TOPIC:

My name is Philip James Smith, adopted son of William James Smith, who recently died at the age of 92.

My father's death has prompted a surge of family research.

Information about his father is all over the place. Just Google "Billo Smith" and you'll soon see.

But there is very little information about my father's grandfather - Charles Henry Smith.

All that remains as evidence of his service to the Crown in the Boer War is his medal, which I have.
I was told by my grandmother and father that he served in the Light Horse, but I am now not sure that this is correct.
I am hoping to get some further details and confirmation regarding the nature and scope of his service.

Here are the details of his medal: (See image attached)

QSA South Africa 1901

Clasps - reading from the medal upward:
Tugela Heights
Relief of Ladysmith
Laing's Nek
Belfast
South Africa 1901


The inscription around the edge of the medal reads:

Bearer C. Smith IMP. B. C

The medal is in good condition. I am not sure as to it's value.
The inscription would indicate that he was a member of the Imperial Bearer Corps - a stretcher bearer aligned with medical units.
I have no idea whether he served under the command of Australian or British officers.

What I know about Charles is that he married Mary Levina Galloway in Sydney in June 1896.
They had a son - William David (my grandfather) - born Feb 17, 1897, and then another son - George - born Feb 1900.
It was likely that George was born while Charles was in South Africa.

Charles returned from the war, but he did not live many years longer. I am still trying to recover his death certificate.
My grandfather served as a Driver in WW1. His enlistment papers indicate his NOK was his mother Mary, who live in Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW, Australia, and that she was a widow by the time he enlisted in early 1916.

Charles was the son of William and Mary Ann Smith. He was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, UK around 1872.
The family migrated to Australia at some point prior to 1896.

I have searched the ABW records and it seems that this line could refer to my Great Grandfather:



or this




Many thanks

Philip James Smith
Welcome to the Forum. That is a very nice medal you have there; much more so with a family history.
There is no entry I could find on the OZ-Boer database concerning your GGF - it was worth a try. Quite a few Colonial Australians journeyed to SA on their own account before and during the war and some settled over there afterwards.
The medal is impressed to the Imperial Bearer Corps and the medal roll (WO100/249 page 25 for the IBC) shows a Bearer C. Smith with clasp entitlement of TH/RofL/LN/Belfast. Presumably his SA1901 clasp can be verified on a supplementary roll. The marginal note for Bearer C. Smith IBC shows that he had other service with the Natal Volunteer Ambulance Corps. The medal roll for NVAC (WO100/261) for Bearer C. Smith shows entitlement to TH/RofL clasps only. Which means that his first service was with that unit. Unless other evidence comes to light, I assume that the roll entries relate to your GGF. In total, the medal rolls show that your GGF served between early December 1899 and early December 1900 and (to earn his SA1901 clasp) possibly thereafter.
Notes I made about NVAC a long time ago are from Vol. VI of the Times history - that unit being raised from refugees in Natal. It was a paid corps with an original strength of 1200 to 1,800. Four companies were raised, one for each brigade. The NVAC companies were divided into sections of twenty five with an elected leader. If you navigate this site by accessing Unit information and work to "Natal Volunteer Ambulance Corps", you will read much more about the Corps.
My immediate knowledge of the IBC is limited. However, I think that once the campaign moved out of Northern Natal, the Natal Volunteers were limited until special enabling legislation could be passed so they could serve outside Natal. I understand that many joined the IBC.
Once again, you have illustrated a very fine medal. Your GGF would have seen much service during the battles on the Tugela to break the siege of Ladysmith and the Laing's Nek and Belfast clasps define active service during important battles.
Best regards
IL.

Philip,

As IL says, a nice medal to the IBC and a great family possession.

Here is his attestation paper for the IBC from March 1900 from the WO126 series held by the National Archives.

29843 Charles Henry Smith served in the 5th Company (Warwickshire), 2nd Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry. He was born in Evesham in Worcestershire and did not set off for South Africa until 23rd March 1901 and there is no way he could have earned the medal you possess.

Dear Linneyl,

I am quite moved by what you have revealed. The story you outline is quite different to what my family had ever mentioned.
I guess the full story got lost in time within the family circle, since Charles died only about a decade after he returned from the war.

It saddens me a little that I never got to tell my dear old dad the complete war story of the grandfather he never knew.
I will read further from the references to which you have pointed.

My father has a cousin. She is very old, but has her wits about her. I will see her next week and tell her this story.

Warm regards

Philip

Dear Smethwick,

I think you speak truly.That's good.
Now I can eliminate IM Trooper 29843 from the very short list of those servicement who could be my GGF.

Many Thanks

Philip