TOPIC:

I am researching Private Salathiel Braund, who served in the 2nd Boer War in the Volunteer Company Devonshire Regiment, Regt. No 5575. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with South Africa 1901 clasp. Salathiel was born in 1879 in Northam, Devon. From newspaper articles, it seems he joined up in January 1901 and returned home to Devon in June 1901. I have already posted about him here
Berenice UK kindly responded with some newpaper articles about Salethiel.
Would like to find out more about Salathiel's service in South Africa in 1901.

Looks like the original article I quoted got the year of his departure wrong (or I made the mistake myself. which is more likely), as The Western Times (Friday 16/2/1900) printed the names of all the men who were in the Volunteer Battalion, and Private Braund, of Northam, was listed in D Company of the 4th Volunteer Battalion Devonshire Regiment.


The Volunteers had been training at Topsham Barracks, and on Tuesday morning, 13th February 1900, turned out for their final parade at the Barrack drill ground.

After breakfast on Wednesday morning, the Volunteers marched to Queen Street railway station, Exeter, where a crowd of over 2000 saw them off, the train departing at 6.30 a.m., and arriving at Southampton Docks at 9.30 a.m. The men then boarded the Union mail boat, the 'Greek.' I can't find a photo of the Greek, but it's mentioned here - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union-Castle_Line
The Greek left Southampton Docks shortly after 2 p.m. on the Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, 21st February, the Greek arrived at Teneriffe, and left for Cape Town at 3 p.m. the same day, so the Volunteers wouldn't have been allowed to leave the ship, but mail home would have been sent.

From The Western Times, Saturday 10th March, 1900: - "One of the Devon Volunteer contingent who left Exeter on the 14th of last month and sailed in the "Greek," writing from Teneriffe says: - "Father Neptune made things lively for us in the Bay of Biscay. On the morning after we had such an enthusiastic and cheering demonstration at Exeter we turned out at six o'clock on board the 'Greek.' We had had a rough night, and nearly everybody was ill. So strong was the wind that the vessel was only making headway at the rate of five knots an hor. Nearly all were wet through owing to the spray. Those of us who can eat are doing first-class. The weather continued rough again on the Friday, the 16th, and few were able to turn out for the 'reveille,' which sounds at six o'clock. It was exceptionally bad in the Bay. On Saturday, the 17th, there was an even worse experience. The sea ran mountains high, and the crockery ware was smashed up. Some feel the want of a stimulant to 'buck' their spirits up [probably rum], but none is allowed until Sunday. Owing to the rough weather none of us have ben able to wash or shave, and some look pretty queer. A photographer would make a fortune if the camera could stand the strain. The weather improved on Sunday, and we are able to have a 'wash and shave,' and 'a brush and crop.' Our first drill was on Monday, the 19th when we paraded in the forenoon on quarter deck, and did some marching to enable us to get our sea legs. After we leave here we shall do some rifle practice; but we are anxious to get to Cape Town, and shall be glad when we get there.""

The York Herald (12/3/1900) reported that the "Greek with 21 officers and 793 rank and file of volunteers, with two guns" was due to arrive at Cape Town, perhaps on the Sunday or Monday, but so far I can't find the exact date. After disembarking the troops, the Greek left Cape Town on the 15th, returning to Southampton with invalids.

Salathiel Braund, a twenty year old blacksmith from Bideford and serving member of the 4th Volunteer Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment joined the Army at Exeter upon the 19th of January 1900, having attested at Bideford on the 10th of that same month.
He served in South Africa from the 16th of February until the 8th of June 1901 before his discharge later that month.
He gave his next of Kin as his father Thomas Braund of number 3 Cross Street Northam.
His entitlement to his medal is clearly shown in both WO100 and WO97, his medal and clasps are particularly nice and would certainly appeal to any Devonshire Regiment collector.
I would just go with the regiments published history as far as the Anglo Boer War goes, Volunteer and Active Service Companies attached to their respective parent regiments are normally included, often in very considerable detail and perhaps visit the museum as and when so ever it becomes possible.

SamFam wrote: I am researching Private Salathiel Braund, who served in the 2nd Boer War in the Volunteer Company Devonshire Regiment, Regt. No 5575. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with South Africa 1901 clasp. Salathiel was born in 1879 in Northam, Devon. From newspaper articles, it seems he joined up in January 1901 and returned home to Devon in June 1901. I have already posted about him here
Berenice UK kindly responded with some newpaper articles about Salethiel.
Would like to find out more about Salathiel's service in South Africa in 1901.

