TOPIC:

Anyone have any firm dates for the disbandment of the Protectorate and Rhodesian Regiments. I have only a rough date of September/October 1900. Strange that such information doesn't seem to be available in the well known secondary sources - unless I have missed some?

Furthermore, anybody got any ideas where most of these trained MI went to? Some would have gone back to civvie street but many would have had an opportunity to enlist for a second stint? Wondering which units would have recruited them? Rand Rifles perhaps? South African Constabulary? Some opportunities in each of these.

Robd
A quick glance at the Stan Kaplan roll for the "Relief of Mafeking" clasp to the Rhodesia Regt shows that most who survived the Relief re-enlisted and one might take their pick of where they went! Some latterly served in several units. Quite dedicated chaps.
Regarding disbandment dates, Stirling says "end of September 1900" for RR and
the book "Plumer's Men" by Robert Burrell records that the Rhodesia Regt was disbanded on 17101900.
I do not have much info on the Protectorate Regt.
IL.

Good morning and welcome to this forum,
The official date of disbandment of the Rhodesia Regt was the 31st of October 1900, no exact date is shown for the Protectorate Regt in the SAMIF returns in WO108, both were disbanded in Cape Town.
However, in both cases the discharges started in earnest in mid October 1900, but, there were a number of men who were not discharged officially until well into 1901, these are normally the dates given for their final day of service, depending on the date they actually attested.
Regarding additional service, you can take your pick from the SAMIF and British army, I have a group in my collection to a gentleman who served twice in the ranks of the Rhodesia Regt and then got a commission in Lovats Scouts!
Regards Frank.








Rhodesia Regt WO108




And the entry for the Protectorate Regt, only the month of October is shown, however, a brief look in WO127 confirms this.

robd wrote: Anyone have any firm dates for the disbandment of the Protectorate and Rhodesian Regiments. I have only a rough date of September/October 1900. Strange that such information doesn't seem to be available in the well known secondary sources - unless I have missed some?

Furthermore, anybody got any ideas where most of these trained MI went to? Some would have gone back to civvie street but many would have had an opportunity to enlist for a second stint? Wondering which units would have recruited them? Rand Rifles perhaps? South African Constabulary? Some opportunities in each of these.

Thank you for your quick response. It looks like the Rhodesian Regiment's discharge date is accounted for but the Protectorate Regiment not detailed.

Rob D

Thanks Frank,
I suppose it is like many of the Colonials. There was an official date of discharge but there were always the few who were dealt with later or earlier. Certainly one comes across men who enlisted for a second stint in a different regiment and then you discover that six months later they are discharged from their first period of service. Anyway, the 31 October 1900 is the date I shall use for the Rhodesian Regiment. Best wishes, Rob D