Author Topic: Boer War service Completed thanks to Ken  (Read 2483 times)

Offline sillgen

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Boer War service Completed thanks to Ken
« on: Saturday 24 October 09 19:10 BST (UK) »
I am trying to discover whether Edmund Godfrey-Faussett born in Kent in 1869 served in the Boer War.   I have an envelope from a letter written to his mother and posted from the South African War marked "On Service No Stamp".
He was obviously a career soldier with the Royal Engineers.  A Lieutenant at Aldershot in 1891 and a Major RE in 1911.   I don't understand all the remarks on the medal rolls on Ancestry but Brigadier General is mentioned.  Also GHQ Signal Co.
I am trying to do a small display at our local museum about the Boer War soldiers from our village who died and would like to tie Edmund in if I can as one who survived.  Of course I can never prove the letter is from him but if I knew he was out there that would be a start and the writing on the 1911 census is by the same hand as far as I can see.
Any help most welcome.
Andrea

Offline km1971

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Re: Boer War service
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 24 October 09 19:57 BST (UK) »
Hi Andrea

Ancestry have six medal index cards for him, but the last three are for someone else. He served in the GHQ Signal Company and reached the rank of Colonel. You should be able to find if that was a substantive rank, or a temporary one, by searching the London Gazette website – http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/AdvancedSearch.aspx?geotype=London

Officers had to apply for their Ww1 medals, and all the IVs on the card stand for Issue Voucher, showing when the medal office despatched them. I cannot see Brig General mentioned. Maybe that was his temporary rank, while his substantive rank was Colonel.

He was awarded the CB and CMG and was mentioned in despatches. One of the cards gives the date his MID was in the LG. He was with the original BEF in 1914 and earned the 1914 Star with Clasps and Roses. These show he was at the front in the early days - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp

It seems his full name was Edmund Godfrey Godfrey-Faussett - http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/25790/pages/1225/page.pdf - this is his first entry into the RE

It also appears he was involved scouting as he wrote a book about it in the 1930s- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flags-Design-handbook-scouts-guides/dp/B000X8T5CI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256410004&sr=1-4

Maybe they will have something.

Cannot find anything about him in the Boer War yet.

Ken

Offline sillgen

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Re: Boer War service
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 24 October 09 20:35 BST (UK) »
Thanks.  Had not thought of looking at the National Archives site.  There do seem to be have been a lot of that family in the army.  I have just found an entry for his uniform being auctioned in 2001 which mentions his Boer war service.    It is odd the things that come up through such searches.  That does say he was a Brigadier General.
"Brigadier General Edmund Godfrey Godfrey-faussett was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1880. For his service during the Boer War he was Mentioned in Despatches twice. At the outbreak of the Great War he held the rank of Lt Col and was awarded the CB in 1919 and was Mentioned in Despatches six times. He retired in 1922. "  Wonder how much they got for his uniform?
Andrea

Offline km1971

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Re: Boer War service
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 25 October 09 06:56 GMT (UK) »
You can search the LG for the Boer War. It is in the drop down box. There are 16 enties for Faussett. The first is a DSO for Owen G G-F.

Ken


Offline sillgen

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Re: Boer War service
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 25 October 09 16:52 GMT (UK) »
Sorry Ken.  I have no doubt I am being very thick here but what is the LG?
Andrea

Offline km1971

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Re: Boer War service
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 25 October 09 16:53 GMT (UK) »
London Gazette - the first link I mentioned.

ken

Offline sillgen

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Re: Boer War service
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 25 October 09 17:05 GMT (UK) »
I am thick!   I had looked at the link too....
Thanks again
Andrea
PS  Found him mentioned going to Bloemfontein so that seems proof enough.
Captain E. G. Godfrey-Faussett, R.E., who was in
immediate command of the Telegraph
Division during the march to Bloemfontein
.