TOPIC:

Details of the BSACM and QSA pair Lt C W N Perkins, CinCBG, late Matabele Relief Force, are here: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...guard?start=90#92509

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

BSACM reverse Rhodesia 1896 (0) (3262 Pte. William Atkinson, 2. W.Rid Regt.);
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen (3262 Pte. W. Atkinson, W. Riding Regt.);
KSA (2) (3262 Pte. A. [sic] Atkinson. W. Riding Regt.)

William Atkinson served during the Boer War with the 1st Battalion, West Riding Regiment, and is recorded in The Boer War Casualty Roll as slightly wounded near Alandale on 20 January 1901.

The group of three in poor condition to Pte C Guy ( www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...medal?start=42#70686 ) is being re-advertised by Spink.

His biography has been extended:

Charles Guy was born on 16 November 1873 at Harting, Sussex. He enrolled into the Lancastrian Boys School, Chichester on 3 March 1879 and upon the 1891 census he is recorded as being in Chichester Barracks as a serving soldier with the 3rd Royal Sussex Regiment, this being a Militia unit. On the 30 June 1891 he completed the attestation papers for enlistment with the East Kent Regiment, with his Conditional Discharge of a Militiaman form completed on 3 July 1891 which confirmed that he had seen 76 days service with the 3rd Royal Sussex Regiment.

On 25 August 1891 he transferred to the 7th Hussars, remaining at the Depot until his regiment sailed for India on 7 September 1893.

After serving for two years and 47 days on the sub-continent, he and his comrades sailed for South Africa on 22 October 1895, ostensibly for garrison duty and to, along with other regiments, maintain a British presence in the Colony of Natal. Once in Natal, they inherited the horses of the 3rd Dragoon Guards and went by train to Pietermaritzburg. This was a routine posting but while they were there trouble flared up in Matabeleland. In addition to earning the Medal, Guy received the 1897 clasp for supressing the subsequent uprising amon the Mashona.

He spent a total of three years and 38 days in South Africa before returning to England on 30 November 1898. The following day he was transferred to the Army Reserve having served his initial seven years with the Colours. However he was recalled to army service on 1 January 1900 and found himself as a Private serving with the 14th Hussars. 'A' and 'C' squadrons sailed on the Victorian arriving at the Cape on 1 January 1900, and were sent on to Durban. 'B' squadron sailed on the Cestrian and landed in Cape Town on 10 January. The two Natal squadrons were, for a time, brigaded with the 1st Royal Dragoons and 13th Hussars and took part in the work between 14-27 February when the Relief of Ladysmith was accomplished.

In the second phase of the war the 14th Hussars were chiefly employed in the Eastern Transvaal and around the passes in the Newcastle district, where they frequently had skirmishes; but as in the first stage they had the misfortune to be again broken up. For his efforts, Guy was awarded the Queen's Medal with 3 clasps, This would tend to confirm that, since his arrival in South Africa, he had taken part in the fighting in the march through the Orange River Colony, through Bloemfontein and on to Johannesburg. He did not earn the Diamond Hill and Belfast clasps so did not take part in the capture of Pretoria or the battle of Dalmanutha in the Eastern Transvaal.

Guy quitted the Colours on 13 August 1902 and was placed back on the Army Reserve, after furlough, on 17 March 1903. Having returned home, he was discharged, termination of first period of engagement, on 29 June 1903, having served his full 12 years. He lived and worked in London after leaving the army and according to the 1911 census was employed as a Commissionaire.

djb wrote: The group of three in poor condition to Pte C Guy ( www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...medal?start=42#70686 ) is being re-advertised by Spink.

His biography has been extended:

Charles Guy was born on 16 November 1873 at Harting, Sussex. He enrolled into the Lancastrian Boys School, Chichester on 3 March 1879 and upon the 1891 census he is recorded as being in Chichester Barracks as a serving soldier with the 3rd Royal Sussex Regiment, this being a Militia unit. On the 30 June 1891 he completed the attestation papers for enlistment with the East Kent Regiment, with his Conditional Discharge of a Militiaman form completed on 3 July 1891 which confirmed that he had seen 76 days service with the 3rd Royal Sussex Regiment.

