TOPIC:

I'm researching a Sgt Major John George Mainwaring, born 14 May 1880 in Lincolnshire.

From what I've found so far on 12 October 1897 he joined the North Staffordshire regiment in Burton on Trent and 3 months later transferred to the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, although his papers also mention the 2nd Battalion. From July 1898 until October 1899 he was stationed in Gibraltar before being posted to South Africa from October 1899 until June 1902.

It appears he was mentioned in despatches when he was in South Africa and I'm trying to find out the details of the event that resulted in this.

Can anyone help?

Many thanks.

PHSVM
Often trying to find out details which resulted in a "mention" is a fruitless task. Because of the date of his embarkation for SA, I assumed he was with 3GG and in the book "First or Grenadier Guards 2nd 3rd Battalions in South Africa" by Lloyd and Russel, I find one "7231 L/Cpl. J. Mainwaring of No.8 Coy, 3GG" embarked from SA as a "Coronation Representative" on 7/6/02. There is a "Cpl. T.Mainwaring" shown in Lord Roberts's Mentions of 4/9/1901 (Note, T not J - could simply be a misprint) .
Have you looked up his medal roll entitlement and checked for any personal papers still extant? There may be some reference to his being singled out for a "mention" there.
Good luck with your research.
Regards
IL.

Thank you for this.

Yes, the L/Cpl J Mainwaring is him - confirmed by his number.

All the information I have on him has come from his enlistment papers which are on Ancestry under Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Service Records. This lists his medals as Queen's South Africa Medal and 5 Battle Clasps and King's South Africa Medal and 2 Clasps. What is a 'Coronation Representative'?

I'm afraid I'm way out of my comfort zone with this. My interest is WW1 as I'm researching 60 men listed on my village Roll of Honour and Memorial Plaque of which he is one. I've just about learnt how to understand and interpret them!

I can't trace any records for him for WW1 although I believe GG records haven't been digatised yet but I can't even find a Medal Index Card for him.

'Coronation Representative' refers to the number of military who took part in King Edward VII's coronation procession, in London on 9th August 1902. Reportedly, "2,000 were representatives of colonial, Dominion or Indian forces." (Wikipedia)

A memorandum from the Coronation Military Office said that a total of 1,327 officers and 23,139 other ranks, with 2,080 for bands, would be in London for the Coronation ceremony, including c.10,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and yeomanry, 4,000 volunteers, and 2,000 Royal Navy and Royal Marines.
newspapers.library.wales/view/3346427/3346429/33/

PHYSVM
In addition to his pair for South African campaign service, your L/Cpl. J. Mainwaring would also have been awarded a bronze 1902 Coronation medal.
Regards
IL.

Many, many thanks for help with this. I may still not know what he did to get singled out for recognition but I have learnt other things about his career.

Linneyl - you said "Lord Roberts's Mentions of 4/9/1901" in an earlier post. When I was at school back in the dark ages (early 70s actually) a 'mention' to us was going to the Headmistress with your exercise book in which your teacher had written 'mention' (for a good piece of work) and this was then registered by the Head and recorded on your end of term report. I got very few of them

Would I be correct in thinking Lord Roberts's Mentions were similar? In other words he kept a log of acts which needed recording as special? If so could this be the 'mentioned in deapatches' listed on his military records?