but he arrived back to the UK in March 1901 and discharged in April. I’ve tried to discover where his Battalion might have been. For a long time they were garrisoned at Johannesburg and in January 1901 they joined Brigadier-general Dartnell’s mobile column sweeping Eastern Transvaal. William was not assigned to any mounted units as his service papers have no records of any special skills with horses, however the North Staffordshire’s had engagements at Wonderfontein 27th January and Benoni 29th January 1901, so perhaps at one of those places.