Kimberley Commando

[Peterhastie]

I came across this entry on a medal card

Awarded the "Meritorius Service medal" underneath in hand writing "German SW Africa" and "Special Gazette"

Name Wilkens J

Rank S/M

Corps Kimberley Commando

Ive Googled Kimberley Commando and come up with very little... of relevance.

Peter

[sotonmate]

Peter

From Google I got an old picture (1900) of the Kimberley Commando,a bunch of civilians who I think were Boers. Try it- I put Kimberley Commando 1900,a pic was shown down the left side of the screen which you can blow up.

Sotonmate

[Peterhastie]

Thanks Sotonmate

The date on the medal card is

Date of gazette 22.8.18

I found this on the CWGC

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=127243

and this

http://www.oldandsold.com/articles26/world-war-one-17.shtml

and this

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...t=&similar=

Peter

[cahoehler]

. . . "German SW Africa" and "Special Gazette"

. . . Kimberley Commando and come up with very little . . .

Peter

The "Kimberley Commando" seems to have had several incarnations (1900, 1914, 1936 . . . .)

However one of the units that served during the GSWA campaign and the 1914-15 Rebellion was styled the "Kimberley Central Commando".

London Gazette 30586 (pages 9785-9793) and London Gazette 30587 (pages 9795-9805) have most, but not all, of the GSWA decorations and there were other decorations in later issues.

Lieutenant-Colonel Robert George Scott VC DSO was the commander of the Kimberley Commando during WW1.

http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.or...legeSupple.html

During the Rebellion he raised and commanded the Kimberley Central Commando, and in spite of the very grave condition of his health, he led his Commando through the region of the Kalahari, and took part in the engagement at Upington

http://www.angloboerwar.com/DSO/s/scott_rg.htm

Carl

[cahoehler]

Peter

Chris Boonzaaier http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...hp?showuser=748 is the expert on the GSWA campaign and on the 1914-15 Rebellion.

Here is the very best Order of Battle from his web site

http://www.trenchfighter.com/40117/40726.html

Carl

[Peterhastie]

Thanks Carl

I never realised that so much went on in Southern Africa.

Did the Kimberley Light Horse come directly under British command or were

operations in southern Africa directed by an independent authority.

Peter

[cahoehler]

. . . Kimberley Light Horse . . .

Peter

Not an expert but here are the results of a quick google. I also not sure what happened after the ABW as the KLM is not listed in my electronic copy of Tylden's The Armed Forces of South Africa except this

DIAMOND FIELDS ARTILLERY

Volunteer unit established in Kimberley in 1896, which served in the Bechuanaland (Langeberg) campaign the year after. It also served during the Siege of Kimberley with five officers, 108 other ranks and six 7 pounder screw guns, which had just replaced the unit's original 7-pounder rifled muzzle-loading guns. In 1907 the unit became a field battery of the Kimberley Regiment, but it was disbanded in 1908. An artillery troop, first of the Kimberley Light Horse and then of the Diamond Fields Horse, had existed from 1876 until the Diamond Fields Artillery became an independent unit.

The KLH was one of the local armed forces serving the British cause in the Anglo Boer war (1899-1902). The enrolment forms (WO 126) and the nominal rolls (WO 127) are held at TNA/PRO Kew.

WO 126/74 Kaffrarian Rifles and Kimberley Horse, A-K

WO 126/75 Kimberley Horse L-Z

WO 127/12 Kimberley Light Horse

http://www.genealogyworld.net/boer/forces.html and http://www.icon.co.za/~dup42/bregimnt.htm

At the commencement of the [Anglo-Boer] war there were in existence and stationed at Kimberley the following volunteers:—

Diamond Fields Horse, strength 178

Diamond Fields Artillery, strength 97 and 6 guns

Kimberley Regiment, strength 352

Kimberley Town Guard, strength 1303

These were afterwards increased in numbers, and the Kimberley Light Horse and Kimberley Mounted Corps were organised. These various corps were so constantly mixed up, and partook so largely of the same work, that it will be well to deal with them under one heading.

http://www.angloboerwar.com/units/kimberley_units.htm

During the Siege of Kimberley (October 1899 to February 1900)

Oct 19th.

. . . A Mounted Force is being raised and recruits pour in. It is to be called the Kimberley Light Horse

Brevet-Major H. Scott-Turner, Black Watch, had been sent to Kimberley on special duty prior to the siege. He was given the local acting rank of Lt-Col, and command of the newly-formed Kimberley Light Horse.

http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol034wh.html

Carl