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Thank you Adrian, I wonder what or who was behind his change of name.

Hello to Adrian, Frank, Meurig and David who responded to my letter about Pte.Walter Ward, Cape Police and his death at Kuruman. I know this was 5yrs ago now but I have recently looked again at these messages. Can anyone explain the change of name from Arthur Harris to Walter Ward which seems apparent from the entry for his attestation to the CMR as photographed by Frank at the Archive. This seems quite bizarre as my great uncle was definitely Walter Ward, born and baptised so in Derby! I don't see how it could be possible to enlist under a false name and why would he want to anyway?
I wonder what the order was that he neglected to obey!
Thank you for your past interest and information. Much appreciated.
Mary

Hi Mary, I came across our query by change and as I had recently read about Kuruman 1899, did a quick check and yes Pte Ward did get mentioned;
"Day after day, from daylight to dark, were the Boer bullets rained on our defenses ; our cattle and horses, kept alive by the aid of green reeds cut in the river near the main camp at night, and watered there also, fell daily, killed by the Boer fire. But, although we had about a third of our force hit, we lost but one white man (poor Ward of the Cape Police), killed by a random shot at dusk on a Sunday evening. He was a good man, and in charge of one of five forts surrounding the base. Christmas Day at last came round. About ten a.m. we saw a Boer with a white flag between Colley's store and Gass's fort above us, then one of the men.. pg 31. ( From: Dennison: A fight to a finish , find it under the BOOKS-section on the left-hand menu bar. Very good description of the whole "siege". Cheers Henning

....Pretoria, January 6, via Lorenzo Marques, January 5. - Cornet Visser, in a despatch dated Kuruman, January 2, reports: I commenced a bombardment of the town on Monday morning, aiming at the Police Barracks. The fight lasted until six in the evening, when the garrison surrendered, coming out from the forts and laying down their arms. We took 120 prisoners, including Captains Bates, Dennison, Magte, and Hilliard, and eight other officers. - Press Association.
....Pretoria, Thursday (via Lorenzo Marques). - The following despatch, dated Kuruman, January 2nd, has been received here: . . . Fifteen British wounded are being attended by us with the help of the English doctor, Dearne. The horses, oxen, mealies, and flour taken from the prisoners, have been sent via Vryburg to Pretoria. - Press Association.
Derby Mercury, Wednesday 10th January 1900


WARD . - On Dec. 31st, 1899, killed in action with the Boers at Kuruman, the day before the surrender of that place, Walter, the beloved son of Bernard and Fanny Ward, Brookfield House, Charnwood Street, Derby, of the Cape Mounted Police, late C.M.R., in his 25th year.
Derby Mercury, Wednesday 3rd October 1900