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2851 PRIVATE A. LAMMAS

As usual, the attestation papers for deceased men of the Worcestershire Regiment no longer exist. Our only hope of researching these casualties is by searching the Census records and local newspapers and journals.
This is certainly the case for Private Lammas.

From the "Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Weekly Messenger," dated Saturday March,10th, 1900; page 8:

"PORTRAITS OF LOCAL MEN"



PRIVATE A. LAMMAS, 2ND WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT "

"This man, who is the son of Mr. W. Lammas, Willow Gardens, Sidemoor, Bromsgrove, was a Reservist who was called up to join his regiment on December 12th, and he sailed for the Cape a little later in the month. He was killed in the action at Rensburg, on February 12th. Our portrait is from a photograph taken some time ago. Private Lammas passed into the Reserve. It may be added that a brother of Private Lammas died while serving in the Army in India."

Private Lammas was interred with his comrades at Colesberg Military Cemetery.

He was entitled to the Queen's South Africa medal with the single clasp Cape Colony.

I do recall seeing his QSA in an old auction catalogue, so therefore remains extant.

2851 PRIVATE A. LAMMAS.

A FURTHER TRAGIC TWIST

The further you investigate an individual involved in the conflict you very often uncover other backstories associated with them.
Here is such a case.

From the "Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Weekly Messenger," dated January 5th, 2901:
"DEATH OF A SIDEMOOR MAN"
"4313 Private E. Harrison, whose death from enteric fever, at Reitfontein, on Christmas Eve, was reported last week, is a Sidemoor man. He was in the Militia Reserve, and was drafted out to South Africa last Easter, being posted to the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment. Private Harrison was 25 years of age, and he leaves a widow and four children. Two of the children cannot walk, one being born since the deceased left for the front. Mrs. Harrison's experience has been an exceptionally sad one. In February her brother, Private A. Lammas, of the 2nd Worcesters was killed in action at Slingersfontein; and now her soldier-husband is dead, she is left a widow with a family of young children whose ages range from 7 months to 5 years."

Some families always bear more than their fair share of sacrifice in times of war....

Steve - you wrote above "Some families always bear more than their fair share of sacrifice in times of war...." in this case even more true than you realised.

Sarah Jane Harrison (nee Lammas) married again two years after Ernest's death to another Bromsgrove man Frederick Troth. Frederick served in the Worcester Regiment in the Great War and on 2nd March 1915 died in France from enteric fever!

Sarah was baptised in Bromsgrove on the same day as two of her older brothers Thomas & Arthur. She and Arthur can be found at the top of page 56 of the baptism register:



Arthur's birth was registered in Bromsgrove in the first quarter of 1874 and the 1891 Census found him, aged 18, already a soldier serving in the Worcestershire Regiment and residing in their barracks at Norton Juxta just outside Worcester.

Here is a clearer copy of his caricature as it appeared in the Bromsgrove & Droitwich Messenger of 10 March 1900:

David,
Thank you for adding to this poor fellow's thread.
The extended family really were unlucky in times of war!