conscripts for Boer War

[heathgirl]

Looking for information about English conscription during the Boer War. In our history we have a ship's fireman aboard a troop and horse ship sailing from Southampton to Capetown on September 23 1900. Ship's Fireman was his customary occupation. This is the only incidence we know of a military vessel associated with his name and the only passenger list that gives his exact address. He is listed as having 'deserted' the ship in Nov 1900 in Capetown the date the ship sailed back to Southampton with officers aboard. No idea when he left Capetown, but he was back in East London at the same address, for the 1901 census. He was of Irish background born in Liverpool about 35.Could he have been conscripted to work aboard a troopship and if so would there have been a penalty if he was found after deserting the ship?

[BumbleB]

You might have to give a name, so that the experts on the Boer War can help you.    The guys on here know so much    BUT they need a clue! 

[Christine53]

There was no conscription at the time of the Boer War. However if someone enlisted voluntarily they would still have been classed as a deserter if they absconded.

[John915]

Good evening,

If his occupation was ship's fireman and he deserted ship then I would say he was merchant navy rather than military. He would have been working down in the engine room. He would probably have waited for his pay at the end of the trip then just not gone back on board.

He would have been listed as having jumped ship and they would have sailed without him, plenty of seaman in most docks waiting for a place on board a ship so they wouldn't miss him.

We need the name of the ship if possible as well as his name then the relevant experts can look him up.

John915

[km1971]

Lots of men made their own way to South Africa during the Boer War and joined one of the many irregular mounted infantry units created during the war. Pay was about 5 shillings a day compared to a shilling and a penny in the Regular army. So jumping ship in Capetown was a popular way of getting there.

btw..on ships Fireman, Stokers and Trimmers all worked the coal for the engines. Most ships had Trimmers, who kept the coal supplies level in the bunkers. If a ship had stokers, then the Fireman was a foreman of a stoker gang. If they did not have Stokers, the Firemen were the stokers.

Ken

[heathgirl]

Thank you all. Andrew Kelly (32) sailed 20 Sept 1900 boarded at London on 'Maplemore". I found Maplemore a troop ship going between australia and the Cape. The ship loaded 160 remounts at Southampton on Sept 23 according to London Times info. The date of leaving the Cape was Nov 24, at which time Andrew is recorded as "deserted" the ship. I am very curious as to whether the ship was docked there all that time and why, as well. Also if he can be found leaving the Cape before March 30 1901. So far as we know he went to Australia at some point as a fireman though details unknown. Ideas welcome as this is entirely new to me.