TOPIC:

Hi
My name is Neil Crafter from Adelaide, Australia. I am researching the life of Dr Alister Mackenzie the golf course architect, who served as a Civil Surgeon with the 4th Somerset Light Infantry during the Boer War. At this time he would have been known by his christened name Alexander Mackenzie. We have a clipping from The Times showing that he sailed as a Civil Surgeon with the 4th on the Kildonan Castle from Southampton on 2nd August 1900 bound for Queenstown. He was later awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with two clasps, which ones these were I do not know.

I would appreciate any help in regards to the 4th Somerset and their movements during the war. I have not been able to confirm precisely when Dr Mackenzie returned to Britain but believe it was sometime around April-May 1901.

Thanks in advance.

Some further information I have been able to find about Civil Surgeon A. Mackenzie from the Shipping section of this website, that corrects and adds to the info I previously had. What a great resource!

Seems the 4th Somerset LI with civil surgeon A. Mackenzie were on the Kildonan Castle that left Southampton via Queenstown on 7th March 1900 (not 2nd August), arriving in Cape Town on 26th March.

Mackenzie is then listed as among a group of Civil Surgeons on the Pinemore which left Cape Town on March 15 1901, arriving 9th April 1901.

I have also found mentions for personnel of 4th Somerset Light Infantry being "dangerously ill" in East London in both May and October 1900 from the Daily Express newspaper archive site. Would this mean the unit was in the East London vicinity in that time period? Thanks for any help.
cheers Neil

Hi Neil and welcome to the Forum.

I have had a look through the medal rolls and there are few matches.

WO100/226 is the roll for the civil surgeons.

On WO100/226p36 lists a civil surgeon A Mackenzie serving with the Lines of Communication, Cape Colony with the clasp CC.

On WO100/226p11 lists a civil surgeon A Mackenzie as being attached to the RAMC and earning clasps CC and Tr.

On WO100/226p87 is an SA01 clasp issued to a civil surgeon A Mackenzie.

The Somerset LI roll does not list any attached civil surgeons which is to be expected.

The medal rolls also have a civil surgeon A H Mackenzie.

In terms of where to go next, there is not much information on these men. I would usually have a look in the medical directories and sites such as the BMA archives in the hope of an obituary.

Gook luck
David

Many thanks David, appreciate the reply.

Alexander (Alister) Mackenzie had no middle name so that rules out the last one.

I know quite a deal about his life and have his Medical Directory listings. These say that he was "Civil Surg. attached 4th Somerset L. Inf. S. Africa (Medal with Clasps)." Similarly the 1912 Who's Who in Yorkshire says that he served from 1900-01 and obtained medal and 2 clasps.

The only roll listing that matches in my mind is the second one on page 11 which have him being attached to the RAMC and earning clasps CC and Tr. Would these be Cape Colony and Transvaal? Would there be a medal card somewhere do you think?

I am very keen to find out in which locations the 4th Somerset LI served while he was attached to them so that I can plot his movements.

Thanks again.
Neil

Neil,

The medal rolls will show the approximate area in which people served. The roll for the 4th SLI (WO100/175) shows entitlement the Cape Colony clasp almost exclusively. But this is a big area I know!

There is little in the regimental history about the 4th battalion. Would it be worth contacting the RHQ/Regimental Museum?

Regards
David

Thanks David
I have contacted the somerset Military Museum and they suggested I purchase the regimental history to learn about the 4th battalion's role in the BW but if as you say the 4th is barely mentioned then there would be not a great deal to be gained.
How would I go about contacting the Regimental Museum do you know? Thanks for your help.
cheers Neil