TOPIC:

Hi.
I’m Paul Bramham, a 50 year old Yorkshireman but I have spent most of my life living in The Lake District. My interest in military history is due to my family background and also to my 26 years as a press photographer during which I have covered many assignments with all branches of the armed forces including exercises at Warcop,Thetford etc, plus I accompanied 1st Btn Kings Own Royal Border Regiment ( now Duke of Lancs.) on tours in Northern Ireland during the 20th anniversary of “The Troubles”, and in Bosnia in the 1990s.
As a Kendal Town Councillor I have recently been part of a sub committee appointed to protect the town's war memorial from metal thieves. As vice chairman of the council’s arts, mayoralty and heritage committee I am now working on a 1914 centenary exhibition with the town’s schools, civic society, and other parties.
I was part of a small group engaged in producing a Roll of Honour for the Border Regiment Chapel in Kendal Parish Church, which we completed in time for dedication on Remembrance Sunday 21012. The project which began 50 years ago but was never completed. The roll features the names and details of all KNOWN Kendal men who died serving in The Border Regiment. We achieved our aim in completing the volume while there were still veterans alive in the town.
I am a keen member and regular contributor to The Border Regiment Forum (take a look: www.border-regiment-forum.com/index.php )
I’ve always been intrigued by The Boer war as it was completely ignored by our 1970s school history syllabus (as was The Spanish Civil War). I feel the events in South Africa deserve a far greater place in British history, which I believe are somewhat forgotten having been almost immediately overshadowed for The First World War. (I guess I’m preaching to the converted” or you would not be reading this site!)
There are quite a few memorials on my patch to The Border Regiment volunteeer battalions and St Johns Ambulance who went to the 2nd Boer War, I'll dig out some photos and submit them.
Regards, Paul.

Welcome to this forum, Paul. From your first contributions it is obvious that you have much to offer other members.

Regards
Brett

PS A family 'heirloom' that was given to me by my father is a Boer War vintage Border Regiment glengarry badge. It came with the QSA to a Natal civilian who was attached to the RE during the Boer War. The reason for him having a Border Regiment badge is unknown. During December I passed the badge on to my younger son, who has settled in the UK, so it is "home at last".

Hi, Thanks for the welcome. Is this the glengarry type badge that you mention? (top photo) :
Victorian small cap badge c.1896-1902. Sometimes known as a puggaree badge after the name of the type of headwear on which it was worn.
Or is it one of these? (middle photo) :
The 1902 pattern badge. So named because, as an economy measure, Victorian helmet plate centres had “The Border Regiment” scroll and one of the three rear retaining lugs removed, then were plated and used as cap badges until the introduction of the “standard” badge.
The other large badge(bottom) is a helmet plate centre of one of The Border Regiment’s volunteer battalions, who served in The Boer War
Paul
P.S. Sorry, while getting the hang of your system, I seem to keep sending postings twice, one with and once without the attachments. I think I've got the hang of it - se how this one goes!

Hello Paul,

Welcome to the forum. The photographs and information concerning the Border Regiment volunteers on the regimental site are very interesting.

I'm sure if you and other forum members are already aware of it but if not, there is an excellent book by Colin Bardgett published in 1997 - "The Black Angel: The Volunteers of the Border Regiment in the Boer War'.

Regards,

Justin

Good morning Justin,
Did he also do a book on the Lonsdale Battalion of the Great War?
Regards Frank

JustinLDavies wrote: Hello Paul,

Welcome to the forum. The photographs and information concerning the Border Regiment volunteers on the regimental site are very interesting.

I'm sure if you and other forum members are already aware of it but if not, there is an excellent book by Colin Bardgett published in 1997 - "The Black Angel: The Volunteers of the Border Regiment in the Boer War'.

Regards,

Justin

You are right on both counts.
He also wrote a book about The Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry - "Better by Far a Cumberland Hussar". Paul