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In Wakefield Cemetery.

Trooper Benny Watson, 66th (Yorkshire) Company Imperial Yeomanry. Died at Kroonstadt, South Africa, on 6th November 1901, aged 19. Son of Robert and Lucy Ann Watson, of Cheapside, Wakefield.

My late Great Uncle on my Mother's side, Margaret Skrimshire

Kroonstad British Memorial Panels

Elmarie – thanks for the regimental number which as usual is key to discovering more about the man. Without any further investigation it tells us he was second wave Imperial Yeomanry.

Bennys’ attestation papers & service records can easily be found on Ancestry by entering only his surname in a military search along with his regimental number in the “Keyword” box.

Name: Benjamin Watson
Born: Wakefield
Attested (enlisted): Doncaster on 28 January 1901
Age given: 20 years 3 months (based on other sources he added a year on, strictly you had to be 20 to serve in the Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa)
Occupation: Grocer’s Assistant
Previous military experience: none claimed
Height: 5 ft 8 inches (about 2 inches above average at the time)
Date of Death: 6 November 1901
Cause of death: Dysentry
Unfortunately a full set of service dates has not been entered so the document does not tell us how long Benny had been in SA when he died.
He gave his father as his next of kin: Robert Watson, Cheapside, Wakefield

This notice which appeared in the Wakefield & West Riding Herald of 16 November 1901 confirms the cause of death.



The second wave 66th Company QSA Medal Roll (also findable on Ancestry) indicates that Benny was one of only three members of the second wave of the Company to die in South Africa (assuming all deaths have been recorded in the comments column).

I have a telegram from Benny to his family dated 1st October 1901 (received) stating he was boarding ship at Southampton at 10.30 tonight.





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I would say the telegram was sent on Monday 25 February 1901, based on the date stamp top right hand corner. This fits with this report in the London Times of Saturday 23 February 1901:

“A detachment of 6 officers and 660 men of the Imperial Yeomanry and 3 men of the RAMC are due to embark in the Orotava, Monday, at Southampton for South Africa.”

Also second wave IY companies travelled out to South Africa in the spring of 1901.

Note Benny added an “i” to the name of the ship.

The next news I can find of the Orotava is from the London Times of 11 April 1901:

“The Orotava left for England on April 5”

A typical voyage at the time took about 3 weeks, so Benny probably arrived in South Africa about 18 March. Just over 7 months later he died. During those 7 months he saw quite a bit of South Africa, as he was posthumously awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with 4 clasps – Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal & South Africa 1901. The medal should have been sent to his father as named next of kin. His parents were obviously very proud of Benny and I am sure if the army had been negligent in forwarding the medal they would have made sure they received it. Has the medal survived in the family?

For some photographs of the Orotava follow these links:

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/11-research/9...-ships?start=6#15448
www.angloboerwar.com/forum/11-research/9...ships?start=30#15552
www.angloboerwar.com/forum/11-research/9...ships?start=72#81253