TOPIC:

My man, aged 21 years 9 months, signed on a one year "unless the SA war lasts longer" engagement on 18 Jan 1900. His South Africa dates are 14 Feb to 27 Nov 1900 with VSC KOSB. He returned home and was discharged effective 28 Nov 1900.

His statement of services has the sentence :
"Discharged before completion of engagement, authority Para 172 (maybe 177) b of Regulations for Demobilization of South African Field Force".

Given he had signed effectively for the duration, he hadn't completed even a year, what did the paragraph say that brought him home early?

M

For the record and from enquiries elsewhere, it now seems that in about September 1900, elements of the SA Field Force, including the VSCs were beginning to be sent home as no longer required.

M