TOPIC:

LinneyI wrote: Gentlemen
The unit "Loxton's Horse" rang a bell in the cobwebbed depths of IL's memory and the reference took a while to surface
Having pored many times over the Buxton publication "Field Intelligence Department 1899-1902" (privately published 2004), the memory gave a kick.
Contained in that publication are several references to personnel who did serve in Loxton's Horse.
They are as follows:
Guide H.F.Cooper,Natal Corps of Guides (clasps Talana, DofL, OFS, LN, Blfst,). Also served Loxton's Horse and awarded KSA.
Guide W.K.Short , FID roll, (clasps TH, RofL, OFS, Tv,). Also served 37 Coy, RE, and Guide (??), 13th Hussars & Tpr, Loxton's Horse and FID.
Guide L.A.Dorey on FID KSA roll, but other service in Natal Police and Loxton's Horse.
I had a look on my Cavalry QSA roll and could not find any W.Short/W.K.Short who might have been the man.
I trust I did not "double up" on info already supplied. I had a look and could not see the abovementioned names on the blogspot.
Regards
IL.

Thanks Ian, two more names for the nominal roll. I have updated the blog.

Short - I could not find evidence on the medal rolls for him being a member of Loxton's Horse. I could find him on the rolls for the FID and Natal Transport - apparently not shown in Buxton, and certainly not serving with or attached to RE or 13th Hussars. Does Buxton give any clue where this information comes from?

Regards
Meurig

Meurig
Earlier this day, I went through a CD of the FID rolls obtained from poppyfields some time ago. I could not see any reference to W.K.Short., period. Must have another look. Perhaps I do not have the full roll. The Buxton publication shows "Guide Short W.K." (with marginal note re Loxton's H) under the heading of "Supplementary Rolls of Individuals in F.I.D.". Could be an error in transcription on the part of David Buxton. These things do happen, of course. However I do have to say that when I have used his work as a basic source, it has either been correct or it pointed me elsewhere.
The lack of any "W.K.Short" on the CD of the Cavalry roll appears to cast doubt on the marginal note in Buxton's book.
Regards
IL.

Meurig
You are going to have to add Guide W.K.Short's name to Loxton's Horse roll, if I might say so. Having a better trawl through my CD of the FID roll, I found his entry to substantiate this post on WO 100/301 page 239.
To wit: "Ex Guide William Kirk Short". Served as sub-conductor 37th Co., R.E., 3/1/00 to 4/8/00, Guide with 13th Hussars 15/8/00 to 31/10/00, Trooper, Loxton's Horse, March-June 1901 and Guide FID 31/10/01 to 21/11/01.
There is a bit of writing beneath the entry I found difficulty in reading.
Good old Buxton!
Regards
IL.

LinneyI wrote: Meurig
You are going to have to add Guide W.K.Short's name to Loxton's Horse roll, if I might say so. Having a better trawl through my CD of the FID roll, I found his entry to substantiate this post on WO 100/301 page 239.
To wit: "Ex Guide William Kirk Short". Served as sub-conductor 37th Co., R.E., 3/1/00 to 4/8/00, Guide with 13th Hussars 15/8/00 to 31/10/00, Trooper, Loxton's Horse, March-June 1901 and Guide FID 31/10/01 to 21/11/01.
There is a bit of writing beneath the entry I found difficulty in reading.
Good old Buxton!
Regards
IL.

Thank you very much Ian for taking the time. Ancestry have indexed this entry as "Kirk Short William", despite it being written as "William Kirk Short".

The remarks below relate to the retrieval of the CC clasp and issuing T in its place. Having earned TH & RoL he was ineligible for the CC clasp.

Blog updated.

Regards
Meurig

Delighted to report that I have "uncovered" another QSA to Loxton's Horse, my second

Aberdeen Medals had a single clasp medal (Relief of Ladysmith) to Trpr 1786 FD Hester Natal Police, with verification for the single clasp.

Hester is on my Loxton's Horse roll. When I got the medal the research for the single clasp had been provided by myself in 2008 to another dealer. I found this quite amusing, it reinforces the fact that research is never complete. This prompted a blog on how research resources have developed in the last decade. Just think how over the last decade who ever had this medal wasn't the slightest bit curious.

Back to Hester:

He was discharged from the Natal Police in January 1901 and served with the Utrecht-Vryheid Mounted Police, Loxton's Horse and in 1902 the Special Squadron, Steinaecker's Horse. Serving with Steinaecker's Hester was posted "missing - rejoined" April 16th, 1902 at Scandinavia Reef. His clasp entitlement should be T,RoL,SA02 - I can't find an SA01 entitlement on the Utrecht-Vryheid Mounted Police. And there are no rolls for Loxton's Horse.

Further googling on his name "Francis Danby Hester" shows a Sgt of the 3rd SAI posted missing presumed killed 15-20 July 1916 Delville Wood. There is a lot of evidence to show they are the same man. I need to get Hester's WW1 papers from SA.

Still doing the "jiffy bag" dance.