TOPIC:

My gt gt uncle John James Smith died in 1918 having served as Sergeant 15030 Royal Field Artillery. Prior to that he was with the 80th Battery RFA in Jubbulpore, India (1911 census). However, he's missing from 1901 census & family stories suggest that he served during the Boer war. How do I find out if he did? He was born in 1882 at Thornton-le-Street, near Northallerton/Thirsk, North Yorkshire, the son of John & Eliza Smith. He didn't marry until 1909.
I've found two John James Smiths using this site but how do I determine if either of them is him?

Thank you for any help at all from a completely bewildered novice.

Jonty,

Thank you for your post and welcome to the forum.

I have had a look for him on the QSA rolls and not come up with any matches. It could be that he was overseas in 1901 and not in South Africa?

As you can imagine, there are quite a few J Smiths in the Artillery in the Boer War but none with that regimental number. That said, he could have changed his number during the Great War.

There is one J J Smith in the Artillery but I don't think this is him.

The 80th RFA were not deployed to South Africa for the Boer War so this does point to him being elsewhere in 1901 (presuming he was with this battery at the time).

I can see his MIC which also says he was MID 11 Jun 1918.

Sorry not to be more help
David

David,

Thank you for your efforts, very much appreciated. Unfortunately there's no trace of John James Smiths service/Pension record from WWI (nor for his brother Fred, my gt grandfather who won the MM), so I suppose I'll have to try to find out more about his service in India & hope it leads me slowly backwards.

Jackie