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Hello Bob,

Your GGF’s January 1900 attestation papers and service record covering his service in the South African War of 1899-1902 can be found on Find My Past under the regimental number of 7552.

The attestation papers show he was already a member of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion (VB) attached to the South Wales Borderers (SWB). This battalion should not be confused with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion of the South Wales Borderers.

Going back to 1859 those in power became concerned about the undefended state of the country when the French, despite having been our allies in the Crimea War, became involved in the Second Italian War of Independence (also called the Sardinian War, the Austro-Sardinian War, the Franco-Austrian War, or the Italian War of 1859). As a result local communities were asked to create volunteer companies which generally became known as Rifle Volunteer Companies. Over time these companies became organised into Voluntary Battalions attached to the regular army regiments. By the end of the 19th Century there were five VB’s attached to the SWB covering different areas in south-east Wales. I think the 3rd VB covered the Pontypool Area. The various companies that made up the VB’s were still popularly known as Rifle Volunteers named after the local community but officially were known the “A”, “B” etc Company of the VB. Thus, I think the reference to “I” Company on your GGF’s WW1 discharge papers refer to his membership of “I” Company of the 3rd VB of the SWB. This is not as unlikely as it sounds as the VB’s existed until 1908 when they became absorbed into the Territorial Army (with no doubt much muttering from the older members of the VB’s such as your GGF). Old and local allegiances die hard and I suspect the 9847 regimental number was his regimental number in “I” Company of the 3rd VB, SWB. Based on my own experience investigating Staffordshire volunteers do not bother to pursue this avenue on line although the Royal Welsh Regimental Museum at Brecon may be able to help.

In December 1900 when the South African (Boer) War of 1899-1902 war was going badly for Britain the regular army regiments were asked to raise a company for service in SA from their VB’s. To serve in SA members of the VB’s had to volunteer, be selected from the excessive number who volunteered and re-attest to agree to one year of overseas service plus a possible second year if the war had not ended. Those selected in early 1900 became known as the Volunteer Service Company (VSC) or sometimes the Volunteer Active Service Company (VASC) or even just the Active Service company (ASC). The war dragged on and rather than make the members of the VSC complete a full second year a replacement VSC was raised in the spring of 1901 thus the original VSC became known to history as the 1st VSC. The war dragged on even more and in 1902 the 3rd VSC went out to SA to replace the 2nd VSC.

Hope you managed to follow that!

Your GGF set sail for South Africa on St Valentine’s Day 1900 as Private 7552 of the 1st Volunteer Service Company attached to the 2nd Battalion of the South Wales Borderers and it seems to have taken them until May 1900 before they caught up with the regular soldiers of the SWB. Your GGF set foot on the soil of England again on 21 May 1901. He was discharged from his obligation to serve overseas on 27 May 1901 and reverted to being a part time soldier, once again serving in “I” Company, 3rd VB attached to the SWB. In this role he would have lent pomp & circumstance to local events and high days (they had a fancy uniform and a band). He would have kept up his ability to defend the home country if needed by attending training sessions, short camps etc. No doubt this was accompanied by some time in local hostelries when there would be much remembrance of deeds 7000 miles away and those who did not go to SA would mutter “Oh Gawd, they’re off again”.

To find out where some of those deeds might have occurred go the “Unit Info” section on the menu to the left remembering the above dates and allowing for a circa 3 week voyage home. Wikipedia gets quite specific about the SWB VSC’s as you will see from this link, do not be put off by the title, ignore the first part which I have trouble getting my head round and scroll down to the heading South Wales Borderers and then read with interest:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brecknockshire_Battalion

Having read these you cannot assume your GGF would have been present at every engagement mentioned. The majority of British soldiers who served in SA spent time in hospital for some reason or other. Rarely a soldier’s medical records during the South African War survive with the other paperwork but not in your GGF’s case. What you can say he was amongst the troops that occupied Johannesburg in the Transvaal in May 1900 because of the Johannesburg clasp to his QSA. The other two clasps tell you he was involved in engagements in Cape Colony & Orange Free State. The reason for his fourth clasp is obvious. The medal roll you have posted tells you he did not qualify for the KSA, this was for two reasons his service in SA was less than the required 18 months and did not extend into 1902.

