TOPIC:

Trish - no email received and not sure how you would have known by email address - have sent it to you via private message facility on this site - you need to look up towards the right hand top corner of your screen and click on "Private Messages" to read it. David.

Correction - attestation papers & service records for Percy Smith do exist when you search for them under the regimental number 1528 rather than 15128 - a transcription error by Find My Past despite more than one page clearly showing 15128. Percy Nicholas Smith, to give him his full name, attested for the standard 7 + 5 and overseas service. His Military History Sheet only shows the date he attested but the Statement of Services is much more interesting:



Trish has this photo of her grandfather which she would like to hear the views of Forum Members:

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As you can see he was assigned to the newly formed 107th Battery RFA and just over 4 months later deserted.

He was born on 14 November 1869 which means he would have celebrated his 22nd Birthday 4 months after he deserted from the 107th.

I wonder if he joined the 107th with the expectation of some excitement in South Africa, became frustrated when he realised they were not going to go anywhere near South Africa, did a runner and made his own way to South Africa and joined a South African raised unit presumably using a false name.

In the photo he appears to be wearing a black plume/feather in his slouch hat. I seem to recall somebody, more knowledgeable than me, saying this identified the unit he served in but cannot remember the detail.

David/ Trish
Possibly Scottish Horse reference the picture.
13 pages of Smiths reference S Horse on this site, unfortunately no Percy Nicholas.
However, if he did a runner from the RFA he may have used an alias.
What was his mother's maiden name?

Dave...

David - Trish
Another unit which used a black plume was the SALH; a unit very active right through the war.
The rifle from what we can see of it, looks like a standard Lee Enfield Mk.1/1*; the magazine seems not to be inciative of the earlier Lee Metford Mk.1*.
IL.

Reference South African Light Horse.

Dave......

Many thanks Dave as you have just led me to this transcription record on Find My Past:

First name(s) Percy
Last name Smith
Birth year -
Year 1901
Enlistment date 18 Sep 1901
Enlistment place Durban
Soldier number 2627
Regiment South African Light Horse
Former service: yes or no N
Nationality British
Height 5 Feet 4 inches
Weight 105 lbs
Chest measurement 36-38 Inches
Complexion Dark
Eye colour Blue
Hair colour Dark
Record set British Army, Local Armed Forces' Enrolment Forms, Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902

Trish - the enlistment date fits so I think we can be certain he did get on a ship to SA and enlisted in a SA raised unit but used his own name. The SALH were the Bee's knees BUT and its a big but:



As you can see he never received the Queen's Medal. The right hand column states he was sentenced to a years imprisonment with hard labour following a court martial.