TOPIC:

Thanks Meurig

I have the slip whereupon Winifred Scott confirmed the clasps way back on 27 April 1986!

The answer to your speculation around the number awarded to the unit might be in the comment from Jon (below) from the auction website:

Natal Volunteer T.S. should not be confused with medals named to 'Natal Transport', a very similar unit. This unit was formed to ameliorate the deficencies in Buller's transport system. It would appear that it was made up of civilian contractors. 62 medals were issued named to the Natal Transport.

This might be the ticket

Todd is turning out to be an interesting charcater but more anon.

Regards

Now that is interesting, given the different naming on medals, I'd have though it was just one organisation, I wonder where that information came from?

Rory wrote: Thanks Meurig

I have the slip whereupon Winifred Scott confirmed the clasps way back on 27 April 1986!

The answer to your speculation around the number awarded to the unit might be in the comment from Jon (below) from the auction website:

Natal Volunteer T.S. should not be confused with medals named to 'Natal Transport', a very similar unit. This unit was formed to ameliorate the deficencies in Buller's transport system. It would appear that it was made up of civilian contractors. 62 medals were issued named to the Natal Transport.

This might be the ticket

Todd is turning out to be an interesting charcater but more anon.

Regards

Can anyone direct me to the medal roll for "Natal Transport", I have downloaded WO100/260 and 261 from the National Archive and although there is a roll for the Natal Volunteer Transport Service I can't seem to find Natal Transport.

Thanks

Jon

Jon

WO100/216 - ASC rolls.

Meurig

crypt wrote: Can anyone direct me to the medal roll for "Natal Transport", I have downloaded WO100/260 and 261 from the National Archive and although there is a roll for the Natal Volunteer Transport Service I can't seem to find Natal Transport.

Thanks

Jon

Good Day Rory.

I am Robert John Speirs' great nephew. I am very interested to read your post an the subsequent posts. Have to admit, I learnt a few things about my own ancestors from this forum.

What I do know of Robert J. Speirs is that he was born in Pietermaritzburg in 1877 and grew up on the farm Mount Park in the Dargle District of Natal where he was schooled by governesses. He was known as "Robin" to his family. He was involved in the relief of Ladysmith (unit unknown). His younger brother James (Jim) Speirs was trapped in the siege. Jim Speirs' letters home during the siege are posted on another page on AngloBoerWar.com.

Subsquent to the Boer War R.J. Speirs married his governess Agnes Muir and had two daughters and two sons by her. Montrose was the name of his first farm near Howick (then a village). He finished his successful farming career in Eston district.

Robert John Speirs died in Pietermaritzburg in 1944 after a long illness. The death notice of Robert Speirs in 1911 refers to his uncle.

Robert Douglas Chapman
Pietermaritzburg
February 2019

Post Script Edit. This statement appeared on the wrong thread once I posted it. I cannot seem to delete it. The moderator has my permission to delete it and I will try again.

dglschapman,

Many thanks for your post. It is in the correct thread so there's no need to move it.