TOPIC:

After my mother died I discovered that her father (my grandfather) came to SA in the Boer War as a Medic. I have the records from Somerset house in the UK but can find nothing about him in any SA records. From documentation (Attestation of Short Service - One year with the colours)I have learnt the following:

Name: Sidney Stephen Mayes
No: 15042
Corps: Royal Army Medical Corps
Joined up on: 5th February 1901 at Norwich, 11th February at Aldershot.
Discharged: 7th July 1902 - Presumably in South Africa somewhere.

He was awarded the South Africa medal.

As he lived in and signed up in Norwich he could have been attached to the Norfolk Regiment.


Can anybody help?

Don

Don,

Mayes was a pre-Boer War private in the Bearer Section, 3 (Kings Lynn) Volunteer Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. He then volunteered for service with the RAMC in South Africa. Other Norfolk Volunteers (e.g. Privates Colls and Ulph) ended up in 22 Bearer Section, but I do not see Mayes in that part of the QSA medal rolls. Do you know what clasps he was awarded? Mayes (plus a chap named Secker) were still been in theatre in 1902, long after the Norfolks in 22 Bearer Section arrived home.

Do you have a photo of him you would be up for sharing? I would love to add him to my notes.

Rob.

Don......

From FMP, Note different regimental number,,,,,,

First name(s) S S
Last name Mayes
Country Great Britain
Service number 15449
Record set Anglo-Boer War Records 1899-1902
Rank Private
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Regiment Royal Army Medical Corps
Subcategory Boer Wars
Rolls WO100/219

M.

Perhaps he got one number in Norwich and another a few days later in Aldershot?

Thank you for this info.

I have, a photo of him somewhere which I will forward to you in the next few days, however it was taken long after the war at my parents wedding in 1946. The only thing of his that I have is a book on the early part of the Boer war, no medals or anything like that. Mayes either stayed in SA or returned in about 1915 and (possibly) married my grandmother who was apparently a nurse in the Boer war. My mother cut herself (and me)off from her family and absolutely refused to speak of them. After she died I discovered that Mayes (of whom I have a vague memory) had 7 children.

The search continues, I’m not even sure of my grandmother’s maiden name. She was Alice Quinlan or Quinland or something. No record of marriage has ever been found. She died before I was born and I have been unable to find any records of that.

His number in the Norfolk Volunteers would have had only four digits.