TOPIC:

Hi All,

I have just joined this site and I'm hoping some kind soul could assist me. I am trying to find out who the R. Duff listed in the Kimberley Town Guards as a Private with QSA(2). I'm hoping that this R. Duff might be my great grandfather. I'm searching for Robert Duff and was hoping to find some sort of service records that might have a few personal details. Sounds like I'm really clutching at straws here.

Regards
Sharon

Welcome Sharon!

The KTG is a particular interest to me so I thought I had better reply to your message. When I was researching my book on the siege, I looked for as many biographical records as I could. There is a subset of this information on the site. Sometimes this was all I could find on the people involved in the siege.

His entry from the book additionally states that he served in the Uitenhage Volunteer Rifles as number 1154. I am not sure that information is going to be of much help.

What is the link to Kimberley may I ask?

There were a few R Duffs in the Boer War:

R Duff 4th Mountain Battalion
R Duff 1st Highland Light Infantry
R Duff Uitenhage Volunteer Rifles
R Duff 2nd Scottish Rifles
R Duff 3rd Battalion Scottish Rifles
R Duff 3rd Scottish Rifles
R Duff 2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles
R Duff 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry
R Duff 4th Mountain Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
R Duff 3rd Battalion The Royal Scots
R Duff Kimberley Town Guard
R Duff 77th Battery Royal Field Artillery
R H Duff 3rd Battalion The King's Liverpool
R H Duff 3rd Battalion A P W O Yorkshire
R H Duff 3/C Battalion Yorkshire
R K Duff Johannesburg Mounted Rifles

Best wishes
David

Hello Sharon,

I have Pte R.Duff as serving in Number 2 Schmidt's Breastwork as part of the Permanent Guard.

There was only one R.Duff in the Kimberley TG so this must be him. I have a pic of the chaps but sadly the photo is a very poor copy and unnamed. I shall try and post it.

Regards
Adrian

Here are the pictures that I have. No idea if one of chaps is your R.Duff.

Regards
Adrian

Hello David.

Thank you welcome and your reply. My R. Duff that I'm looking for lived in Kimberley, was a diamond digger at one stage (or so I'm told) had a wife and 4 children - the baby was born in July 1899 and the wife died in October 1899. I haven't found any trace of Robert other than the one for the Town Guards and then a paupers burial in 1950. I was hoping someone might know if there would be any forms with personal details that he might have filled in. Is the QSA (2) anything to do with a medal and if it is would you know if there would be any records and if one would be able to obtain the info.

Regards
Sharon

Hello Adrian

First up thank you for your reply, second ... thank you for the pictures (the photo quality is good) and third ... would you know what 'Number 2 Schmidt's Breastwork' is/was ? Wouldn't it be great if he had filled in application forms with detailed personal information - at least then I would know if I'm onto something not. Once again thank your for your trouble.

Regards Sharon