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I couldn't see a Sinclair in the nominal roll for Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry; however, there was a Sergeant J. J. Sinclair in the Umvoti Mounted Rifles.




At Surrey Quarter Sessions, at Kingston-on-Thames, yesterday, John Sinclair, 31, an auctioneer's clerk, pleaded guilty to committing a burglary at Ewell.

Prisoner told the court that for the past ten years he had been in South Africa. After setting up a store in Rhodesia, which he gave up on account of his health, he had moved further south, and started a big cattle ranch. Owing to rinderpest he lost all his animals, and subsequently to being employed on a coffee plantation he joined, at the outbreak of the Boer war, Thorneycroft's Rough Riders, in which regiment he attained the rank of sergeant. On its disbandment, in 1902, he went to Durban in search of work, and, failing to secure employment, he worked his way on a vessel over to England. After tramping all over the country without finding work he was reduced to the appearance of an ordinary tramp, and having no money with which to purchase food, he for a time lived on blackberries and raw turnips. It was through feeling the pangs of hunger that he was driven to commit the burglary. Prisoner added that he was robbed of his war medal and discharge papers at a lodging-house in Durban. - The Chairman (Mr. G. Cave) said the court accepted the prisoner's story as true, and as he had promised to go into a labour home he was bound over to come up for judgment if called upon.

Evening Express, Saturday 9th January 1904

I suppose the press simply reported upon what they actually heard spoken on the day in question rather than them making an error regarding the service mentioned, but, a defendant could say whatsoever he wanted to, there was no instant check available.

I take it that it would be nigh on impossible for the court to check up on a claim of having served in a South African unit.

Yes, I think that would have been a hugely difficult task at the time.

It has been a problem for nearly 120 years. I was looking to track down a Wepener man who was reported on the 1902 medal roll to have served in the Rand Rifles but I could not trace him at all.