Jacobus Francois Joubert info

[kobus joubert]

Hi there,

Trying to find out more about my grandfather JF Joubert (Jacobus Francois)

I have in my possession his Victory medal. This must be one issued in South Africa as it has Dutch writing on the back.

On the side his name JF Joubert is stamped and after his name SASO.  No number or anything.

I would like to find out where he served and what did he do in the war.

He died long before I was born and my farther also died when I was 9 years old, so I never got to talk to him about my grandfather.

Any help where to try and find records would be appreciated.  Thanks

[JulianR]

Kobus,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

1) Your grandfathers medals were stamped in Afrikaans so the SASO is the Afrikaans version of which ever  unit he served in.

2) South African personnel records are kept in Pretoria, I do know that there is a South African researcher who will do the necessary for you if needed, but cannot remember the contact details.

3) If you look at the LLT tab at the top of the page and go to http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/south-african-forces-british-army/

there is something helpful information.  South African activities and history of WW1 have not been covered well in general.

 

Julian

I will try and find my copy of the South African history to see if we can identify the unit

 

Just to help what is the Afrikaans for Corps?

Edited 11 March , 2019 by JulianR

[JulianR]

Your grandfather should also have received the British War Medal, essentially that means he served outside South Africa.

 

What are the letters before J.F.?

Edited 11 March , 2019 by JulianR

[JulianR]

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/232968-ww1-nurse-which-medal/?tab=comments#comment-2322544

 

 

Kobus read through the messages in the link and there is a South African researcher in there.

 

Julian

[kobus joubert]

Thank you for the information so far. There are 3 letters before the JF.. Just cannot remember what they were.  Will check tonight when I get back home.

[SteveE]

On ‎11‎/‎03‎/‎2019 at 09:21, kobus joubert said:

On the side his name JF Joubert is stamped and after his name SASO.  No number or anything.

The South Africans didn't put service numbers on the rim of the medals, just Rank, Name and Unit which, in this instance, is S.A.S.C (not S.A.S.O.) and is the South African Service Corps.

 

For South African records Chris Baker posted this detail on another thread:-

 

"I have received complete, digitised records of WW1 army service - free of charge - from the archives in South Africa. They do take quite a while to respond. In my most recent case I did not hear anything at all - not even a "we have your request" - and then the record arrived, over a year after my enquiry was submitted. But even so, a valuable service.

 

On 4 July 2018 they wrote saying "Kindly note our new email address is archive@dod.mil.za"

 

Department of Defence
Command and Management Information System Division
Documentation Centre
Private Bag X289
Pretoria
0001

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 08:00 – 16:00

Reading Room Hours: Tuesday – Thursday, 08:00 – 16:00

Telephone: (+27) 012 670 8000

Facsimile: (+27) 012 670 8001"

 

Regards

 

Steve

 

 

[kobus joubert]

On 11/03/2019 at 18:43, JulianR said:

Your grandfather should also have received the British War Medal, essentially that means he served outside South Africa.

 

What are the letters before J.F.?

It is DVR.  So he was a driver of horses or mules I presume

17 hours ago, SteveE said:

The South Africans didn't put service numbers on the rim of the medals, just Rank, Name and Unit which, in this instance, is S.A.S.C (not S.A.S.O.) and is the South African Service Corps.

 

For South African records Chris Baker posted this detail on another thread:-

 

"I have received complete, digitised records of WW1 army service - free of charge - from the archives in South Africa. They do take quite a while to respond. In my most recent case I did not hear anything at all - not even a "we have your request" - and then the record arrived, over a year after my enquiry was submitted. But even so, a valuable service.

 

On 4 July 2018 they wrote saying "Kindly note our new email address is archive@dod.mil.za"

 

Department of Defence
Command and Management Information System Division
Documentation Centre
Private Bag X289
Pretoria
0001

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 08:00 – 16:00

Reading Room Hours: Tuesday – Thursday, 08:00 – 16:00

Telephone: (+27) 012 670 8000

Facsimile: (+27) 012 670 8001"

 

Regards

 

Steve

 

 

Thank you Steve

[JulianR]

4 hours ago, kobus joubert said:

It is DVR.  So he was a driver of horses or mules I presume

Thank you Steve

No, could mean that he was driving cars/lorries etc., it is the normal Service Corps equivalent of Private

 

When you apply to Pretoria for his records I suggest that you add any details you know such as date of birth and parents names, place he was born or living as there are probably quite a few JF Jouberts.

 

I had a quick look on Ancestry for him but got a reasonable number of hits and could not work out which one was which.  Do you know what year he died?

 

Julian