Hi Richard,
The New Zealand History ABW embarkations database lists your great grandfather as a member of the 2nd NZ Contingent, leaving for the seat of war on 20 January 1900, on board the S.S. Waiwera.
Family name: Dumaresque [sic]
Reg No: 323
Given name(s): R.H.F.
Contingent: Second
Rank: Sergeant
Unit Nos: 3 and 4 Companies [should read No 1 Company?]
County/City: Waipawa
Occupation: Accountant
Ship: Waiwera, 20 January 1900
Address: Dannevirke
Next of Kin: Dumaresque, Mrs L.L.
Next of Kin Address: Bideford, North Devon, England, UK
Relationship to Soldier: Mother
A number of articles relating to Sergeant/Lieutenant Dumaresqu's ABW service can be found on the NZ Papers Past website.
Hawke's Bay Herald, 10 January 1900
DANEVIRKE.
January 8, 1900.
A great crowd collected at the station on Monday to witness the departure of Sergeant Dumaresq to join the second Transvaal contingent. It was intended he should have been entertained socially prior to his departure, but no time was given for this purpose. To mark the auspicious nature of the event, however, the Musical Society quickly got together a few of their members, and at the Courthouse on the morning of his departure presented him with a handsome dressing case as a slight recognition of his services as leader. The presentation was made by Mr H. Bamford in felicitous terms. Subsequently a presentation of a silver-mounted flask was made on behalf of a few friends; then Captain Knight, on behalf of the local Volunteer corps, handed him, for himself, Sergeant Lateen, and Corporal Neilson, a congratulatory address, and wished them God speed and a safe return. Sergeant Dumaresq suitably responded.
Taranaki Herald, 18 January 1900
LIST OF THE SECOND CONTINGENT.
Wellington, January 18.
The following is a list of officers and men of the Second Contingent as far as it is ascertainable: – No 1 Company [officers and N.C.O.’s]: Captain Reid; Lieutenants Banks, Hutson, and Sommerville; Colour-Sergeant Montgomerie; Sergeants Blair, Hay, Eastgate, and Dumaresq; Corporals Wighton, Fitzgerald, Jones, and Price; Lance-Corporals, O'Reilly, Molloumbie, Orme, and Devereaux.
Otago Witness, 14 June 1900
Mr R. M. F. Dumaresq (formerly of Palmerston North), who went to South Africa with the second contingent, is one of the fortunate colonials who have been appointed to Lord Kitchener's bodyguard. This (observes the Rangitikei Advocate) is somewhat strange, as Lord Kitchener at one time served under Mr Dumaresq's father in the Royal Horse Artillery.
Manawatu Standard, 15 August 1900
A LETTER FROM TROOPER LARSEN.
SERGEANT DUMARESQ ILL.
Trooper H. Larsen, of Dannevirke, a member of the second contingent, writing from Pretoria on June 27th, said the New Zealanders have had a very rough time of it. He had been in six battles but had not been wounded....... He has heard that Sergeant Dumaresq is very ill.
Taranaki Herald, 23 July 1902
Lieutenants R. Dumaresq and J. Hamer, of the New Zealand Mounteds, have sailed for England.
He is also mentioned in Howden's "New Zealanders and the Boer War or Soldiers from the Land of the Moa" (pp. 52-54).
It seems your great grandfather joined the Orange River Colony Police at the beginning of May 1900, when he was given a commission:
They heard at Victoria West [abt. 17 April 1900] that Sergeant Dumeresq and seven men who were left there with sick horses had been taken as personal guard to Lord Kitchener on his trek to Pretoria. …….
On 1 May, after having had a joyful meeting with the remnant of the First Contingent the day previously, the Second Contingent left with the Queenslanders for Karee, to join the advance on Brandfort. Sergeant Dumeresq remained behind, having been made lieutenant in the Orange Colony Police under General Pretyman.
After serving with the Provisional Mounted Police / British South Africa Police / Orange River Colony Police (01/05/1900 TO 05/11/1900), he was appointed Railway Staff Officer at Springfontein, Orange River Colony, and thence saw duty on the Staff of the Director of Imperial Military Railways (13/11/1900 to 07/07/1902).
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