TOPIC:

Hi,
newbie looking for guidance/research re the service of my great grandfather in the Boer War.
His name was William Hill of Sheffield. Family legend has it that he served with the Coldstream Guards? in the Boer War and that he was wounded. Afraid that is all we have. He later saw service in the Great War in the artillery. Indeed i have an image of him in his uniform with what looks like a 'South African' ribbon above his left breast pocket.

I have him on the 1901 census as being in Sheffield working as a Steel Works labourer.
Any pointers as to how i track him down would be greatly appreciated.

regards
Trefcon

Trefcon,

There are soldiers papers for people born in Sheffield (presuming he was born there?) at about the right time:



These are available on line or via a researcher at the National Archives.

I can't see anyone called W Hill on the casualty list but there are several people called W Hill on the rolls for the Coldstream Guards:

9322 Pte W H Hill
9561 Pte W Hill
709 Pte W A Hill
2120 L Cpl W Hill

Any chance you have his service number or any more details?

Regards
David

Trefcon,

Intriguingly, 709 Pte W A Hill has papers available. The index says he, William Alfred, was born in Sheffield in 1875.

Might be your man?

Good luck!
David

David, thank you so much for your reply, much appreciated. Yes, born at Sheffield about 1878.
Afraid i done have his number. His medals were pawned by my grand father in the 50's/60's !! Created a family rift that did!
As to a middle name, i have not come across anything that says he had one, marriage cert/census etc.
I have been told he met his wife Fanny Goldsmith at Wellington Barracks, they married in 1905 at Hollington in Kent, i have a wedding photo. He is in civvies.
In the great war he is a serjeant in the artillery, i was wondering if the family legend he was Coldstream might be wrong and he was in fact artillery in the Boer war too ? He was a very tall man, at least 6' 6'' looking at his photographs.

2120 and 9561 i can discount as not him, courtesy of Pals on the Great War Forum.
Thank you for the pointers, i'll follow those up.

regards
Dean.

UPDATE -
Dont know if this will help, but have now found out he was possibly 4997 Coldstream Guards at the outbreak of war (WW1), landing in France on 12/8/1914. Then transferred to the Clyde RGA, 326935, at Gourock, Scotland.

Dean.