TOPIC:

An excerpt describing how they earned the Paardeberg clasp. The Times 27 Feb 00:

The 62nd in action at Johannesburg/Diamond Hill. From The Times, 16 Jun 1900:

David and gendancer
After all the excellent excerpts from the press-of-the-day, how can I resist posting a pic of a group where the QSA is named to 62 Bty, RFA? Well, I can't!

David/gendancer
Sent without details:
QSA bars NATAL/MODDER RIVER/PAARDEBURG/JOHANNESBURG/SA1901 to "22245 Gnr. J.R.TUTIN, 62nd Bty: RFA"
BWM to "30987 Pte J.R.TUTIN, HOUSEHOLD B"
VM to "30987 Pte J.R.TUTIN, G.Gds"
ISM to "John Robert TUTIN"
John Robert TUTIN took his discharge in September 1909 after serving 12 years at Home, SA, India and Home again. He re-enlisted in November 1915 and served in the Post Office Rifles and then in April 1918 was posted to 5th Bn, GG.
John Robert TUTIN's WW1 service got really serious on 26091918 when he was posted Guards Div. Base Depot, BEF, France with qualification noted as Lewis Gunner. He served overseas until Febuary, 1919 and was finally discharged in March of 1920.
Regards
IL.

Ian,

Thank you for filling the gap in this series of posts.

Many thanks
David

Hello djb,

From the Digest of Service or the 62nd Battery (Ref Laws No. 132), held at the Royal Artillery Museum.

The 62nd battery embarked on SS Zayathla with half of the 75th battery whilst the other half of the 75th battery and the 18th battery embarked on SS Zibengla at Birkenhead on 25th Sep 1899.

The SS Zayathla left Birkenhead at 11.00pm on 27th Sep and had to call in at Queenstown, Ireland and Las Palmas for repairs to machinery before, after 4 weeks, arriving at Cape Town on 25 Oct.

SS Zayathla was oriiginally named SS Ruapeho built in 1883 by John Elder & Co., Govan was of 4163 gross tons and nearly 400ft in length with a 2 cylinder steam engine, It was aquired by the British India SN Co. Ltd in July 1899 and renamed Zayathla on 14th Sep 1899. A picture of the vessel is attached.