SEWTER, William Born 1879 Known to have served in the Boer War & W

[Terence Munson]

Looking to find William SEWTER, Born 1879

Know to have served in the Boer War and First World War

Found these records, can anyone find anything to prove

they refer to the same man? Any help would be much appreciated.

Terry.

Anglo-Boer War Record 1899-1902

Found three named W SEWTER, only this one survived:

Private W. SEWTER No 4738 Leicestershire Regiment

(Unit: 1 The Leicestershire Regiment Battalion).

Notes: The Queen’s South Africa (QSA) Medal Clasps: Ta..

Silver War Badge Roll Transcription

Name: SEWTER, William.

Service No: 711

Rank: Corporal

Badge No: 68792

Enlisted: 18-Apr-1912

Discharged: 12-Oct-1916

Unit: 3/1st. Northants Yeo.

Cause of Discharge: Sickness. King’s Regulation 392. (XVI)

Whether served overseas: Yes

Badge date of issue: 24-Nov-1916

Medal Card for the Corporal above:

Does the line above the Silver Medal refer to a QSA clasp?

Would previous campaign awards be included?

[HeatherC]

Does the line above the Silver Medal refer to a QSA clasp?

Would previous campaign awards be included?

No, it refers to the 1914 Star clasp - see here http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/themedals.html

Not in my experience of looking at medal cards, no.

[Stebie9173]

Do you have a location or profession for him - there is a William Sewter who was a Postman at Eastgate, Peterborough in 1911 (appointed November 1903) - if it is him then I may be able to locate some other information.

I can't see him on the 1901 Census, but that won't be conclusive!

Steve.

[Stebie9173]

If it helps 711 Corporal William Sewter is recorded on the Peterborough Mayor's Roll of Honour (compiled in early 1915) as being of 134 Wellington Street, Peterborough. Noted alongside his name is "Wounded. Invalided home."

Steve.

[Terence Munson]

Apologies for the slow response to the posts above - We've completed our half term task this evening, minding grandchildren for working parents. It's been fun but nice to hand them back!

Heather,

Thanks I thought as much but I am out of my comfort zone on the Soldiers forum.

Steve,

Thanks also, all I knew when I started looking for this soldier was the first two lines of the OP, from a neighbour who couldn't find anything about him on the internet!

I talked to him today and he is sure Corporal Sewter is his Grandfather. Peterborough is right, and the family-lore is, that he was the only survivor of incident when five men were blown up and gassed in the war. He was discharged early, and that he never worked again. The other details are also very welcome.

Many Thanks

Terry

[Stebie9173]

If he was born in 1879 and joined the regulars then he would have done so about 1897 when he was 18 or 19 (assuming he didn't join as a Boy). That service should have taken him through to about 1904 when he could be transferred to the Reserve for the remainder of his 12 years service. The Reserve service would expire about 1909, hence he would not re-join the Army under his old army identity. The army service for a full 7 years active service is a bit tight so he may have been invalided sick from South Africa?

His Post Office appointment is here in the London Gazette:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27636/page/337

The November 1903 date comes from PO appointment books on Ancestry.

I have just found a reference, extracted from the local newspapers in early 1915, in David Gray's local book - Peterborough at War 1914-1918. It states:

{My notes in brackets}

"Another member of "B" Squadron {1}, Corporal W Sewter, who had formerly been employed at Peterborough Post Office {2}, was home on sick leave from France. He had sustained injuries in an accident while in the trenches, and after being in three hospitals in France had finally been brought back to England, going to Leicester and afterwards to a convalescent home at Melton Mowbray. Corporal Sewter had served in the Leicestershire Regiment in the Boer War, and was at the Relief of Ladysmith."

{1. "B" Squadron of the Northamptonshire Yeomanry was based at the drill hall on St Leonard's Street in Peterborough and has now disappeared under Queensgate Bus Station.}

{2. The main Peterborough Post Office at that time was on Cumbergate which has also disappeared under Queensgate, a stub of the road still being a pedestrian access to Queensgate behind St John's Church with the other end of the "L" shaped road emerging on Long Causeway where Boots is now.}

Steve.

[ss002d6252]

He enlisted between Jan 1896 and Feb 1897

4552 joined on 8th January 1896
4997 joined on 5th February 1897

http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.co.uk/2009/06/leicestershire-regiment-1st-2nd.html

Craig

[Terence Munson]

Steve,

That is brilliant, not only does it provide the link to the two soldiers records I posted and confiirms they are one and the same, but also gives much more detail than I ever expected.

I really appreciate your time and interest.

Sincere thanks.

Terry

[Terence Munson]

Craig,

Missed your post while replying to Steve. Thanks for that extra detail.

Terry

[Stebie9173]

So a seven year active service period of January 1896 through to January 1903 puts him just right to be looking for new employment in 1903 and qualifying as a postman later that year.

As you have no doubt seen, 4738 W Sewter of 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment was entitled to the QSA with clasps for Belfast, Talana, Defence of Ladysmith and Laing's Nek plus the King's South Africa Medal with clasps for 1901 and 1902.

I assume the Defence of Ladysmith clasp puts him within the Siege rather than the Relief column.

Steve.

[ss002d6252]

I assume the Defence of Ladysmith clasp puts him within the Siege rather than the Relief column.

The relief column had a separate clasp.

Defence of Ladysmith

A clasp inscribed "Defence of Ladysmith" will be granted to all troops in Ladysmith between November 3^rd, 1899, and February 28^th, 1900, both dates inclusive.

http://www.angloboerwar.com/medals-and-awards/british/1875-queens-south-africa-medal

Craig

[Stebie9173]

A tiny snippet - the Peterborough Advertiser of 23-12-1899 (and repeated weekly) has a Roll Call of men serving - it shows "Sewter, Private, Cromwell Road, Leicester Regiment".

He may have written a letter home after the Siege but I don't have any pics of copies of the paper at that point in 1900.

Steve.

[Terence Munson]

Thanks Guys I was confident the Forum would deliver something but all this exceeded my expectations.

It is down to members like you that makes it a good place to be.

Terry