TOPIC:

The DEOVR
This Cape Town Corps fought in Bechuanaland

Source: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/19-ephemera/3...under-the-union-jack

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

CGHGSM (1) Basutoland (Pte. J. Carr. D.E.O.V.R.)

385 TROOPER JAMES BAIN: D.E.O.V.R.
918 TROOPER COLONIAL LIGHT HORSE

James Bain was born in 1865 in Glasgow, Scotland.
His military life began with his serving in the 1st Lanark Artillery back in Scotland.
At some point he travelled to South Africa
where, at the beginning of the Anglo Boer War, he attested to the Cape Medical Staff Corps and became a member of 'D' Company as detailed on the Medal Roll for the corps WO100/240.
His service was from 1st February 1900 through until 5th February 1901.

Following his taking leave of the CMSC , he attested to the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Volunteer Rifles at Cape Town on 5th March 1901 and received regimental number 385.
He gave his age as 36, his occupation as Clerk and his next of kin was his wife Margaret Bain, who was back home in Glendevon, Pollockshields, Glasgow.
The 1st Battalion were kept busy in the western Cape area throughout 1901 and 1902 escorting convoys and manning guard posts often some distance from the railway and the main body of the imperial forces. The men guarding the Griquatown and Daniel's Kuil areas had a particularly lively time with the roving Boer commandos frequently raiding and inflicting casualties.

It is not clear when James Bain became a member of the 2nd Battalion of the Dukes, better known as the Colonial Light Horse which was raised on 7th January 1901as a mounted unit to take the fight to the commandos. He was allocated regimental number 918 and may have been involved in the skirmishes in Cape Colony which occurred after the declaration of peace because the isolated bands of bitterenders still active in the area just would not believe that it was all over! Nevertheless, four men were killed and an officer wounded needlessly on 3rd June 1902 near Fraser burg in the Cape.


Queen's South Africa medal with clasps Cape Colony/Orange Free State and Transvaal accompanied by the King's South Africa medal with both date clasps as awarded to Trooper James Bain.


Impressed naming showing regimental numbers 385 for the 1st bn. Dukes and 918 for CLH.


Impressed unit naming showing D.E.O.V.R. on the QSA and COLONIAL L.H. on the KSA.

As far as my research shows, James came through the conflict unscathed physically. Beyond the peace, maybe he returned to Glasgow to the missus?

There are plenty of QSAs out there to the Dukes, and one occasionally comes across a KSA to the CLH. However, to find a pair named to the units as in this example is not an everyday experience!
Approximately 500 men are listed on the Nominal Roll for CLH, I wonder how many men were awarded a pair named for service D.E.O.V.R. on QSA and CLH on KSA. I guess that will remain one of life's many mysteries!

Interesting, and a bit puzzling to me. The number 385 seems very low to have been allocated by 1st DEOVR in March 1901. The regimental numbering system had begun in 1896, and no 385 would probably have been allocated in that year. Did he not perhaps attest directly into 2nd DEOVR? The number would fit, as the second battalion had 499 members by mid-April.

2nd DEOVR was converted from infantry to mounted, and renamed 'Colonial Light Horse', on 1 October 1901.

Arthur R, Thank you for your comments which has led me to looking through the available paperwork again.

The Medal Roll for the Dukes, WO100/242, shows the numbers 385 & 918 for Trooper J. Bain. However, there is no marginal information regarding which number applies to which battalion. Indeed, at the head of the Medal Roll where you might expect to see a regiment/battalion named there is nothing written, just a blank space, not even D.E.O.V.R. Possibly due to the state of flux within the unit with men going over from 1st to 2nd Battalion to become mounted infantry. There are a few other examples on the first ten pages of the roll that I have checked of men being double numbered.

In summary, in view of your input Arthur , it would appear that 918 (1st bn.) should have been on the QSA, and 385 (2nd bn.) on the KSA. Would that sound a likely scenario? One of the many anomalies on medals for the conflict.

Cheers Steve

As you say a nice pair, relatively seldom encountered.

I have the following trio:-

Three – East and West Africa Medal one bar: Gambia 1894 (J. Wallace, Pte. R.M., H.M.S. Magpie); QSA, one bar: CC (1538 Pte. J. Wallace, D. of E. Own V.R.); KSA two bars: SA’01, SA’02 (890 Tpr. J. Wallace, Colonial L.H.)

RobM