TOPIC:

Hello Janet,
I think you are making a mistake to assume that a family member has served in either of the two units you have mentioned, by just looking at the photo.
The British Army did use the 15 pdr breech loading gun and it did wear slouch hats during the war.
The slouch hat had been worn before the Boer War by members of the Royal Artillery mountain battery in Carrington's force in Matabeleland in 1896, moreover, it became so popular during the Boer War that it was worn with home service dress after the war.
Looking at the photo and the FS caps, the shirts, the moustches etc I'd be thinking Royal Artillery if I were you.
Regards again Frank

jpwhyman wrote: Hello Frank,

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to post all of the men in the regiment. Now the work begins...

I have found the email giving me the clue that Prince Alfred's was the regiment, this was in 2005. It says that the slouch hats pointed to the regiment being a volunteer regiment and the 15-pr gun was only used in two regiments. Prince Alfred's which was equipped with this type of gun at the beginning of the war and the Natal Field Artillery who received their 15-pr Field Guns in 1901. Apparently the uniform matches the ones in a photograph opposite page 62 in Gunners of the Cape. I have no idea of who served in the Natal Field Artillery or how different their uniforms were to the ones in my photo. I hope you enjoyed the photo and maybe you have more information to add.
Thank you again for the info.
Janet

Hi,

I have only just found out that Ancestry family history web site holds a lot of the medal rolls for the regiments so searching for a name will lead you to records of the whole regiment which you can download to your computer. Trouble is it gives surnames but only initials of the person but does give what type of medal and clasp they were entitled to.

I found Natal Mounted Rifles and Dundee Town Guards, but the Rhodesian Field Force does not appear, found two other units with the name Rhodesian in the title, but not the Field Force, with whom my great uncle served, yet I have the records of his QSA medal with five clasps that he was awarded, but still cant find the unit

I have a sub to Ancestry, and they only have medal rolls and service history for WW1, they have nothing that I can find about the Boer War at all, have asked them why, and their reply led me to believe there is not enough interest from subscribers to make it worthwhile, and for the same reason they have no Electoral rolls for NSW Australia prior to 1930, the period when it was, and still is, the state with the largest population, so makes it difficult, with neither of those topics on their site, for all family history researchers.

jpwhyman wrote: Hi,

I have only just found out that Ancestry family history web site holds a lot of the medal rolls for the regiments so searching for a name will lead you to records of the whole regiment which you can download to your computer. Trouble is it gives surnames but only initials of the person but does give what type of medal and clasp they were entitled to.

Hello all,

Firstly thank you again to Frank, wish I had the correct information 8 yrs ago. I am now ploughing my way through the men of the Royal Artillery, not a military person but I think that includes 'quite a few' different units. Would be grateful if there are any I do not have to look at. I have a week off work so will keep me busy.
I also have a sub to Ancestry and they do have medal rolls for South African forces but not alot else as far as I can see. All you do is search military - draft service etc and the medal rolls are off that sub heading. Will keep my eye out for anything relating to Rhodesian Field Force and let you know.

Re Rhodesian Field Force.

I have found the medal roll on Ancestry. Not sure if you have actually found this or not. If not let me know and I will let you know how to find it. A bit long winded but it works for any campaign and regiment anyone wants to find the medal roll for.