TOPIC:

I thought it would be interesting to see members' items of field kit.
To start, this is a British Mk I water bottle, found a few years after the War near Spioenkop. It has lost its felt cover.

A 6¾-inch round water bottle, it was made of two halves of wrought iron, enamelled inside and out, with a white metal alloy screw socket soldered into the neck.
1½ pints capacity.
The bottle was carried over the shoulder on a leather strap.
The hole in the lid was to allow the soldier to take a swig without unscrewing the lid, the hole being plugged by a wooden T-shaped plug.
From the stamps on the lip: NO88 . 13H . 94H.
I suspect this example was issued to the 13th Hussars, 1 squadron of which were on the Upper Tugela; 88 is I think an inventory number, but 94H has me baffled. Any ideas?





Thanks to MC Heunis for help with identification!

Felt-covered aluminium water-bottle with name in black stencilled letters: "ROWE / 31ST IMP / YEO". Neck of bottle stamped "WD" over Broad Arrow "/|\", followed by "K & S / 1900". Stopper inscribed: "BRITISH MANUFACTURE".

35480 Sergt Farrier Jesse Lewis Rowe, 31st (Montgomeryshire) Company, 9th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry received a serious gunshot wound to the hip during the battle of ‘Frankfort’ in Nov 1901. His squadron became detached from the main force and was ambushed and surrounded by Boers, having to be rescued by re-enforcements.



WO 129/5, WO 128/115

Name: Jesse Louis ROWE
Number: 35480
Born: Sleaford, Lincolnshire
Age on 04/03/1901: 26 years, 10 months
Therefore born: 1874

Calling: Miner/Mechanic

Address: 56 Bramley Road, Notting Hill, London W.

Transferred from: n/a

Corps: 47th Company (Duke of Cambridge’s Own), 13th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry

Attested, London, for 1 year’s service: 04/03/1901 (Private)
Promoted: 01/10/1901 (Farrier-Sergeant)
Transferred to 31st (Montgomeryshire) Company, 9th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry: 01/10/1901
Discharged (Termination of Period of Engagement): 03/09/1902
Intended place of residence: 1 Claremont Place, North Road, Sleaford, Lincoln.

Home: 04/03/1901 to 24/03/1901
South Africa: 25/03/1901 to 27/08/1902
Home: 28/08/1902 to 03/09/1902

Next of kin:
Letty ROWE (Mother), 1 Claremont Place, North Road, Sleaford, Lincolnshire

Medal: QSA with clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 & South Africa 1902
Wounded: Frankfort, November 1901 (hip wound)




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A beautiful example!
Interesting to see how the IY named their kit to individuals.
Also interesting to see that aluminium was in use at this relatively early date.
This is possibly the only South African War item made of aluminium I've seen... though that may be a function of my memory... anyone have other aluminium equipment?
Rob

The only other items of equipment I can think of that used aluminium were various types of binocular and telescope (e.g. Goerz Trieder fernglas and Aitchison's Patent collapsible binos). Also, some combination knife-fork-and-spoons had aluminium grips.

Below is a Mark IV water-bottle, marked to the New Zealand Contingent. Blue enamel with khaki wool felt cover. "N /|\ Z" stencilled on cover (just visible). Leather shoulder strap, with impressed maker's mark "J.A.JACOBS & Co / 1900" to free end, and "N /|\ Z" to underside.




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I knew that I posted something on this subject but it took me some time to find it......

Please look here: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/21-uniforms-b...-boer-war-1900#70719

Mike

Also remembered this......

Please look here: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/13-miscellany...ompetition-cup#63056

Mike