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Rustenburg Cemetery

474 TROOPER ROBERT EDMONDS: 1ST BATTALION SCOTTISH HORSE. WOUNDED AT MOEDWIL.

I was very pleased to welcome on the strength the QSA to the above mentioned following my winning bid on our favourite internet auction site. I had been looking for a medal to a man who had been present at Moedwil for a while. Picking one up to the Scottish Horse was an extra bonus.

Robert Edmonds was born in Bermondsey, Surrey in 1874. The 1881 Census finds Robert living at 3 Jones Court, Bermondsey along with his 35 year old father Samuel H. Edmonds who worked as a General Labourer, and his mother Jane (33 years old) who is described as a Furskin Puller by occupation. Robert had two sisters Annorah (4) and Mary Eliza (11 months).
Census 1891 tells us that Robert was now 18 years old and a Private soldier serving with the infantry.
Which brings us to his first stint of soldiery.
Robert attested to the Royal West Surrey Regiment with the Regimental number 3403 on 6th January 1891 at the age of 18 years and 2 months. He was 5' 5" in height, weighed 114 lbs and had a chest range of 32" to 34". His complexion was sallow, he had dark brown eyes and hair. His religious denomination was that of Church of England.
He had numerous distinguishing marks including two vaccination marks, tattoos of a heart and three lines on the back of his right forearm, dots to the back of his right wrist, an anchor with his initials ER to back left forearm, L.L. front left forearm and back of left hand and finally a scar front of left hand. One of the most 'marked' attestations I have come across!

Robert would appear to have been a lively character if his statement of services is anything to go by.
Whilst serving with the 1st Battalion, I quote:
" Awaiting trial -17th March '92.
Convicted and imprisoned -26th March '92.
Returned to duty- 21st May '92.
Awaiting trial -25th Aug '94.
Convicted and imprisoned -26th Sept '94.
Returned to duty--6th Jan '95.
Awaiting trial -28/3/97.
Convicted and imprisoned -7/04/97.
Returned to duty--28/7/97."

Service with the Royal West Surrey's as follows:
Home-06/01/1891 to 23/12/1891.
Makta- 24/12/1891 to 16/01/1895.
East Indies - 17/01/1895 to 18/04/1899.
Total -8 years 103 days.
For this period of service he was entitled to the India General Service medal with the clasp Tirah.
His next of kin was given to be his brother Thomas residing in Bermondsey.
He appears to have been invalided from the service.

It is fortunate that his attestation document for the Scottish Horse is still available.
Declaring his age to be 27 and occupation to be that of a Labourer, Robert attested to the Scottish Horse during the Anglo Boer War. His place of enlistment was Johannesburg, so one can only assume that he made his way to South Africa independently. His next of kin was his sister, Miss Edmonds who was still living in England at 13 Neckinger Street, Bermondsey, London.
During his service with the 1st Battalion Scottish Horse, he was present at the fierce fighting at Moedwil. I will not repeat a description of the action, preferring to guide the reader to the vivid accounts previously posted on this thread by other forummers.
Robert was severely wounded at Moedwil on 30th September 1901. From the faint writing on the Record of Service, I believe that he was discharged invalided on 28th November 1901 at the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital at Elandsfontein classified as "medically unfit". His military behaviour had definitely improved as his character was described as 'Good'.
Furthermore, an attached medical history dated 12th March 1902 states that he had increased his weight to 140lbs and was now 5'7" tall.







For his service in South Africa with the Scottish Horse Robert received the Queen's South Africa medal with clasps Transvaal and South Africa 1901 & South Africa 1902, making this a most interesting state and date QSA.
WO100/263 confirms entitlement.

Robert Edmonds was not done with his military career just yet. As Private 7408 he enlisted at Wyke Regis, Poole, Dorset for the Dorset Regiment on 7th September 1914.
His Military History Sheet states:
Home- 07/09/1914 to 22/10/1914.
Expeditionary Force-23/10/1914 to 23/09/1916.
Home-24/09/1916 to 09/12/1916.
Total-2 years 94 days.

He would have been one of the first Tommies to land in France making him entitled to the 1914 Mons Star as an Old Contemptible.
His next of kin was brother Richard Edmonds still residing at the long time family home at 13 Neckinger Street, Bermondsey.

Perhaps his trauma from his wounding at Moedwil added to the horrors of two years in France during the Great War finally caught up with Robert? A Casualty Form-Active Service describes Robert being admitted to hospital in the field suffering from a 'mental" condition, no doubt what would be diagnosed as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in our more enlightened times. He was eventually invalided back to England on 23rd September 1916.

Sadly, for this old soldier, he seems to have found his way into a mental asylum not long after his return from France.
The next trace of him comes from the Register of Inmates from the City of Westminster Union dated 31st March 1917. Alongside his entry on the form is the column which explains by whose order he was admitted to the institution.
It just says plainly 'Police'.
Who knows what mental turmoil and anguish Robert was going through following his lengthy service with three units and two major wars. I do not know what happened to him after this date, but will update this post should further information be forthcoming.
A very sad end for this Moedwil veteran.

Many thanks , Steve, for an excellent write-up on Trooper Edmonds.

Details of the pair to Major Lavie. RAMC. who was MID for Moedwil, are here: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...-ramc?start=48#90944