TOPIC:

My wife's great grandfather Harry Roberts worked on the Victoria Falls Railway line as a chef. He was born in Illinois in the United States in @1880. He married a Boer woman Elizabeth Theron in Cape Town, South Africa. They had 2 daughters in Cape Town named Emmazetta & Winifred and then they moved to the USA in 1912.
Family lore is that Harry FOUGHT with the BRITISH during the Boer War and they came to the USA because his family hated that he fought with the British. I am having a hard time finding anything to prove this (myself being in the USA). Is it possible for a US citizen in Cape Town to join the British Army? Could he of fought in a militia type British unit?
Any help or direction anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated!
Brian Clark
Tampa, FL (USA)
[email protected]

Hello Brian,
It would be very unlikely indeed that Roberts joined the British Army in Cape Town or anywhere else in the Cape Colony during the war, however, he could certainly have joined any one of the SAMIF corps raised there during the war, I take it that you have absolutely nothing other than the family story?
Sadly, Roberts is a very common name, although, there are certainly a number possible men who are potential candidates until proven otherwise, the problem is that nominal and medal rolls don't give the exact details needed to discount a particular man, so a look at surviving enlistment papers would be needed in each case, these are certainly not always available to actually look at, only a percentage have survived.
You would have an awful lot of work ahead if you wished to try and find him just on the basis of a family story which may or may not be true.
Regards Frank Kelley

Dear Brian

I have tracked down the baptismal entries for Harry;s 2 daughters one born in Cape Town in 1906 and the other in Kimberley where he must have moved to in 1908,

I have e-mailed these to you.

Now for the Boer War - as Frank has correctly stated this is like looking for a needle in a haystack! Given thet Harry was a Chef with the Cape Government Railways I started my search there. There is a HJ Roberts who served with them in the Boer war but he was a Ganger thus unlikely to be your Harry.

There was also a H Roberts who served with the Cape Medical Staff - again a doubtful one.

I'm afraid you may never know unless you can track down a medal...

Regards

Rory

By way of encouragement, I have a QSA issued to an American who served 16.01.1900 to 31.10.1901 in the Railway Pioneer Regiment. His name, Walter Langan, 24 year old plumber on enlistment. Father was William Langan of 494 Aukland Avenue, Chicago. 4 shillings a day was stopped from his pay and sent monthly to George William Platt 57A Plein St. C.T.. His medal was issued to 2210 West Huron Street, Chicago, USA

Brian,

There was a Harry Roberts who attested into the Cape Police in June 1900. He could very well have been with the CP in Kimberley in 1908 as this was still the HQ of District 2 at that time.

I will be in Cape Town on Monday and will have a look at his attestation paper for you.

Regards
Adrian

It's a long shot Adrian - from what I understood Brian to say Harry was with the Railways prior to the Boer War and I have provided proof that he was in their employ post the Boer War.

If he had have enlisted with the CP in 1900 it would mean a break in service to join their ranks which is not impossible but unlikely.

A "tour" of the SA Archives website threw up another H Roberts from the Cape who had several brushes with the law and appears to have been an unsavory character. Let's hope this is not "our" Harry. Perhaps your papers will reveal more.

Regards

Rory