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Boer War Uniform.

were's CROMWELL when he's needed? so sad to have come back to this forum and found he as gone!
THE BARON
 
He is wearing his white walking out uniform as worn in the Tropics. But without seeing his cap badge you cannot tell what regiment he is serving in. He has got one Good conduct chevron on his sleeve and the crossed rifles badge indicates he was the best shot in his platoon/company

Terry
 
Thanks you chaps. Thats great to know he was a marksman,and I presume in the army..Whats really sad is he survived the boer only to be killed in WW1 in the somme on 1st july 1916. leaving behind a widow and 3 small daughters.
Is there any way of finding his boer war records? I am totally flumoxed by the national archives web site. I need to go on a course to understand how to use it..
 
It would seem that most surviving records of the Boer War era are in the National Archive at the Public Record Office, Kew. Only those of most interest to present day genealogists are as yet online, i.e. WW1. medal record cards, attestation and pension papers; Birth, Marriage and Death registrations.
https://www.sfowler.force9.co.uk/page_20.htm begins to describe some of what is available, sometimes by personal visit only.
 
Would he be
Sgt Alfred Henry Ward, No.5848, 1st Bn The Border Regt. KIA 1/7/1916 and buried in HAWTHORN RIDGE CEMETERY No.2, AUCHONVILLERS

If so, I would think that he would have been in the same Regiment in 1901 serving in Burma. Being a pre-war regular he may have been in the Reserves in 1914 and called up to his old battalion.

If this is your Grandfather, then I am looking at visiting the Somme some time in October and I could get a photo of the grave and cemetery which is situated in the Newfoundland Memorial Park, Beaumont Hamel.

Terry

Below:- taken from Birmingham Weekly Post, published on Saturday 29 July 1916.
 
Terry your a gem..We had already found this Alfred Ward on the cwg site and thought it very likely to be him, I guess this confirms it.The address is spot on..As for wanting a photo of his grave .YES PLEASE..let me know costs etc.
His age is varying ,from his marriage cert,he should be 34 at time of death and this paper has him at 37.
What does the paper mean by him being an old soldier time expired?
And is that an actual photo of him in the paper?if so it is the only surviving one..
Thanks again. xxx
 
Hi Janeld

An old soldier time expired perhaps means that he was no longer required to serve in the Reserves (Regular soldiers after serving became reservists for so many years). It says he enlisted at the start of the war. So why did he join a regiment so far from the Midlands, because, no doubt, he wanted to serve with his old comrades in the Border Regiment.

Yes the picture in the paper would have been sent in by his next of kin, his wife, most probably.
My Somme trip in October, depends on how many are going and costs etc. Have no fear, if I do not go in October, then it will be in the early part of next year. But I will take a photo of the grave for you.

Regards

Terry
 
Thankyou Terry,
I have looked at a web site called asplin military history resources. They can do a search for boer war records and dont charge if they dont find anything. as a visit to Kew is totally out of the question for me, I think I will give it a go.
Do you know how to decifer medal roll cards? I've found Alfreds but the information is all numbers?
Jane.
 
The Border Regiment, 1st Battalion:
August 1914 : in Maymyo, Burma. Returned to England, landing at Avonmouth 10 January 1915. Moved to Rugby.
January 1915 : attached to 87th Brigade (29th Division), . Sailed from Avonmouth on 17 March 1915 for Gallipoli, going via Egypt and Mudros.

Entitled to three medals The 1915 Star, The War & Victory Medals

Terry
 
just to let you all know. I have recieved Alfred's War records from the boer war. I used the services of Kevin Asplin, his fee was a fraction of the cost of me traveling to Kew.
His web site is "The Asplin military resources"
Terry was right He was in the Border Regiment, he signed up in 1899 age 19. I now have his next of kin and have found him on the census returns in birmingham.
Thanks all for your help.
 
Great thanks Terry, I supose to say Im looking forward to it may sound to some a little macarbe, But when you discover a relative died in war,in a foreign country, its comforting to know where he is and that his grave is looked after..
 
Hi Janeld,

I'm doing a talk at Harborne British Legion in January on the two men born in Harborne who were killed on the first day of the Somme, your relative being one of them. (Lt Col Innes of Metchley Abbey was also killed on this day but was not born in Harborne) I have been unable to locate him on any of the census returns and was hoping you could help me out. Actually I have found little out abaout him full stop until I came across this link. I've attached the War Diary entry for the 1st Border Regiment for 1st July 1916 for you - it puts into words all the myths we hear about how the attack went.

Regards

Mr Fin.

View attachment 24032
 
Hello Mr Fin, Thats great to know about your talk.I have alfreds War records and army photo if you would like a copy,
Do you know any details about Innes??
To find him on the census returns we really need to know a first name or initial and approx' age. I take it he lives in harbourne..Then we can try to find him.. Jane
 
Lt Col Innes a couple of weeks or so before he died. Photo taken in the village of Mailley-maillet, Somme, France.
 
Have had a look at the census returns, I have found two familys in the Harbourne area.
1881 James and Mary Inns in summer lane with sons James, Albert and what looks like Frederick

or-

1881 James Innis B.1836 oxfordshire and Mary in Mott St,
1891 " Innes " " " " "
with Sons ,Vincent Bernard and William,both listed as born in Terringtom , Yorkshire.
 
Hi Jane,

Apologies but my original posting now looks confusing, it is your grandfather that I can't find on the census returns. Any info you have will be gratefully received.

There are a lot of references to Lt Col Innes in the "Harborne Herald" of the time including testimonies from those who served with him.

The other soldier I'm researching who was killed on 1st July 1916 is James Quinn. I've managed to track him down to Northfield Road in 1901 and is remebered in St Mary's Church Harborne.

By the way, I work in Five Ways and was in Ruston Street at Lunchtime (The Vine Public House actually!) and I worked out that your grandfather's house would probably have stood roughtly where Tescos multi storey car park stands today.

Regards

Mr Fin.
 
Sorry about the mix up, I had trouble tracing Alfred as well. This is becouse He is only listed in the 1891 census, He was a professional soldier that enlisted in the borders age 19. From his Boer war records I know he lived at Gooses opening, sheepcote st, this was behind the Albion pub,now gone. If you look at my thread entitled Sheepcote St you can find lots of info and photos people found for me.
Alfred was born 18.11.1879, Lodge Rd,Harbourne,
His father is George H Ward B.1854,
Mother Emily elizabeth Clarke B.1860.
on the 1891 census he is listed as alfred N Ward age 11 living in Springfield Rd, 1 providence place.
In 1901 the family are in 7bk ,Browning St, Ladywood.
On his marriage cert' In 1911 he is living in Grosvenor Rd West.
Alfred married Lucy Taylor from Rushton St on 28.8.1911 they had 3 daughters, Lucy Evelyn, Winifred and Nellie, My Grandma.
hope this helps, Please ask if you need anything else, and let me know how your talk goes. ..Jane
 
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