DEVLIN - BOER WAR Veteran's ancestry vanished?

[mrnz2014]

Hi Rootschatters,

I am absolutely stuck - I am the founder of Medals Reunited New Zealand and am trying to trace descendant family in order to reunite the family with a Boer war medal which was found in Far North, New Zealand on a property synonymous with gum digging in the Whangarei/Kamo area.

The scant details I have is simply the soldiers Regt No: 6356, Rank: Private, Initial: A., Surname: DEVLIN of 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regt.  Served in the Boer War 1899-1902.

There are no apparent records of this man's first name, origin, parents or fate.  His name exists only on two Medal Rolls for the King's South Africa, and the Queen's South Africa Medals.

I have consult all the online records I can think of without any hint of a trail.  In my searches so far I have assumed he came from Lancashire since he joined that Regiment, but I may be way off target.

Two hints that may or may not be connected: 

1.  a soldier by name of J. Devlin, Regt No: 6271, also appears on the same Medal Roll - could they be related?

2.  An Arthur and Catherine Devlin immigrated to NZ on the "Louisa" in 1865 from along with six children - none of the Arthur, Alexander etc ?? - Could this have been the father and family?

That's all - I am stumped ..... any agile minds that can unravel this

Many thanks in anticipation, Ian

[Neil Todd]

Tricky one...first up Welcome to Rootschat Ian.

I think NZ was same as OZ in that we sent contingents to the Boar War, not Battalions or Regiments of our own forces. They fought for Queen or King and Country IE Britain and it's colonies. Not Australia or New Zealand. NZ sent 10 contingents and these were placed at call by the Army Powers as either Backup or replacements for their Own Regiments losses or for leave personnel. The same was for Australians. So someone from NZ's first contingent could be Placed in the Kings Fusiliers and his next door neighbor in the Sth Cheshire regiment. Mostly though they went in strength IE more than 20. A  Platoon. Possibly even a company of men. Though that is doubtful.

So did he have to come from East Lancashire, answer no, he could have come from anywhere!!
Problem for me is he doesn't appear on the roll of the East Lancashire nor on the New Zealand Role.
I attempted to find him on British war service records but they along with nearly every other record has been bought by Ancestry I don't and never will have a sub. So somebody else look him up please.

Neil

[Dundee]

2.  An Arthur and Catherine Devlin immigrated to NZ on the "Louisa" in 1865 from along with six children - none of the Arthur, Alexander etc ?? - Could this have been the father and family?

Where is this from?

Arriving on the Louisa in 1865 was Patrick, Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Jane, Catherine, Sarah, Frederick and Alexander.

Debra 

[mrnz2014]

Hi Neil,

Thanks for your contribution.  I know I have drawn a few long bows ... The KSA medal roll is signed by the CO 1st E Lancs in Dublin !! - is this a ref to the home of the Unit or merely that of the COs residence when he signed off the roll?  The Royal Irish Fusiliers don't feature either? 

I have plundered Ancestry as much as I know how to with nil results of any use.

There are 2 soldiers named A. Devlin on the Anglo-Boer War website, both attributed to (Princess Louise's) Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, but again - I can not make the link with this chap much less NZ, and therefore no origin particularly without knowing Devlins first name.

I live in hope someone may make a breakthrough.

Ian

[Neil Todd]

I have put a post on the "Armed Forces Board" hoping to direct them to your post on beginners. So maybe someone with more insight can make sense of the enigma.

Sorry I meant to add that Devlin is an Irish Name and he may well have been in the Guard there when the Boer war started. He could have applied to access the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Reg. Friends in the same one, or they could have been stationed in Ireland at the outbreak.

Neil

[Neil Todd]

Have you looked at these two A Devlin's WW1 service many went on from the Boer War to serve in the first war.

http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE10225868


Neil

[Dundee]

Working on the idea that the medal owner died in NZ, there are only two 'A' DEVLINs who were of an age to serve in the Boer War.

Arthur, born NZ in 1873, married Sarah Cecilia FROST in 1897 and died in 1930.  His WW1 service record states that his only former service was in the Whangarei Rifles for 8 years and his obit makes no mention of other service either.

http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE10207977

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01gxe/

The other is also named Arthur and he was born c1872 but I don't know where.  He married Harriet SEARLE in 1905 and died in 1946 aged 74.

His probate:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9V-VK7V

To find out more about him you would have to purchase a printout of the marriage certificate and you could also try looking for an obit at the National Library.  There are not many papers on PapersPast which go to 1946.

https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/PaymentsAndProducts/

Perhaps try a post on the NZ board to see if anything can be found about him.

Debra 

[mrnz2014]

Hi Neil  and Deb - thx for your suggestions.

I was just about to send this when Debs post arrived - so here it is anyway.

- Yes checked those two Neil - Arthur D. was born in NZ however only served in the NZEF (Samona Adv Force plus), and Andrew was born in 1899 ! - a little to young to serve

I would like to think Arthur is the closest connection to this family.  If it was his parents – Alexander & Catherine plus 7 children - who immigrated to NZ in 1865on “Loiuisa”. then that may account for an Arthur Devlin born in 1873 New Zealand to Patrick Peter Kesedy (Cassidy) Devlin & Jemima Knaggs.  (I think Jemima was about Patrick's 3rd wife, and i think he went by the name of Peter Devlin, anyway they had 2 children Arthur & Ada Devlin). 

Ada married William James FAIRBURN in 1890 Whangarei, and it looks like they had 2 children, Ernest Richard & Myrtle.  Myrtle married Stewart Sutherland PURDON and they had 4 children, one son Vivian Sutherland Purdon died 2012 Northland (Whangarei), another daughter Gwendoline married Frank Charles Gracie.   

Another Arthur Devlin also in NZ appears – a Pukerimu Settler married Harriet Searle 1905 NZ, the earliest I can find him on the E. Rolls is 1905-1906.   This Arthur Devlin was born about 1872 died 1976, Hamilton, he has a will Archives Auckland.

BUT .... I still cant make any connections to my Boer War A. Devlin !! 

Cheers, Ian

[km1971]

6356 was issued in the first half of 1900. He could have been a new recruit then, or transferred in to the East Lancs Regiment then from another regiment. If the soldier was not still in the regiment when the medal roll was signed then what happened to him will be in the Remarks. NZ and Aus had their own units in South Africa.

The Depot was in Bury, but the 1st Battalion served in Dublin from 1902 to 1905. Which is why the medal roll was compiled there.

He may have been transferred to a new regiment after the Boer war, and his record will be filed on Findmypast under his last unit. If he died while serving they would not have kept his record.

His medals could have passed to a relative who emigrated to NZ.

Ken