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Hi Berenice, if you wouldn't mind, I'd greatly appreciate your contacting them, as it might take me a while to get to this. Thanks for all your help, this has been fun, and quite a journey!

Alison

Thank you Frank - how did you find the information about his earlier enlistment, and working for the butcher? Alison

Okay, well in that case, as I said to you earlier, all you need to do is establish a clear link, in this case his parentage would be enough to gain confirmation.

aliossimo wrote: Hi Frank

It is family lore that he died in the ABW, and the info you all have, confirmed by the memorial window at St. Etheldreda's all seem to cross-confirm: 3548 Private H. Young, Bedfordshire Regiment; killed in action at Thaba N'chu on 16th November 1900.

If anyone knows why this wouldn't be he, please state so. The 1891 census data does state his name, age and being from Hatfield.

I have asked the St. Etheldreda's archivist if he/she can confirm he was the son of my great-great grandparents.

Thanks,

Alison

Well, I would think you might visit at some point in the future, but, personally I would not even consider doing that these days.

aliossimo wrote: thank you Frank, so there is a grave stone or memorial of some kind at Thaba Nchu that I could visit?

On the subject of medals, there is nothing to suggest in WO100/78 and WO100/176 that these medals were either withheld or returned to the War Office and as a result, they may remain extant, inside or outside of the family.
They would not be re issued today by the MOD, who would not deal with requests from relatives generations apart, nor, would they actually have the medals concerned available.

aliossimo wrote: Hi Berenice,

No we don't. But this may be because my great-grandmother was his half sister, older by 10 years. They shared a mother, but not a father. And my great-grandmother and her family emigrated to Canada right before WWI. So I'd have thought the medals, if received, would have stayed with my great great grandmother in Hatfield.

If they were never awarded, is it possible for us to receive them now?

Interestingly, my great grandparents and 4 daughters, including my grandmother, were living in South Africa during this war. I will have to check my great grandmother's journal of the time to see if she makes any reference to it. I wonder if she ever saw her half-brother when he was there with the army.

Alison

It is in WO96 at Kew, but, again you need to establish a link.

aliossimo wrote: Thank you Frank - how did you find the information about his earlier enlistment, and working for the butcher? Alison