Wynberg Camp during Boer War

[Geordie daughter]

Does anyone know whether the 7th Leicestershire Company (Imperial Yeomanry) was ever stationed at Wynberg Camp in the Cape during the Boer War, or were members simply sent there to be treated for injuries or illness? My late husband's Yorkshire-born grandfather met his wife-to-be in South Africa, while serving in the 7th Leicestershires. Her family was from the Wynberg area, though living in Diep River by the 1900s, we believe, but they appear to have attended St. John's Church in Wynberg, as did the soldiers of the camp. I'm trying to work out how and when the couple were most likely to have met. We think they married in 1918 or 1919, and by 1921 they were living in Tsomo, where John was a Sergeant in the S.A.P.

[Nookie]

It would appear that Wynberg was a Military Hospital.  If you google Wynberg Military Base and the Army Officers Camp there is a very interesting history of the place.  Wynberg and Diep River are not very far from each other.  My grandparents were at Diep River and also worshipped at Wynberg which makes me think that it was the closest church. 

Possibly if you give us some names we could look for more information.

[Geordie daughter]

Thanks, Nookie. Their names are John Flanigan and Ethel Amelia Cutting. (Ethel was born in 1895, in Diep River/Retreat and was one of eight or so children. I haven't yet been able to track down baptisms for her or her three older siblings, unfortunately, although I've had success with the younger children.) Ethel's grandfather Thomas Cutting ran an omnibus service between Cape Town and Wynberg from around 1843; it was based at Durban House in Wynberg up until about 1862, so as you can see, the family was well established in the area.

[Geordie daughter]

I've dug out John's 'Field Service Pocket Book - 1914' and inside the flyleaf it has the following: 1465 Sergt. J Flanigan, 'C' Squadron, 4 SAMR, then the places 'Barberton, Keetmanshoop, Krantz Plaatz, Swakopmund and Albrechts,' written underneath. According to a website I've just been on, the SAMR (South African Mounted Rifles) was formed 1 April 1913 from existing provincial Permanent and Police Forces, and undertook policing work in the rural areas in peacetime, but could be co-opted by the army in times of war. They began to be disbanded in 1920, which would fit with the rough time frame for John and Ethel's marriage. From this info, it looks as if John may have joined one of the original South African mounted police units not long after the end of the Boer War, but which one is anybody's guess!

[Nookie]

The plot thickens!  Do you perhaps have his service record from The Imperial Yeomanry, 7th Leicestershire co?  Possibly that could shed more information as to when he left them and joined the police force.

[Geordie daughter]

No, unfortunately, I don't  . It would have involved either a trip to Kew or hiring a researcher, neither of which we could do at the time, so we didn't follow up on it.

[bowman]

Thanks, Nookie. Their names are John Flanigan and Ethel Amelia Cutting. (Ethel was born in 1895, in Diep River/Retreat and was one of eight or so children. I haven't yet been able to track down baptisms for her or her three older siblings, unfortunately, although I've had success with the younger children.) Ethel's grandfather Thomas Cutting ran an omnibus service between Cape Town and Wynberg from around 1843; it was based at Durban House in Wynberg up until about 1862, so as you can see, the family was well established in the area.

As regards the 'Bus Service' run by Thomas Cutting, you may be able to get something from this site

http://www.jhmt.org.za/Research.htm

Regards Bowman

[Nookie]

I've dug out John's 'Field Service Pocket Book - 1914' and inside the flyleaf it has the following: 1465 Sergt. J Flanigan, 'C' Squadron, 4 SAMR, then the places 'Barberton, Keetmanshoop, Krantz Plaatz, Swakopmund and Albrechts,' written underneath. According to a website I've just been on, the SAMR (South African Mounted Rifles) was formed 1 April 1913 from existing provincial Permanent and Police Forces, and undertook policing work in the rural areas in peacetime, but could be co-opted by the army in times of war. They began to be disbanded in 1920, which would fit with the rough time frame for John and Ethel's marriage. From this info, it looks as if John may have joined one of the original South African mounted police units not long after the end of the Boer War, but which one is anybody's guess!

http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za/pub/article/viewFile/420/455 
Just out of interest I found this site which might give you an idea of what he was doing at Keetmanshoop at the time.

[Geordie daughter]

Thanks to you both for those links. The Scientia Militaria one has a lovely clear and concise summary of events. I've ploughed through similar stuff before and ended up more confused than when I started! I wonder if John went on to fight in East Africa, or headed back to become a policeman?