BereniceUK wrote: Looks like the original article I quoted got the year of his departure wrong (or I made the mistake myself. which is more likely), as The Western Times (Friday 16/2/1900) printed the names of all the men who were in the Volunteer Battalion, and Private Braund, of Northam, was listed in the 4th Company of the Volunteer Battalion Devonshire Regiment.[/i]

I also have that original article, from the North Devon Journal dated 13 June 1901, which says that the Bideford Volunteers came forward to fight in January 1901 so had assumed this was the date Salathiel joined up. However, there is also a brief transcript of Chelsea Pensioners Soliders Service record on a genealogy website which shows Salathiel's date of enlistment as 1900. Thank you Berenice and Frank for confirming the correct date of enlistment plus all the other details about his training and journey to South Africa. All fascinating- thanks for your help.

I looked for reports of what Captain Speke had been up to, as where he was, so was Salathiel Braund (unless the latter was in hospital at any time). There are a couple of letters still to be transcribed, but here's the first bit.

...."The Hon. Secretary reported that, in reply to an application from Captain Speke, in South Africa, he had sent out three Berkfield filters for the use of his Company; also that 20 additional Volunteers were now assembled at the Higher Barracks as a draft for the Volunteer Company of the Devonshire Regiment now in South Africa. Communications were received relative to the sending out of a supply of warm underclothing for the Yeomanry and Volunteers, and it was eventually decided to send reply cablegrams to Captain Bolitho, in command of the 27th Company Imperial Yeomanry, and Captain Speke, commanding the Rifle Volunteers, asking them what the men needed."
A mix of two articles in The Western Times & Trewman's Exeter Flying Post, both on Saturday 28th April 1900
www.angloboerwar.com/books/214-knox-bull...f-the-natal-campaign

www.ebay.co.uk/b/British-Berkefeld-Water...s/20684/bn_105867806


....In reply to a cablegram from the Devon Yeomanry and Volunteer Equipment Committee, Captain Speke, in a message from Sunday River Camp, Natal, states that pants, vests, and handkerchiefs will be most useful articles to the men. Mr. J. Gould, the hon. secretary, has accordingly made arrangements for sending out, by the detachment leaving the Higher Barracks to-day to join Captain Speke's company, 140 of each of these articles.
Trewman's Exeter Flying Post, Saturday 5th May 1900

....Captain Speke, who is in command in South Africa of the Devon Volunteer contingent, in a letter dated from Elandslaagte, Natal, ...... giving his experiences at the front. He says: - "Well, here we are right at the front, with very little fighting to do. It all seems to have gone over the other side of the country. However, last week we had a bit of an excitement; the Boers began by bobbing a shell into our camp, and my tent now has plenty of ventilation as they simply riddled it, but luckily I was not at home. They sent us a few more, and then we went out and drove them off. ......"
The Western Times, Wednesday 16th May 1900

I noticed that the names of the Privates from Northam and Bideford listed in the Western Times 16 Feb 1900 match the names of the Bideford Volunteers listed in the North Devon Journal report 13 Jun 1901 about their homecoming. Good to know they all survived the war. There is also mention of a Captain W.B. Dart from Bideford, who made a speech at the homecoming.

We also know "Captain Dart, of Bideford Volunteers, has presented to Private S. Braund, of Northam, a silver watch and chain in recognition of his services as servant to the Captain during the War."
North Devon Journal, Thursday 4th July 1901

Would Captain Dart have been in command of Salathiel's battalion at all?

I found this information about the Devon Regiment in the Boer War. The penultimate paragraph shows the campaigns they were involved in after the relief of Ladysmith.
www.devonheritage.org/Nonplace/DevonReg/...mentintheBoerWar.htm

After the Boer War, Salathiel settled in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales. He married in 1908 and had at least 2 children. In the 1911 Census he was living in Pentre, Glamorgan and was a General Shoeing Smith. In the 1939 Register he was living at nearby Ton Pentre and was a Colliery Fitter. He died in 1968 aged 89.

Thanks again for the replies. My knowledge of the Boer War is basic so all the information provided here is very useful.