TOPIC:

'The best of scouts
A couple of Natal Carbineers with Clery'

Source: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/19-ephemera/3...-jack?start=48#92516

More Documents and Photos of the Colonel Weighton J.

'Commissariat Section
These belong to the Natal Carbineers'

Source: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/19-ephemera/3...-jack?start=60#93411

I don't think this medal was previously extant? I have recently acquired it as it fits nicely into my Defence of Ladysmith category.

Medal is to 127 Tpr. T. Barnett, Natal Carbineers

Again, anyone able to share any named photos would be appreciated. I have one to A Squadron just before and after the siege commenced but I don't think Barnett was in that squadron.









Regards

Rory

Although shown previously in this thread, I recently acquired this QSA and have found much more on the recipient.
QSA: TH, RoL, TR, LN – 851 TPR. F.H. Sherman. NATAL CARBNRS.

Entitled to KSA and two clasps as RQMS French’s Scouts
And BWM & Victory as 130554 Pte in ASC

Frank Henry Sherman
Born in 3rd quarter of 1870 in Walkhampton, Devon; Baptized: 11 September 1870

1871 Census – Ripley Village, Ripley, Guildford, Surrey, England
Father William Henry Sherman 35 years old b. 1836 Draper & grocer master Stepney, Surrey
Mother Francis 37 years old b. 1834 Stepney, Middlesex
Brother Herbert b1864 Woolwich, Surrey
Brother Percy W 1868 Ripley, Surrey
Frank H 1870 Walkhampton, Devon
Servant Bessie Stentsford 37 years old b. 1834 (assistant to draper) West Horsely, Surrey
Servant Hannah Field 30 years old b. 18 41 (domestic servant) Dumner, Hants.

1881 Census – 65 High Street, Send & Ripley, Guildford, Surrey
Father – William Henry – Widower, Draper & Grocer employing 1 daughter
Herbert William 17 years old b. 1864 Drapers assistant
Bertha F 15 Years old b. 1866 Drapers assistant
Percy W 13 years old b. 1868 – scholar
Frank H 10 years old b. 1871 – scholar
Edith M 7d years old b. 1874 – scholar
Bessie N Stensford 46 years old b.1835 Housekeeper

1898 when 28 immigrated to SA as a miner.
5 Nov. 1898 - Southampton to Port Elizabeth (Algoa Bay) South Africa
SS Braemar Castle – 3964 tons, Donald Currie & Co. Master Craeghe (ship number 108381)
105 passengers, 65-day voyage. The Braemar Castle was a passenger-cargo steamship built in 1898 for the Union-Castle Line. Initially, she served as a passenger liner, sailing from Southampton to South Africa. During the Second Boer War, she was requisitioned as a troopship and later converted into a hospital ship (HMHS) in 1915.

Second Anglo-Boer War
Sherman served in the Natal from 11 Dec 1899 to 9 Oct 1900 as 851 Trooper. According to Stalker, he was on “special service” and with the relief column, which was No. 5 Squadron (Estcourt and Weenen,) under Lt. D. W. Mackay and Maj. Duncan McKenzie . “ No. 5 Squadron of Estcourt and Weenen, kept to their own recruiting ground. Under the command of the gallant and capable Major Duncan McKenzie who had hurried back from England to take his place in the Regiment.” Later Sherman served in French’s Scouts from 1 Feb 1901 to 7 May 1902 as RQMS.

WWI
Sherman served as 1330554 Pte in the Army Service Corps and was awarded a WWI pair.

Orkney Herald, 20 October 1909 (South Africa)
Mr. F.H. Sherman proprietor of Railway Hotel
Orkney is a gold mining town in the Klerksdorp District of NW Province of SA. It’s on the banks of the Vall River, 180km from Johannesburg.

719 TROOPER G.L.FRASER: NATAL CARBINEERS



719 Trooper G. L. Fraser served with the Natal Carbineers from 14th February 1900 to 31st May 1902.


Queen's South Africa medal awarded to 719 Trooper G. L. Fraser bearing clasps Defence of Ladysmith , Transvaal, Laing's New. (Also entitled to KSA with both date clasps WO100/260).


Number, rank and naming officially impressed to the rim.


Regimental naming to the rim.

The critical eye will notice that while the Medal Roll WO100/260 clearly states that Fraser was entitled to all three clasp to his QSA, I cannot see how he could have qualified for the Defence of Ladysmith clasp because the Nominal Roll (pictured above) shows his enlistment into the Natal Carbineers was on 14th February 1900, a mere fortnight before the siege was lifted!
I have only taken a cursory glance at Carbineers with the surnames beginning with the letter 'F' and earned the DofL clasp.
927 Tpr. F. E. Folwell, 717 Tpr. A. G. M. Forder, 267 Tpr. A. P. Francis all were entitled to the Defence clasp, but their enlistment was from 29th September 1899.

So, I am a little puzzled by this to say the least! I do have a couple of theories to run past our experts of the Natalian contingents if I may, as follows:

1---is it likely that elements of NC could have infiltrated the Boer lines prior to the siege being lifted and so could technically qualify as a defender?

2---if G. L. Fraser was a civilian holed up in Ladysmith during the siege, could he have enlisted during the course of the Boer investment of the town? With the absence of evidence of the location of his attestation and nothing detailed on the Nominal Roll I do not have alot to go on.

3---perhaps a mistake was made by the compiler of the Nominal Roll. His number precedes one of the chaps mentioned above.

I am leaning towards option 2. Any further information from my fellow forummers would be very much appreciated if we can shed some light on the back story of this cracking medal.

P. S. One George Lewis Fraser served with the Colonial Scouts earning the Relief of Ladysmith clasp, but none of the dates of service add up. Besides he also served with multiple units; Colonial Scouts, A.S.C., Kimberley Horse, Kimberley Light Horse, Imperial Light Horse and Imperial Light Infantry. So he would have been far too busy elsewhere!