TOPIC:

On its way to me is the 4 clasp QSA to Captain Richard Ratliffe (note spelling) of the 5th Rifle Brigade who was called out for service with the Mounted Infantry.

This fellow earned a 1914 Star trio and was twice severely wounded in action in France but, it is his Boer War service that interests me. MI is unchartered waters for me - is there anyone who can shed light on his movements, who he would have fought with etc.?

The medal roll (attached) provides, as usual, almost no help at all. Additionally - anyone know where I can find his SA 1901 clasp on a Supplementary Roll?



Regards

Rory

Rory
In "Services of Officers", he is shown as a Special Services Officer for Mounted Infantry, his parent unit being 5th B'n., RB. Ops in CC and OFS March to July, 1901. Stirling says that Some of the RB were in the 13th Bn., M.I. and some with the 14th, both of which did splendid work under Bullock, Spens and other commanders in the W Transvaal. and the NE of the ORC. Stirling says that a good idea of the services of those two Bn's. is to be had from Lt. Moeller's "Two Years at the Front". Which is available in the "Books" section of David's site.
Not much, but you never know and I have had some success in researching Regular M.I. chaps.
Best regards
IL.

Rory,

He appears in the Times Shipping Reports for 1901:

He left South Africa on Wednesday 28/06/1901 on board the Aurania which reached Southampton 17/07/1901. The Aurania was carrying invalids, so he probably went to Netley Hospital.

Following on from Ians1900 post
There was a Captain C E Radclyffe wounded at Grootvlei on the 26th December 1900. Serving as a Captain 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade. Think he was a DSO winner.
Didn't find a R Ratliffe .

This is from the Liverpool Medals website:

Captain Richard Ratcliffe was originally commissioned on 8th July 1893 as 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Volunteer Battalion, the Northamptonshire Regiment. He was then called up for the war in South Africa, joining the 5th battalion Rifle Brigade on 21st February 1900.

London Evening Standard, 28 Feb 1901:

“Captain R. Radcliffe, 5th Rifle Brigade, has been selected for special service with the Mounted Infantry in South Africa, and will hold himself in readiness to embark at an early date.”

This, together with the shipping report indicates that he may not have been in South Africa long.

Note the spelling; they have spelt it two ways.

Further inspection of the Times Shipping Reports shows that the Kildonan Castle left Southampton on 14/03/1901 and amongst its passengers were 5 officers and 136 Men of the Rifle Brigade. The ship called at Queenstown on 16/03/1901 and amongst its passengers were a further 4 officers and 134 men of the Rifle Brigade. There is a comment that the ship was carrying 70 officers and 1385 men, including 29 officers and 1103 men of various regiments.

I believe that this is the Mounted Infantry of which Captain Ratliffe was part.