TOPIC:

Hello all. New to the forum/web site. An ancestor served with The Imperial Yeomanry, his active service in SA being spring 1900 (he sailed from Liverpool January 1900) to May 1901, when he bought himself out of service, and spent the remainder of his life in SA. He lies in Pretoria today.
I have recently noticed on the Findmypast website some additional service detail he undertook, namely:

"served with Farmers Guard, Conductor, 249; served with Corps of Cattle Rangers, Unknown, 249".

Would I be correct in thinking this was largely protection detail work for Farmers etc? Just looking to understand what his actual involvement was.

Many thanks.

WJ6320
It really helps if, in queries of this type, a name is supplied. My CoCR roll shows "P249 Ranger William J. Patterson" enlisted at Pretoria and was discharged 16/12/1901. Is this your man? If you search this site for "Corps of Cattle Rangers", you will find breif details of the activities of the unit.
IL.

Many thanks. Apologies for lack of name. Yes, William John Paterson (one 'T' only in reality) is my man, a first cousin, 3rd removed. I had some research done on my behalf may be twenty years ago in relation to his time in Pretoria, but this was limited given I am not a close relative. I have a photo of him on horse back which if I am correct was taken in UK prior to embarkation for SA in 1900.
Thanks again, will check out the details you mention.

Your man William John Paterson
Served in the 34th Company 11th Battalion Middlesex Imperial Yeomanry. Trooper 6320. A Chemist by profession, aged 20 years 9 months when attested. He stood 6 foot 2 inches, black hair , grey eyes and had a gunshot mark on his left hand.

There are a few medal rolls pertaining to William, which includes the Imperial Yeomanry, Stock and Guards Corps, Corps of Cattle Rangers and interestingly the Field Intelligence Department. ( Medal roll WO100/ 354 reference Kings South Africa Medal 249 Conductor WM J Paterson Field Intelligence Department)

For your records.






Dave.....

PS . Note:- F G service is mentioned in the right hand remarks column of the 1st document.

WJ6320,

His attestation paper for the Cattle Rangers

Many thanks djb for William J. Paterson's attestation, very much appreciated. If I may, a couple of questions?

1. I have a photo of him astride his horse probably taken c 1900 prior to leaving UK, in uniform. Having noted your IT size limits for JPG files, this is showing up as 2952x2382, far too big. My IT knowledge is not so hot, so would welcome any ideas and assuming I can get around that, to whom should I send same please?

2. You will see from the attestation form, WJ's father, William Paterson is NoK. The latter had some misfortune business wise around the turn of the century, and is absent from the UK 1901census, despite exhaustive searches for him anywhere (other family groups etc) I can think of. It might just be possible he made is way to SA circa 1900/1901 to visit his son, although nothing conclusive has shown up on the shipping passenger lists, thus far. I am wondering if in SA there may have been something similar to the UK census returns that may shed some light, either positively or not so?

Apologies the latter is a bit of an ask, but I am just trying to understand which avenue's might be open to me to locate WJ's father t that time.
Thank you once again.
WJ6320 (Rob)