W. Clover 1901 Death

[geoff_43]

Hi,

I am new to South Africa research and need some help/guidance please.

Private W. Clover No. 5413 Essex Regiment was killed 16 Nov 1901 Swazi border.

This appears to be his entire records here in the UK, but a recent discovery suggests he may have been Walter Clover, my Great Uncle.

Where would I begin to research this further? Even an M.I. would help. If anyone can suggest any sources I would be very grateful, as I appear to have exhausted all the UK ones.

Thank you

[Nookie]

Welcome to research in South Africa!

On the angloboerwar website I found a Walter Clover but he was with the South African Constabulary.  Using the no 5413 I found it allocated to a number of people but no one from the Essex regiment or anyone with the name of Clover.  On the eggsa site which has photographed many gravestones I could not find a Clover who died in 1901.

I have noticed that many towns in England seem to have Boer War memorials.  Have you checked the town in which he grew up or was recruited from?  Quite possibly they would have his name recorded on the memorial.

I have a book on the Boer War in the Eastern Transvaal.  It does not show any battles round 16 November in the area, but I shall look through all the towns closest to the Swazi border just in case. 

[Nookie]

I have just been through my book and I think that the battle in which W Clover died could have been the Battle at Bakenlaagte.  The battle took place between the 20 and 30th October 1901 This was led by Col. G.E. Benson of the Royal Artillery so I don't think that your Walter was killed there.

From what I can make out the Essex Regiment had left the Transvaal some time before and had gone into the Free State.

[geoff_43]

Thank you Nookie,

From the little I have. W Clover was part of the Essex Reg. 26th Battalion Mounted Infantry. If so they were using the Boer "fast hit & run" tactics against them.  He may have been on a raid against any camp, group or village.

Records of this Battalion are non existent due to the nature of their operations. His death cert. says W. Clover 5413 killed Swazi Border 16 Nov. 1901. There is a note in Essex Reg. war diary - W. Clover killed 17 Nov 1901. (that is correct - a days difference in records)

That is all the records there appears to be of him.  Even the Essex Reg. Museum has no record of him, other than death cert.

Even if he is not my Walter, I still feel he deserves an ID. On Ancestry's disposal of soldiers effects the record has him as Walter Clover 5413 and refers to his parents Robert & Eliza Clover of Colchester. They are my great grandparents, problem is record gives YOB as 10 years before my Walter, who vanishes from the records after 1887.

[Nookie]

I do agree that the W Clover should deserve some recognition.  If you google angloboer war+Essex you will find a whole lot of information on where they were and what they did. 

According to my book "Times History (?) mentions that 238 British either died or were wounded and 120 taken prisoner.  Another source estimates 77 British and 52 Boers killed."

I know from other research that I have done that a number of the names of those who died were reported in London papers at the time. 

The area where the battle took place is reasonably close to Swaziland, but I would not have said 'close to the Swaziland border'.  However I can find no other battle which took place during this time period in the area.

The possibility is, of course, that he was wounded and died later - closer to the border.  However Benson was seriously wounded and died the day after the battle i.e. 31 October 1901, and I am not sure where the troops ended up after that.

I shall see if I can find a gravestone/memorial to those who died in the battle.  Most of the Boer War memorials have been photographed, so with a bit of luck I might find him.

[geoff_43]

Thank you.

Any info whatsoever would be very much appreciated. I do not even have an age at death. London newspapers state "W Clover killed 16th Nov", as does the local Colchester newspaper.

[Nookie]

I have looked at everything I can find with no real luck.  I did find his medal record when he served with the 1st regiment and qualified for three clasps, and that was signed in August 1901.  I then went through all the other W Clover's that I could find in the Boer War, but they were all still alive after Nov 1901.

I cannot find a war grave for him here at all, but I am not 100% sure that all of them have been photographed especially if they are out in the countryside somewhere. 

[pampoen]

Could this be him?
DEPOT     TAB                                                                   
SOURCE    SAC                                                                   
TYPE      LEER                                                                 
VOLUME_NO 42                                                                   
SYSTEM    01                                                                   
REFERENCE H26                                                                   
PART      1                                                                     
DESCRIPTION          RECORD OF CONDUCT AND SERVICE IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTABULARY.     
           WALTER CLOVER.                                                       
STARTING  1901                                                                 
ENDING    1905                                                                 

[geoff_43]

Hi pampoen

I have looked in to that Walter Clover before and am fairly sure he is not the same person.

Thank you