On 25 August 1891 he transferred to the 7th Hussars, remaining at the Depot until his regiment sailed for India on 7 September 1893.

After serving for two years and 47 days on the sub-continent, he and his comrades sailed for South Africa on 22 October 1895, ostensibly for garrison duty and to, along with other regiments, maintain a British presence in the Colony of Natal. Once in Natal, they inherited the horses of the 3rd Dragoon Guards and went by train to Pietermaritzburg. This was a routine posting but while they were there trouble flared up in Matabeleland. In addition to earning the Medal, Guy received the 1897 clasp for supressing the subsequent uprising amon the Mashona.

He spent a total of three years and 38 days in South Africa before returning to England on 30 November 1898. The following day he was transferred to the Army Reserve having served his initial seven years with the Colours. However he was recalled to army service on 1 January 1900 and found himself as a Private serving with the 14th Hussars. 'A' and 'C' squadrons sailed on the Victorian arriving at the Cape on 1 January 1900, and were sent on to Durban. 'B' squadron sailed on the Cestrian and landed in Cape Town on 10 January. The two Natal squadrons were, for a time, brigaded with the 1st Royal Dragoons and 13th Hussars and took part in the work between 14-27 February when the Relief of Ladysmith was accomplished.

In the second phase of the war the 14th Hussars were chiefly employed in the Eastern Transvaal and around the passes in the Newcastle district, where they frequently had skirmishes; but as in the first stage they had the misfortune to be again broken up. For his efforts, Guy was awarded the Queen's Medal with 3 clasps, This would tend to confirm that, since his arrival in South Africa, he had taken part in the fighting in the march through the Orange River Colony, through Bloemfontein and on to Johannesburg. He did not earn the Diamond Hill and Belfast clasps so did not take part in the capture of Pretoria or the battle of Dalmanutha in the Eastern Transvaal.

Guy quitted the Colours on 13 August 1902 and was placed back on the Army Reserve, after furlough, on 17 March 1903. Having returned home, he was discharged, termination of first period of engagement, on 29 June 1903, having served his full 12 years. He lived and worked in London after leaving the army and according to the 1911 census was employed as a Commissionaire.

I had great fun with Charles Guy whilst I had him but it was time to move him on to another collector.

Regards

Rory

djb wrote:

Picture courtesy of Spink

BSACM Rhodesia 1896 (0) (Tpr. C. Philpot, Salisbury Fld. Fce.);
QSA (3) Cape Colony, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (1075 Serjt: C. Philpott. Prince Alf: Vol: Gd:).

Have recently acquired this pair and would love any assistance in researching. Have not been able to find anything outside of medal roll confirmations etc.

Hi Sapper97,

Genealogical research is like solving a mystery puzzle; 80% dead ends, 20% frustration but lots of fun.

As you said there is limited information on this individual and there is also the small anomaly that the one surname has one "t" and the other has two "t"s in the spelling; not surprising when looking at the handwriting of his family name on the medal roll.

If we focus on the Prince Alfred Vol Guard then there was one "Philpot" family living in Port Elizabeth at the time; the father "Edgar" passed away in 1884 and had a young son "Charles":



A "Charles Alfred Philpot", plasterer by trade, was living in Port Elizabeth, born circa 1869, married in 1904:



The same "Charles Alfred Philpot", now widowed, remarried in 1917:



The same "Charles Alfred Philpot" passed away in 1933:



If it were just the single medal (QSA) then I would be fairly confident that this is your man behind the medal.

There were 2 other Charles Philpotts (2x"t") in South Africa, was was ex-military who also served in the Boer War with the Army Service Corp (Reg Number 6829); he was a Farrier Sgt who arrived in South Africa 6 Oct 1899 and would not have been awarded either medals. The other Charles Philpott died (drowned) in Cape Town in 1904, a fireman onboard SS Carisbrook Castle.

There is a good chance (80%) that "Charles Alfred Philpot", born circa 1869 in Port Elizabeth and died 1933 in Port Elizabeth is your man.....but still I can't explain the BSAC medal....so I'm not overly confident.

Good luck with the rest of your research and let us know if you find out any more information; perhaps start a new topic so we can add to it.