Boer war Jesse Champion RAMC

[emjsw]

Hello,

I was hoping you might be able to help me solve a family mystery please?

My Gt Grandfather Henry Sweetland b 1870, joined the Somerset light infantry in 1890 and subsequently served in Gibralter, India and later during the Boer war.

His best friend that he kept in touch with was called Jesse Champion, he was in the RAMC (a relative recalls seeing RAMC or RAMO/D on the edge of the medal, we have assumed this to mean he served in the Royal Army Medical Core at the time of the medal issue).

We have no idea where or when Jesse was born but an initial search found a Jesse Champion RAMC born Berskshire named as next of kin on this 0Jesse's brothers 1904 attestation papers, along with a tather called John and other brothers William, John and Frederick.

( REF _ Name Alfred Champion, Gender Male, Birth Date abt 1886, Birth Place Barewood, Berkshire, Enlistment Age18, Document Year 1904, Regimental Number 21571, Regiment Name, Army Service Corps Number of Images 6, Form Title Short Service Attestation, Other Records, Alfred Champion - Self - Army Service Corps 21571. Household Members Alfred Champion, John Champion, John Champion, Fred Champion, William Champion, Jesse Champion)

Searching the 1891 census I have found a father called John with the right combination of son's names. Residence Place, Sindlesham, Winnersh, Berkshire, England. Sub registration district, Wargrave 8, Piece 1001 Folio, 116.

Now this is where for us it gets interesting, In the 1871** census records father John is with wife Eliza nee Kerton, there is a marriage for them and on a GRO search children Rose, John, Jane, Ann, Frederick, William and Jessie born reg district Wokenham have mother's maiden name Kerton. In the 1891 census he is with wife Lydia, all of the children listed here have mother's maiden name Blackman. There is no record anywhere for a Lydia Blackman and a John Champion getting married but I have found the Berkshire records on ancestry to be quite lacking (baptisms, marriages and burials anyway). The John checks out but perhaps these were 2 different John's afterall.

R1871 - registration districtWokinghamSub-registration districtWargraveED, institution, or vessel8Household schedule number169Piece1289Folio18Page number29

The reason this is interesting to us is that Henry Sweetland's son Henry John Sweetland seems to move from Somerset to Berkshire after WW1 for no apparent reason. He then marries Rose Lilian Boulton. Rose's mother was Mary Ann Blackman. Her sister was Lydia Blackman!!!

What if Henry and Jesse stayed in touch and Henry took Henry John along to meet Jesse. Henry John may have met Jesse's stepmum's family including Rose Lilian and that explains the move and how Henry John and Rose met (we never knew how thy got together).

I am probably making far to many assumptions based on just 1 fact Jesse being in the RAMC which was printed on his medal and ties with a Jesse's brother's attestation papers. The Jesse on the 1891 census and GRO shows him born 1882 which would make him 12 years younger than Henry (normally people are friends with people roughly the same age) and only 17 when the Boer War broke out. I thought you had to be 19 to join the army??

I can't find any info on a Jesse Champion in the RAMC in the Boer war on ancestry or Fold3, it is as if he didn't exist.

I have found a Jesse Champion born in 1862 in the Chelsea Pension records but he was in the 46th Brigade and joined in 1880.  Maybe this is the right one and the whole Berkshire/Blackman thing is a coincidence.

Please could someone advise as to where I can find out more about a Jesse Champion who served in the RAMC in the Boer war please as I have hit a blank with ancestry/fold3.

Sorry for all the writing.

Best wishes,
Emma

[MaxD]

There is a J Champion RAMC in the Anglo Boer War records.  His number was 15071.  He is named Jesse in the WW1 medal records, with the RAMC number and later transferring to the Royal Engineers.  He went to France in August 1914 which suggests he was either still serving at the outbreak of war or that he was on reserve from his earlier service and was recalled.  He transferred on 27 Apr 1917 finishing in the Roads and Quarries element of the RE.  His full service record does not appear to have survived.
MaxD

[emjsw]

There is a J Champion RAMC in the Anglo Boer War records.  His number was 15071.  He is named Jesse in the WW1 medal records, with the RAMC number and later transferring to the Royal Engineers.  He went to France in August 1914 which suggests he was either still serving at the outbreak of war or that he was on reserve from his earlier service and was recalled.  He transferred on 27 Apr 1917 finishing in the Roads and Quarries element of the RE.  His full service record does not appear to have survived.
MaxD

MaxD

That is wonderful, thank you so much for the information.

[MaxD]

His medal record for the Boer War is here on Ancestry:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1686/31794_221489-00619?pid=1634411&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D1686%26h%3D1634411%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DMvA2515%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=MvA2515&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true

In 1901, a 19 year old Private J Champion born Wokingham is in the RAMC at Aldershot.  Significantly, he did not arrive in South Africa until after December 1901 (he does not have the South Africa 1901 clasp, he has the 1902 Clasp).  He has only the Cape Colony clasp which indicates service not in any of the campaign battles but in all likelihood in one of the many General or Stationary hospitals. I'd suggest he is the Boer War man and the one you have been chasing around Berkshire/

MaxD

[emjsw]

His medal record for the Boer War is here on Ancestry:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1686/31794_221489-00619?pid=1634411&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D1686%26h%3D1634411%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DMvA2515%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=MvA2515&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true

In 1901, a 19 year old Private J Champion born Wokingham is in the RAMC at Aldershot.  Significantly, he did not arrive in South Africa until after December 1901 (he does not have the South Africa 1901 clasp, he has the 1902 Clasp).  He has only the Cape Colony clasp which indicates service not in any of the campaign battles but in all likelihood in one of the many General or Stationary hospitals. I'd suggest he is the Boer War man and the one you have been chasing around Berkshire/

MaxD

That is great, thank you so much as this seem to explain many of the things I was asking about. And verifies that the Jesse I was looking for is indeed the one in Berkshire. Thanks so much for taking the time and trouble to do this and to help my family and I out. Much appreciated.