Second Boer War

[kenyoude]

My paternal grandfather, John Arthur Youde (b.5.4.1878 in Southport), sailed on the SS Persic to Cape Town on 20th March 1902. I wonder how long it took since the Second Boer War finished on 31st May 1902! He was awarded the South Africa Medal (King's presumably) with clasps for Cape Colony, Transvaal and Orange Free State. He was in the 1st Volunteer Active Service Company, 1st Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Family stories say he went to find his fortune (ha!) in the Kimberley gold rush. He returned to England, married, then died age 46 of TB in the TB Hospital in Southport. TB possibly caused by the damp mining conditions. On the SS Persic passenger list he is down as a miner.
If anyone can shed any light on any of this I would appreciate it.

[Jebber]

My grandfather's unit took twenty-six days when he went out in 1900.

Clasps awarded to
All troops in Cape Colony at any time between 11th October, 1899, and 31st May, 1902, inclusive, who had not received a clasp for a specific action in the Cape Colony, or the " Natal " clasp.

Orange Free State
All troops in Orange River Colony at any time between 28th February, 1900 and 31st May, 1902, inclusive who had not received a clasp for a specific action in the Orange River Colony.

Transvaal
All troops in the Transvaal at any time between 24th May, 1900 and 31st May, 1902, inclusive who had not received a clasp for a specific action in the Transvaal.

[Ians1900]

Hello Ken Youde,

Ok, so I have been able to clarify what happened to your paternal Great Grandfather…

In February 1900, Army Order 29 of that year was issued entitled ‘Volunteer Companies for Service in South Africa’. 

Paragraph 1 reads:

A carefully selected company of 116 of all ranks may be raised for each Line battalion, serving in or about to proceed to South Africa, from its affiliated Volunteer battalions.  This company will be attached for service to the Line battalion in South Africa and placed under the commanding officer of that battalion.

Paragraph 4 reads:

The strength of each company will be-
1 captain
2 subalterns
1 sergeant-Instructor to act as pay sergeant
4 sergeants
2 buglers
5 corporals
99 privates
2 stretcher bearers
116

Your Grandfather John Arthur Youde would have been a member of a local militia when the war in South Africa began on Wednesday 11 October 1899, as volunteers were drawn from established volunteer companies attached to each regiment, obviously had to have military experience and have passed a musketry course.  He volunteered to join the 1st Volunteer Active Service Company of the 1st Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment at the age of twenty-one.

The Times Shipping Records show that this volunteer company left Southampton on Sunday 25 February 1900, on board the Union Steam Ship Company vessel SS Mexican, a 4661 ton steam passenger ship, acquired by the War Office for use as a transport vessel to carry troops to South Africa.

The SS Mexican arrived at Cape Town on Thursday 15 March 1900.

An interesting note is that the S.S. Mexican left Table Bay on the 4th of April 1900 and collided with the British transport ship S.S. Winkfield. The Mexican sank 60 miles NNW Capetown, but all 244 passengers and crew were saved plus some bags of mail. 

The activities of the regiment are covered here:

https://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/imperial-units/571-loyal-north-lancashire-regiment

The Service Companies joined their affiliated regiments, so this can be viewed as an indication of his service in South Africa.

7379 Pte John Arthur Youde was awarded the Queen’s South Africa medal with three claps:

Cape Colony
(CC)   A clasp inscribed "Cape Colony" was granted to all troops in Cape Colony at any time between October 11th, 1899, and a date to be hereafter fixed, who received no clasp for an action already specified in the Cape Colony nor Natal clasps.

Orange Free State
(OFS)   A clasp inscribed “Orange Free State” was granted to all troops in Orange River Colony at any time between February 28th, 1900, and a date to be hereafter fixed, who received no clasp which has been already specified for an action in the Orange River Colony.

Transvaal
(TV)   A clasp inscribed "Transvaal" was granted to all troops in the Transvaal at any time between May 24th,1900 and a date to be hereafter fixed, who received no clasp for an action in the Transvaal which has already been specified.

He was also recommended to have been awarded the SA1901 Clasp as he was in South Africa during 1901, but not long enough to qualify for the King’s South Africa medal, the regulations for which state that a clasp, "South Africa 1901" would be awarded to all who served in South Africa between January 1st 1901, and December 31st, 1901, both dates inclusive.  As his period of service did not fit this criteria, he would have had a SA1901 clasp included on his Queen’s South Africa medal.  Sometimes medals were issued with the original clasp entitlement and men never received the SA1901 clasp.

The Queen’s South Africa medal roll states that he elected to take his discharge in South Africa and by the time the roll was completed on 31 May 1903, this fact was recorded against his name together with the additional words ‘and returned home’.

You already know that he returned to South Africa and arrived at Cape Town on Thursday 20 March 1902 (Before the war had ended) to seek his fortune in the Kimberley Gold mines.

He returned to England and married your Grandmother Annie Counsell at Preston, Lancashire in 1906; if you don’t have the certificate, the General Record Office reference is Preston 8e 1436 and the rest you know.

I see that you have a second post regarding purchasing replica medals – ask for four claps not three.

I have attached images of SS Mexican and the two relevant QSA Medal Roll pages.

Ian

[Ians1900]

Sorry, files too large.

[Ians1900]

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