TOPIC:

An interesting QSA with verified single clasp Cape Colony to a man who was captured at Lindley. He was discharged at McKenzies Farm, South Africa on 2 June 1900 after having been found "medically unfit for further service". That was two days after the entire 13th Battalion surrendered at Lindley.

Lindley is in the Orange Free State - should he not have that clasp as well? Mackenzies Farm is also near Cape Town - could he have made it there in two days?

Great questions. Rail passage to Mackenzie’s Farm?? He was not entitled to an OFS clasp according to the medal roll. Could he have been Ill and in hospital in CC? There is no evidence of that, but it seems like the 45th Coy’s service records may not have been as rigorously kept as that of the other companies. I have another QSA to Holt Waring in the same regiment and it lacks details as does de Robeck’s, whereas the service papers for five others recipients from different companies of the 13th IY whose medals I have do note PoW and medical status. Those companies are respectively the 46th & 47th. Also, when researching the North Irish Horse there are no specific mentions of POWs for Lindley; although KIAs are noted.

( www.northirishhorse.com.au/NIH/Roll%20ca...rial%20Yeomanry.html )

There is much more research to be done as C de Rebock appears to have served as a major in the Great War. More to come…

Interestingly, there seems to be a gap in the attestation papers, have you found Trooper Robecks?
Also, do you have documentation regarding his capture? Good luck with your research, I look forward to reading about Private, Captain, Major Robecks story. Do you think that Charles De Robeck is the same man?

Dave......

Dave F wrote: Interestingly, there seems to be a gap in the attestation papers, have you found Trooper Robecks?
Also, do you have documentation regarding his capture? Good luck with your research, I look forward to reading about Private, Captain, Major Robecks story. Do you think that Charles De Robeck is the same man?

Dave......

Hi Dave

There was a gap in the IY papers on Ancestry but they were there on Forces. De Robeck (I did a bit of homework on him) is indeed the chap who was Major in WWI. He was commissioned from the Irish Militia during the Boer War although there is no record of further service. He was back home in the 1901 census if I recall correctly.

Like you, I would like to see the source evidence for his Lindley POW. No reflection on azyeoman but I find it a stretch to be taken POW nd appear at Mackenzies in the suburbs of Cape Town 2 days later. Let's see how this unfolds. A fascinating chap it has to be said and I congratulate azyeoman on his successful bid. I too dipped my toe into the water with this one but had questions.

Regards

Rory

AZyeoman
My old CD/IY disc shows "9698 Pte. C. DeAsbeck of 45th Coy., 13th IY Bn" Just now, I had a look in Palmer (for possible name variations) to no result and also similarly trawled through SAFF for Lindley to the same result. After the third trawl IL was running cross eyed (!). Had no idea how many went into the bag at Lindley.
Regards
IL.