Is it possible, is there any point?

[Norfolk Nan]

Thanks, Shaun.  I think this may be 'my' man.  I'm working through the evidence at the moment but it's looking very possible... your help is much appreciated.

Update...

I've followed the trail back and forth, checked marriages, baptisms, census and this isn't my guy.  What a shame.  The search continues...

[barryd]

"He tells a tale of being lost and mistaken for a Boer"

I would have thought that the Authorities would have known the difference between a Boer accent for those Boers who were bilingual and that of a soldier with a Middlesex accent. 

[Rosinish]

I was mostly concerned with the military issue but every little helps...

Yes but the other thread is locked for replies to save duplication of effort.

Annie

[Rosinish]

"He tells a tale of being lost and mistaken for a Boer"

I would have thought that the Authorities would have known the difference between a Boer accent for those Boers who were bilingual and that of a soldier with a Middlesex accent.

One would have thought i.e. "tells a tale" is how I would read it.

Annie

[Norfolk Nan]

Hi Annie, yes, annoyingly the other thread is locked and my comment was waspish but meant to make the point that my two posts had different questions. Sorry 

I've been back to the original article where John is interviewed and he said he spent six years in the Army horse transport before joining the London General Ominibus Company in 1887, then was recalled to colours twice, serving throughout the Boer War and the whole of WW1.    He says one of his adventures in South Africa was being 'captured' by an Irish regiment which took him for a Boer Spy and threatened to shoot him.  He was without uniform after taking part in an arduous campaign and he lost his unit while on a secret cross-country march.  After a month in a prisoner-of-war cage, however, his identity was established beyond doubt.  Interesting, but some of it is a bit tongue-in-cheek.  I'm a bit out of my depth with army research but maybe something will come up... thanks again (and sorry again)

[ShaunJ]

he spent six years in the Army horse transport before joining the London General Ominibus Company in 1887

So we would expect to find him in the 1891 census in London as an omnibus or bus something. I wonder what name he was using then?

[Norfolk Nan]

Well, yes, that's the rub.  in 1894 he was a letter carrier according to his daughter's birth certificate.  Oh, and in 1899 his marriage cert says 'farrier'.   Bear in mind that the article was published in 1955 when he was c90... nothing is straight forward, is it!   And I have checked with LT several times - no record of him of course.