TOPIC:

Hello, my name is Alison, I live in the States, and I'm doing research on my great great uncle, Herbert Young, who died in the Boer War. He was from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, but was in the Essex Regiment stationed at Warley Barracks, Brentwood, Essex, as of the 1891 census. That's about all I know so far. If you know how to find the date and circumstances of death of soldiers in the Essex Regiment, I'd be grateful for any help.
Thanks!
Alison

As LinneyI says, there wasn't a Herbert Young of the Essex Regiment who died in the ABW (unless he died in the UK and wasn't commemorated). However, there was a Herbert Young of Hatfield who died in the ABW, he's remembered in Hatfield's parish church: -

Hatfield's Boer War Roll of Honour (1899-1902)

The eight men from Hatfield who died in the Boer War dead are commemorated by a stained-glass window and a panel by the altar of St Etheldreda's Church.

AUSTIN, Thomas
BAMFORD, Branton
CHAPMAN, Emmanuel
CROUCHER, George S
GOODWIN, Benjamin
ROBERTSON, Matthew
VALENTINE, Herbert
YOUNG, Herbert

www.hatfield-herts.co.uk/warmemorial.html

www.tracesofwar.com/sights/108065/Boer-W...emorial-Hatfield.htm

Could he have been 3548 Private H. Young, Bedfordshire Regiment; killed in action at Thaba N'chu on 16th November 1900, or 466 Lance Corporal H. Young, King's Royal Rifle Corps; died of enteric fever at Ladysmith, 18th February 1900?

Alison, you could try contacting the Hatfield Local History Society.
www.hatfieldhistory.uk/contact/

I think with this and all the similar enquires that appear here, it is very important to first establish a clear and tangible link between your family member and in this case the Herbert Young in the census you mention.
The Herbert Young in RG12 was a nineteen year old and depending upon the particular engagement he signed when he joined the Army he would likely to have been at best a Reservist at the point the Anglo Boer War started, but, what information do you have that confirms he was your relative beyond reasonable doubt?

aliossimo wrote: Hello, my name is Alison, I live in the States, and I'm doing research on my great great uncle, Herbert Young, who died in the Boer War. He was from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, but was in the Essex Regiment stationed at Warley Barracks, Brentwood, Essex, as of the 1891 census. That's about all I know so far. If you know how to find the date and circumstances of death of soldiers in the Essex Regiment, I'd be grateful for any help.
Thanks!
Alison

Dear BereniceUK and Frank Kelley,

Thank you very much for your replies. I have contacted the parish clerk at St. Etheldreda's in Hatfield to see if she can confirm that the Herbert Young in the ABW memorial is the son of Sophia and Joseph Young, my great great grandparents.

Herbert Young was born in 1872. I cannot prove that the HY listed in the 1891 census as being in the Essex Regiment, and being from Hatfield, is my great great uncle, it just seems statistically likely.

Is it possible that in the "fog of war," with so many deaths due to battle and disease, that they "recombined" regiments as needed? Hence, could he have ended up, and died, in one that had no relation to Essex, much less Hertfordshire?

Sincerely,

Alison

Okay, so the link you have to your family member and the man on the 1891 census in RG12 is the name and the year of birth, but, where does the information come from that he lost his life during the war, is it something that was spoken of down the generations or is it because of something else?

aliossimo wrote: Dear BereniceUK and Frank Kelley,

Thank you very much for your replies. I have contacted the parish clerk at St. Etheldreda's in Hatfield to see if she can confirm that the Herbert Young in the ABW memorial is the son of Sophia and Joseph Young, my great great grandparents.

Herbert Young was born in 1872. I cannot prove that the HY listed in the 1891 census as being in the Essex Regiment, and being from Hatfield, is my great great uncle, it just seems statistically likely.

Is it possible that in the "fog of war," with so many deaths due to battle and disease, that they "recombined" regiments as needed? Hence, could he have ended up, and died, in one that had no relation to Essex, much less Hertfordshire?

Sincerely,

Alison

Alison has made an error in stating that in 1891 census Herbert Young was in barracks with the Essex Regiment. It is the Bedfordshire Regt.
Henry Wellspring is a few names above Herbert Young on that census page. He enlisted as number 3589 Bedfordshire Regt. in 1890.
H. Young 3584 Bedfordshire Regt. who was kia in 1900 (from medal roll) is no doubt Herbert Young, born Hatfield 1872/3
It looks likely that this is the same Herbert Young that had a brief membership of the Militia in NW England in 1888 aged 15 years.
Pete