TOPIC:

Yes. My great Grandfather was irish and born in Clonroche, Co. Wexford.. He started his military career in the Royal Irish and joined the RASC when he was 22 in 1892. My Great Grandmother was indeed Jane Roberts. As he was a Corporal Farrier during the 2nd Boaer war I am also interested to find out what his role would have been.

Curlypearly wrote: Yes. My great Grandfather was irish and born in Clonroche, Co. Wexford.. He started his military career in the Royal Irish and joined the RASC when he was 22 in 1892. My Great Grandmother was indeed Jane Roberts. As he was a Corporal Farrier during the 2nd Boaer war I am also interested to find out what his role would have been.

An admirable account of the work of the Army Service Corps, instructive alike to soldiers or civilians, is found in Sir Wodehouse Richardson's ' With the Army Service Corps in South Africa.' London, 1903.



This publication may be able to enlighten you.
Thomas was proficient and qualified for Cold Shoeing, Shoeing Smith and Carraige Smith. So he would have been very busy during the beginning stages of the war. However, if he had injuries to his finger or fingers which kept reoccurring, his role would have certainly been impacted. As Rob has mentioned he may have been Invalided due to disease or he could have been unable to carry out his duties as a Smith reference his finger injuries.

Being pedantic your GGF in 1892 joined the Army Service Corps, I believe they became Royal at the start of WW1.

The main function of the ASC in the ABW was to keep the fighting soldiers supplied with, in order of importance to the common soldier, food, clothing (especially boots), ammunition etc etc. Nearly every letter home from the front which I have read complains about the lack of food. As a Farrier Corporal your GGF would probably have been intent on keeping the horses involved in the supply convoys on the move.