TOPIC:

If this is your ancestor, he was a Private serving with E Company and was released from Watervaal on the 6th of June 1900, with the majority of the Prisoners.

I will look at the other reference material I have and get back to you.

Kind regards

Ian

Dear Ian

that is brilliant - thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

S

Susie,

A quick look confirms that 2692 Pte J Clarke E Company 1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment was amongst the one hundred or so men captured on 5 January 1900 and taken to Watervaal Prisoner of War Camp.

Given a little time, I can tell you quite a bit about him and I will. However, we should try and confirm that this man is your ancestor. Do you have details such as date of birth, address, parents' names etc or even his medals within your family? Anything like this will help.

In the meantime I will look further.

Kind regards
Ian

Hi Ian

I'm keeping everything crossed this is the same person - but you are right, we need to be sure.

Frederick John b. 1st Jan 1878 in Thurlton, Norfolk (moved to Suffolk aged 3 yrs to Blythburgh and often in the census returns this is put down as his place of birth).

Parents Thomas Charles Clarke and Anna (nee Scarll).

Not sure of his medals because they are "lost" somewhere in the family. All I know is that there were 7 of them (we have fuzzy photograph of them) one of which has bars on it; one looks like a star. Only detail as mentioned in the newspaper article. Apparently he was "mentioned in dispatches" and my aunt remembers a letter signed by ?the king and/or Churchill - but alas that has gone the same way as the medals.

Hope that helps.

Thank you so much for all your help.

Best wishes,

Susie

You're welcome.

Give me a few days to get everything together and I will let you know what I find. It may of course be after the New Year, but I'll see what I can do for you.

Kind regards
Ian

Thank you Ian

There is no immediate rush - we've been trying to track him down for years, so a short wait is fine now. Although I have to say that now we've started I am keen to find out more.

Thanks again for all your help - it's brilliant.

Have a good Christmas.

Best wishes,

Susie