TOPIC:

I am looking for some help in regards to the service of my 2nd Gr Grandfather Patrick Jeffries.
I have his short service attestation papers, some medal rolls, and his listing on the nominal roll for the Natal Police.
He served in the West Riding Regiment from 1890-1897, after which he was transferred to "Army Reserve in the Colony", during which time he served atleast some time with the Natal Police. In our family's oral history he worked at a jail and for a short time as a hangman which he requested to not continue. I would love to find out more about his service with the Natal Police as it seems there is a very wide range of duties (from active engagements to water/railway/gaol police) that they were involved in. So far I just have his name listed on the 1897 Natal Police nominal roll (and he listed serving with the Natal Police on his WWI attestation papers). He was married in Pietermaritzburg in 1903.
Right now I am hoping someone who is more familiar with similar documents can help me decipher some things.
One is on his attestation papers. He served: "Home, Barbados, South Africa" and this one I cannot make out. It is for his service time 97-02 when he was "serving in reserve on the Colony", and in the Natal Police. Is it some sort of short form or acronym?

My second one that I cant make out is on the 1908 medal roll for his Natal Police service, I believe it is him being awarded the QSA medal with a 1901 South Africa Clasp. If that makes sense? I cannot figure out the note on the right margin "remarks". The one directly above him I can make out as "Natal throughout war", but Patrick's I cant, except ...."R of L." at the end. Any thoughts?

JLB3,

For the second document, the text relates to his three clasps Belfast, Tugela Heights and Relief of Ladysmith.

I am still looking at the first one

Is the first one Army Base Company Reserve?

djb wrote: JLB3,

For the second document, the text relates to his three clasps Belfast, Tugela Heights and Relief of Ladysmith.

I am still looking at the first one

Thank you so much! I am going to have to do research on the each of those now! I guess that gives me some good information on where he was while serving with the Natal Police.

There is lots of information on the relief of Ladysmith and the action at Belfast on the site.

Good luck with your research
David