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I am transcribing my grandfather's diaries from his Boer War service with the Durham Light Infantry, Kitchener's Fighting Scouts and the Cattle Rangers. They are quite interesting and I find this website useful to correlate dates, places and events. An interesting observation is the slight variation in dates and details of certain events as they were recorded by my grandfather and as they appeared in the various extracts of official despatches I have seen. And the nominal rolls, while very useful, do not appear to record rank on discharge, or those who were KIA.

Some of his recorded experiences are quite revealing of how the war was fought - rounding up women and children and stock and burning farms was an everyday task for the KFS.

Hello and Welcome Boyd.....

Can you please advise your Grandfathers name as I also have a Diary for a Sergeant in the DLI and he might be mentioned in this one.....

Mike

Hi Mike,
My grandfather's details are:

Private Alfred Robinson 8078
Volunteer Company
1st Durham Light Infantry
24 January 1900 to 21 February 1901

His record shows that 1st DLI was part of the 4th Brigade (Colonel Cooper, Royal Dublin Fusiliers in command?) comprised also of 1st Rifle Brigade, 3rd King’s Royal Rifles, and 2nd Scottish Rifles. They were part of General Clery's 2nd Division.

He was granted a discharge to join KFS in Pietermaritzburg on the same day. Interesting statistic he kept was the miles they marched during his time in the infantry- total of 212. No wonder he wanted to join a mounted unit.

Boyd

Thanks for the info Boyd......

He is not listed in my diary for the 1st Battalion DLI.....

I see that he was a member of the Vol. Service Company.....

Here is the info that I have.....

Durham Light Infantry Volunteer Service Companies

1 VS Coy - 4/113/1 - 8060-8274
2 VS Coy - 3/112/1 - 8166-9315
3 VS Coy - 2/ 83/1 - 9322-9414

(Officers / Enlisted Men / Support Staff

Mike