corisande Posted 2 March , 2014 Share Posted 2 March , 2014 Can anyone help me here with some info on how a man got from BSAP to the British Army in WW1 I am researching a man whose MIC has BSAP actually on the MIC. Trooper no.1876. I believe from other information that he was a Trooper from 1911 to 1914 in Rhodesia. . He then appears as getting a Commission to Essex Yeomanry in Nov 1915 in LG and on MIC The fact that the MIC but there is no "Landed" anywhere date confused me a bit. Were the BSAP a unit in which one could be awarded a 1914 Star? And what were the mechanics of moving from BSAP to British Army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Phillips Posted 2 March , 2014 Share Posted 2 March , 2014 A man I researched on our memorial attested in the BSAP in March 1914 Trooper 1818 Arthur Kendrick. He later was commissioned into the Kings African Rifles, in which he DoW. His MIC shows both units but no Star awarded. Sorry dies not answer your questions really. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 2 March , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 March , 2014 Thanks - all helps I suppose it poses another question as to how many men were in BSAP, and how many were eventually commissioned from these men Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 2 March , 2014 Share Posted 2 March , 2014 Corisande BSAP were a force paid for by the private British South Africa Company (BSAC) that administered, for dividends to its shareholders, Southern & Northern Rhodesia. BSAC really dragged its heels at bringing BSAP into the war until Britain guaranteed to cover all possible costs. However certain immediate war duties were undertaken by BSAP, but many troopers wanted action in France and some took the boat to England. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 2 March , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 March , 2014 Harry Thanks. So do I understand that BSAP troopers carried out "war duties" in 1914 (say) but were not considered to be in a war zone, even though they were in Rhodesia. So are considered to be serving, hence on MIC, but not actually entitled to Star for this service. With those who joined the British Army did they all pay their own fares to UK, or was there a boatload sent by HMG . In other words did they travel as a large group , or in dribs and drabs as individuals? I tried to find a boatload on a commercial boat but failed (However as you probably know Ancestry's shipping records from East Africa are patchy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tullybrone Posted 2 March , 2014 Share Posted 2 March , 2014 Hi, I understand 1914 Star only issued for qualifying service on land in France & Flanders. Service in any other Theatre of War ie East or SW Africa 5th August 1914 till 22nd November 1914 would be recognised by award of 1914/15 Star. Steve Y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 3 March , 2014 Share Posted 3 March , 2014 Tully is correct. I'm up in north-eastern India presently, but I'll look up my BSAP history books when I'm home later this month. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 3 March , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 March , 2014 Thank you Tully and Harry for the additional inputs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRP.HKP Posted 10 March , 2014 Share Posted 10 March , 2014 Tpr 1876 Arthur Richardson served in BSAP from 22.07.1914 until 19.05.1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 10 March , 2014 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2014 Caistor Thanks you for putting me right on those dates. His RAF record, which is after all just what he told them, says "1911 - 1914 Trooper in British South Africa Police in Rhodesia" And he did not waste much time between leaving BSAP 19 May 1915, getting back to UK and getting an Essex Yeomanry commission on 8 Nov 1915 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenbecker Posted 11 March , 2014 Share Posted 11 March , 2014 Mate, My only BSAP are these men? CLARK Percy 3116 Pte 04 LHR 24R disch 12-11-17 MU overage (Boer War Brabant's Horse and Matabele War BSAP 1896-97) URQUHART William Thomson Bruce 690 Pte 05 LHR 1R tos A Sqn 2-16 GOC in Chief comendation for bravery at the Balkan Pitts 28-6-15 prom T/2/Lt (G) disch to British Army prom 2/Lt 9Bn Notts & Derby Regt to 1Bn Notts and Derby Regt 24 Bde 8 Div F&B killed near Ypres buried Vlamertinghe War Cemetery Belgium (Boer War Lt 2nd Imperial LH and SSM Sth African Constabulry to SSM BSAP 13 years in Sth Africa) father Andrew LtCol British Army This unit appears to be in operations for some time. S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahbenson Posted 13 March , 2014 Share Posted 13 March , 2014 One of the men we are researching on our Roll of Honour was also in the BSAP - his entry on the Roll of Honour actually says "BSAPI", with the "I", I assume, standing for Infantry. Stanley Northcote Walter died of pneumonia on 24 October 1918 and is buried in the Harare (Pioneer) Cemetery. His CWGC entry refers to him as Sgt 1694 BSAP, but his MIC shows him as Cpl 1694, and then as (I think) Trooper. The MIC shows him as entering in theatre of war 4a, which fits, on 3 October 1915, but is annotated with what looks like "retrans BSAP 22 November 1916". (I would attach a copy of the MIC but I don't seem to be able to today). We are struggling to find out any more about Sgt Walter, and to figure out how someone who was a jeweller's assistant living in Chiswick in 1911 ended up in the BSAP. Is anyone able to suggest further avenues to explore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 13 March , 2014 Share Posted 13 March , 2014 , and to figure out how someone who was a jeweller's assistant living in Chiswick in 1911 ended up in the BSAP. Nothing ostensibly unusual there - Brits went abroad to join colonial police forces. BSAP were accepting recruits from outside Rhodesia right up to the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 16 March , 2014 Share Posted 16 March , 2014 Sarah (Post #12) Greetings A definitive book on all who served in the BSAP is in production. However FRONTIER PATROLS by Colonel Colin Harding http://www.naval-military-press.com/frontier_patrols-a-history-of-the-british-south-africa_police-other-rhodesian-forces..html on page 365 lists him as an Acting Corporal in the Southern Rhodesia Column. You can get an idea of what the Southern Rhodesians did here: http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/366822.html Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 16 March , 2014 Share Posted 16 March , 2014 Corisande If you look at the second link in the above post then I think that most of your queries will be answered. The BSAC deployed BSAP men for the immediate defence of the Rhodesias (eg: Abercorn on the northern border) and to seize an adjacent German post at Schuckmannsberg in the Caprivi Strip of GSWA. I would guess that several BSAP lads just took off & boarded a boat from South Africa to UK when they got fed up of normal policing duties in a time of World War. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 16 March , 2014 Author Share Posted 16 March , 2014 Thanks Harry Another of those things I should have known at the time. I was along the whole length of the Caprivi Strip last year, probably not a lot to see but its always nice to know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahbenson Posted 17 March , 2014 Share Posted 17 March , 2014 Thanks Harry - very helpful. Do you know when the "definitive book" will be published? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRP.HKP Posted 5 April , 2014 Share Posted 5 April , 2014 Sarah Ref Post Number 12 Stanley Northcote WALTER is recorded as having served in the BSAP from 10.08.1913 until 26.10.1918 ( note discrepancy with date of death). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 5 April , 2014 Share Posted 5 April , 2014 Sarah Reference Post #17 An enquiry here might give information on the proposed book: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/BSAPHistory/info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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