Regards, David

What a fantastic account of the Volunteer Battalions that made up the first Active Service Battalion - attached to the 2nd Bn. South Wales Borderers! Thank you so much David.
Again it sounds so plausible that Thomas continued to use the Regimental Number 9847 and I Company after 1901 and up to 1908. In 1908 the 3rd Vol. Bn. SWB became the 2nd Bn. Monmouthshire Regiment.
On 1 April 1909 Thomas was awarded theTerritorial Force Efficiency Medal - and his Reg. No. then was 11!
I have researched quite a bit using local newspapers and you are absolutely correct 'that they he would have lent pomp & circumstance to local events and high days'. So many dinners, presentations, church services etc. - these men were given the full works and were probably local celebrities in Pontypool. Even in 1924, the Welsh Eisteddfod came to Pontypool and was visited by Edward, Prince of Wales. The ex-servicemen paraded the 'maes' and met the future king!

Now my thoughts that are still contrary to the evidence! (Sorry). I am still not sure that he didn't return to SA maybe to supplement men and vacant positions in the 3rd Active Service Bn.
I have been searching that elusive '18404 KM' - comment. I can't reach a definitive conclusion but I do attach an image that adds a bit more about it. Please have a look.
I will say no more - thank you again for your time and all the info you have sent - so appreciated.

You wrote - "What a fantastic account of the Volunteer Battalions that made up the first Active Service Battalion" - I think the last word should be Company. The nomenclature relating to the Volunteers in the Boer War is headache making.

Definite proof your GGF returned to being a part time soldier when he was done with SA - from Pontypool Free Press 25 April 1902:



A year later he was promoted to Corporal. Only problem with above is that he in A Company 3rd VB. I can find no evidence there was an I Company. Definitely A to H with A being Pontypool, B being Grandiffaith, C being Pontnewydd, G being Abersychan & H being Abertilly.

Thanks for info on AG2 etc - I have now learnt not to ignore these comments. Having looked again at the other appearance of KM on medal rolls your GGF appears on, it obviously refers to the man earning the King's Medal due to subsequent service in the South African Constabulary. Your GGF would not have earned the KSA by going out with the 3rd VSC as he still would not have made the 18 months (which had to be completed before the end of the war). Also if he went out with the 3rd VSC his promotion to Lance Corporal in April 1902 would have been made in his absence with the possibility he might not return from SA. He could have gone out as a draft (reinforcement) to the 2nd VSC, been back in time for promotion and made the 18 months. I have searched the KSA Medal Rolls for the SWB fairly exhaustively and cannot find him listed. A Reg No as high as 18404 suggests service in the Artillery or Imperial Yeomanry and definitely not the SWB. A bit of a mystery as is the apparent "I" Company on his WW1 records - is it actually a 1 and "1 Company" = 1st VSC?

Hello Dave - yet again - amazing and thank you so much.
I do have lots of press cuttings - which give a bit of a picture of his service - I think in A Co. Pontypool.
There was indeed an 'I' Company in the 3rd VBSWB. This was in Abercarn - please see attached image. (It is sel- made for an 'amatuer' (me!) to have a simpler version of the organisation. (apologies)
I discarded the thought that he was in this - I. Co. Abercarn - because he lived in Pontymoile, right next to the Drill hall for A Co. Also his name crops up on various activities associated with A Company. I attach Xmas Shooting Match - 15 Sep 1902.
So definitely a mystery - the researcher at Royal Welsh Museum, Brecon said 'The Boer War medal roll definitely says KM but it also says yes to SA1901 and no to SA1902 so very ambiguous!'
I dont think the 18404 was his regimental number - but was it an army number of the medal roll on which he may have earnehttps://www.angloboerwar.com/media/kunena/attachments/28701/1902-ShootingatCwmlickey.jpgd a KSA medal? I also wondered if he could have earned it with something like the Imperial Yeomanry? Very odd!
Thank you again David - you have provided me with so much info in just a day - I've been reseraching for years and have nothing like your understanding of these military matters.
Speak soon - Bob

David & ?George

"I" Company is the title of the Active Service Company while it is attached to the Regular Battalion in South Africa

9847 is his Volunteer Force number which he would use before and after his South Africa service until 1908 when he would be re-numbered on joining the Territorial Force.

7552 is the number he was allocated when he attested for his service with the Regular Army in South Africa

There is no ambiguity about a KSA. There is a clear ditto No in the entitlement column. David has explained why.

The AG reference as David said is an administrative note. Ignore it. (I think it is "AG2/C" rather than AGVC)

Peter

Again a big thank you Peter.
That makes sense - the number 9847 is his Vol Force number - but 7552 is the number recorded for SWB Regular Army.
The AG2/C is correct as my last post showed.
Thank you again.
Bob