TOPIC:

Hi all, with the kind help of coldstream i found my great grandad won the QSA with clasps for Transvaal, Cape Colony and South Africa 1902

His name is Ernest Smith number 6762 and he was with the 5th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment which i believe were a militia battalion.

Can anyone tell me what actions his battalion were involved with directly? Or was their role more garrison based?

Any info greatly appreciated

richsmith,

Its great that you have reconnected with your great grandfather and Coldstream has done an excellent.

There is no mention of the 5th Battalion in the history by Stirling on this site. I could find very little information elsewhere.

Some of their men were involved in the siege of O'okiep:

In his telegram of 21st April 1902 Lord Kitchener said: "In west bulk of enemy's force is round Ookiep, which has been attacked unsuccessfully. Reinforcements have arrived now". The defenders of Ookiep were afterwards congratulated on what was a most creditable stand. They held out against repeated attacks from 3rd April to 4th May. Lord Kitchener said in his despatch of 1st June, "No details of the defence of the town have as yet been received, but General French is of opinion that Colonel Shelton and his men offered a gallant and determined resistance to the many unsuccessful attempts made to capture the position". The garrison consisted chiefly of the Namaqualand Town Guard, small detachments of the 5th Royal Warwickshire Militia Regiment, of the Cape Garrison Artillery, the Namaqualand Border Scouts, and a few Volunteers."

I did come across this reference to the 5th RWR:

Boer War researcher Allen Duff recently visited the graves in Laingsburg and was faced with a puzzle. The inscription on the grave of Private F Gardner, of the 5th Royal Warwickshire Regiment, stated: “Accidentally killed in the execution of his duty on 9.01.1902.” Allen wondered just how Private Gardener could have been ‘accidentally’ killed’ then he remembered Round-up and rushed to his files. There he found a story quoting a letter written by Lieutenant Austin of C Company, Fifth Warwickshire Field Force, while stationed in Laingsburg. On January 13, 1902, Austin wrote: “The men are ready to blaze away at anything at night, so I sing out ‘friend’ when doing my rounds. We had a man killed at Laingsburg on Thursday, they mistook him for the enemy. Raw militia are beauties, but these men are improving, thanks to me, of course.” So there was the explanation of how poor Private F Gardner met his death and the riddle was solved!

From: www.aridareas.co.za/boerwar.html

Please let me know what you find.

Good luck
David

djb wrote: richsmith,

Some of their men were involved in the siege of O'okiep:

In his telegram of 21st April 1902 Lord Kitchener said: "In west bulk of enemy's force is round Ookiep, which has been attacked unsuccessfully. Reinforcements have arrived now". The defenders of Ookiep were afterwards congratulated on what was a most creditable stand. They held out against repeated attacks from 3rd April to 4th May. Lord Kitchener said in his despatch of 1st June, "No details of the defence of the town have as yet been received, but General French is of opinion that Colonel Shelton and his men offered a gallant and determined resistance to the many unsuccessful attempts made to capture the position". The garrison consisted chiefly of the Namaqualand Town Guard, small detachments of the 5th Royal Warwickshire Militia Regiment, of the Cape Garrison Artillery, the Namaqualand Border Scouts, and a few Volunteers."

David

Hi David......

I just went through Kieran's book on the Defence and Relief of O'okiep and the 5th RWR is mentioned..... 1 Officer and 44 Men..... Even though he has a roll for all the other units in attendance he does not have one for 5 RWR even though they suffered casualties in the defence of one of the blockhouses.....

Mike

O.M.G. ..... Must have been a seniors moment......

I just remembered that I have a 5th and a 6th Battalion R.W.R. in my collection....

7748 Pte. J. (James) Witheridge, R.W.R., 5th Battalion, Cape Colony, South Africa 1902

I have copies of his service papers and the medal roll from the name: THORN to WARRILOW..... Roll Number WO96/127 Roll 100

The 5th Battalion RWR arrived in SA on 16/12/01 and left on 10/09/02

Mike

I have a QSA to Lieutenant H F Ievers, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, with Cape Colony and South Africa 1902 clasps. From the clasp combination it seems that he too may have been with the 5th Battalion.

All I know about his Imperial service is that he was commissioned on 12/6/1901 while serving with the Limerick City Artillery. He presumably then transferred to the Royal Warwickshires and shipped to South Africa to take part in the last months of the Boer War.

After the war, he settled in Natal and served as a Trooper in the Natal Police during the 1906 Natal Rebellion and was awarded the medal with clasp. After the Natal Police was disbanded in 1913, he was transferred to the 3rd South African Mounted Rifles and served as a Sergeant in the German South West Africa campaign. He was invalided back to South Africa and, after being "Discharged to light work", he returned to GSWA as a Lieutenant. He was killed in a railway accident on 30/10/1915 and is buried in the Usakos Cemetery. He was 33 years old. A replacement, privately engraved World War I trio was issued by the SANDF in 2004.

Brett

This is very good info. I recently picked up Pte M Coffey QSA reg number 6678 RWR with CC, OFS JHBG & DH. I have done zero research so far and are waiting on the mail person to deliver. Another story to unfold.