TOPIC:

John Charles Allen Yolland was born on 14th October 1865 at Chipping Barnet, Hertfordshire, England.
In the Census of 1871 he was living at Wood Street, Chipping Barnet along with his father John G Yolland (28), a Commercial Traveller and mother Ann W (31). He had a younger brother Herbert W (0).
The family were reasonably comfortably off, as they employed Elizabeth Webb (17) as a Domestic Servant.

John was employed as a Clerk when he attested to the Devonshire Regiment on 14th January 1885 at the age of 19 years 3 months. He had previous military experience with the 3rd Middlesex Volunteers. He was given service number 1147 which would last for the duration of his stint with the Devons.
At his medical examination John was recorded as being 5' 7 1/4" in height, 123lbs in weight, chest measurement 33 1/2", of fresh complexion, hazel eyed and had brown hair. He was Church of England by religious calling.
There were no distinctive marks, scars or tattoos about his person.

His father John Yolland was registered as next of kin residing at "The Cedars", Barnet.

His Military History Sheet is headed by the word "Deserted" followed by:
Home 9/5/88 to 17/9/1888--132 days.
India 18/9/88 to 1/92---3 years 166 days.
Burma (nothing entered here).

The Campaigns section does confirm his service in Burma with the Upper Burma Field Force and with Jamma (?Plummer?)Manipur Field Force both in 1891.
For this service he was awarded the India Service Medal 1854 with clasps "N.E.FRONTIER 1891" & "LUSHAI 1889-92".

The final entry to his attestation document tells us that he achieved a 4th Class Certificate of Education.

Medal Roll WO100/75 signed off on 21st February 1893 states that he was invalided. The same roll further reveals the department of the 2nd Battalion under which he served. His experience as a Clerk in civvy street ideally qualified him to be Clerk to the Signalling Officer.

His Medical History sheet from his time with the Devons reads fairly typical of a Tommy Atkins of the era. He presented with a case of Gonorrhea on 9/6/1886 ulcers to his foot through 86 to 87 and diarrhoea.
In India/Burma he copped for two doses of dysentery resulting in sustaining internal piles (haemorrhoids).
Invalided home, he was admitted to Netley Hospital on 6th January 1892 and later discharged as medically unfit in March of that year.

No doubt drawn by the prospects for self advancement, John found his way over to South Africa. Where ha attested to the Kaffrarian Rifles with the service number 1117. This appears to be a relatively low numbers in comparison to others on the Medal Rolls following a short cursory glance, so he may have been one of the earlier recruits to theis colonial regiment.
Unfortunately, we have more information available prior and post his military service in South Africa.
However, we do know that he was entitled to the Queen's South Africa medal with clasps CAPE COLONY and WITTEBERGEN (WO100/254).
He took his discharge from the Kaffrarian Rifles on 8th August 1900. I have been unable to find further service with any other unit at this time. An unusual surname would surely have turned something up!



QSA to 1117 Private J.C.YOLLAND.



Impressed naming to the rim of the medal (initial 'A' omitted).



Impressed regimental naming to the rim.

From his 65th birthday John was now in receipt of the princely sum of 6 shillings a week to add to his Old Age Pension, his wife's OAP and support from his younger brother, adding up to £1 10s a week.

This old soldier passed away, having seen a fair bit of the world, at the age of 73 in the fourth quarter of 1938 at West Ham, Essex.

Steve - I think he might have died an old sailor as well as an old soldier. Below is an extract from the 1921 Census Return for 1 Crown Street, West Ham:

David. Thanks for this, I missed it on the usual FMP and Ancestry searches. The unusual surname, age and location all fit
As a sailor he certainly would have seen alot more of the world.
Cheers Steve

Excellent research, Steve and David.