Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 -- Death

[Lady Di]

Family stories have told us that a relation was killed in the Boer War.
I have found a few records relating to him (FindMyPast & Ancestry) but no reference to his death.

Gentleman was PYPER - David Macdonald, born 1864 in Cornwall.

Served with Johannesburg Mounted Rifles, Rank: Trooper, Number: 1400;
     with Driscoll's Scouts, Rank: Sergeant, Number: 492 (joined Aug 1900, discharged May 1901
     with Regiment Kaffrarian Rifles; Rank Private, Number: 1069

Also found reference to receipt of Transvaal service medal in 1903 (and possibly others)

I've read overviews of Driscoll's scouts and Kaffrarian Rifles but haven't found any reference to David or his death.

Any ideas where or how to confirm his death in South Africa please?

Thanks
Di

[MaxD]

Was he born in 1828?  A man of that name is commemorated in Cornwall, death date given 1903 Registered Redruth  Q3 1903.

MaxD

[Lady Di]

Unfortunately that gent was his father who was born 1828, died 1903.

Thanks for your help anyway

[MaxD]

Realised as soon as I sent it that he would have been a very old soldier in the Boer War!

He does not appear in the army deaths register.

MaxD

[Lady Di]

Thanks for checking Max. I couldn't find him either. Possibly just another family story..
I have also just found this article which confirms he was back in London in Aug 1901. Would he have returned to the front that late in the war?

[MaxD]

Is the East London in the article possibly the East London in S Africa of which the Kaffrarian Rifles were the garrison of when formed in 1899?  If so, this might suggest that he returned there after service?

MaxD

[Lady Di]

Oh gosh - I didn't even think that there was an East London in South Africa.
That might paint a different picture. I guess it's possible that he never returned to UK.

Food for thought

Thanks Max

[Chilternbirder]

Is the East London in the article possibly the East London in S Africa of which the Kaffrarian Rifles were the garrison of when formed in 1899?  If so, this might suggest that he returned there after service?

MaxD

I would say definitely the town of East London, I am sure that nobody in England would have referred to "the front" in that way.

[MaxD]

I am leaning towards East London being where he was living when the Kaffrarian Rifles were embodied there, it was their HQ, in late 1899.  It would make sense that he had the local (Cornish) newspapers sent to his "home" town post office. 

MaxD