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Moranthorse 1
17780 Pte. F. Gear of TMI served between 31/1/1902 and 30/6/1902 with F Company. This info from "Thorneycrofts 'Unbuttoned'". a reading of that excellent work (especially the closing pages of chapter XX) will give some idea of the service Pte. Gear undertook to earn his clasps and medal.
Regards
IL.

Pictures courtesy of eBay

From an listing last month that had a starting price of £1,800 but did not sell,

SAGS (1) 1878 ZULU (LIEUT: J. H. PATTERSON. TRANSKIE FINGO LEVY.);
QSA (5) CC TH OFS RoL Tr (9327 CORPL: J. H. PATTERSON. TH'CROFT'S M.I.);
KSA (2) (AGENT J. H. PATTERSON. F. I. D.)

John Henry Patterson.

DNW September 2002 £620.

2988 Private Joseph Nicol QSA (7), Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing's Nek & South Africa 1901

Pte J. Nicol is confirmed on the Thorneycroft Mounted Infantry medal roll having served with B Co. with the clasp entitlements and enlisted on the 20th October 1899 and discharged at own request on 16th March 1901.


I would appreciate help from anyone familiar with Aberdeen; does this adress look familiar?



I even asked one of my Scottish mates from Aberdeen and he didn't have much luck either.

Thanks.

Sturgy,
I know nothing of Aberdeen, but what I do know, is that's a tidy medal. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers Steve

Sturgy
Yes, indeed a tidy medal. There is nothing extra on your Nicol in Robin Droogleever's "Thorneycrofts Unbuttoned" however a reading of that book fills out what TMI did to earn those clasps.
Regards
IL.

Hi Linneyl,

I completely agree with you; Robin Droogleevers book makes for excellent reading.

It took some searching but I finally manged to track one down!

The Australian War Memorial has this picture in their collection which hopefully includes Cpl Nicol



Description
Group portrait of the members of B Company, Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry, taken a week after the relief of Ladysmith. Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry was raised at Pietermaritzburg on 16th October 1899 by Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Alexander Whitelaw Thorneycroft of the Royal Scots Fusiliers and was comprised of 500 irregulars. They arrived at Mooi River on 18th November 1899 and fought with the relief force at the battles of Willow Grange and Spionkop (with122 casualties out of 194 men) and the breakthrough at Ladysmith. Identified are Major Thorneycroft (centre front, hat across knees) and 39932 Trooper Louis (Lewis) Raikes Garrett (back row 6th from left, marked with an arrow). Trooper Garrett along with Troopers 4728 H R Cadden and 6778 Alfred Harris, all from Hawthorn, Victoria, served together in this unit. The men had attempted unsuccessfully to enlist in the contingents leaving Victoria so had made their own way to South Africa and enlisted with Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry.