Buffs

[Guest Paul-r]

Hello

I am tracing information on my Grandfather William Reeves.

There are extensive posts on his Medal cards etc on the Forums.

Are there any particular connections with this regiment and Lewisham (then Kent)/South East London area in general. i.e Barracks etc

William Served from 1898/9 - 1919.

Many thanks

Paul

[Jonathan Saunders]

Hello

I am tracing information on my Grandfather William Reeves.

There are extensive posts on his Medal cards etc on the Forums.

Are there any particular connections with this regiment and Lewisham (then Kent)/South East London area in general. i.e Barracks etc

William Served from 1898/9 - 1919.

Many thanks

Paul

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lewisham and SE London would more likely be West Kent terriotory. Which Battalion of the Buffs did he serve with?

[westkent78]

Hello Paul,

As Jonathan has stated, Lewisham was in the West Kents' recruiting territory, and in WW1 raised the 11th Bn Royal West Kent Regiment.

Coming from a place in a certain regiment's recruiting area pre 1900 did not mean that you were obliged to join that regiment, although local tradition and the Cardwell reforms had tried to provide the link. I recently downloaded the 1881 census for the Buffs and the variety of birthplaces is impressive.

I think the main depots for the Buffs were in Canterbury and Dover, but others will be able to confirm.

If you are able to find his attestation papers for his joining the army in 1899 then that will provide the location.

My thinking is that perhaps he wanted to ensure that he joined a Kent Regiment but the West Kents were too close to home given his underage status so he travelled to East Kent and decided to join up. Once in he probably decided to stay with his regimental "family" for the duration.

If his attestations haven't survived then you could also try the Muster Rolls of the Buffs which give snapshots every month of who was in the regiment and sometimes give details such as "Joined at......", "Transferred to..." etc. But this is probably a last resort for his pre-war service, as it is very time consuming.

Someone on the forum has access to the Buffs' rolls for the Boer War so they may be able to indicate whether he served their. Soldiers were transferred between battalions quite often as demand dictated (I have a medal to a Buff who was in the 1st Bn in India in 1897-8 but by the Boer War was serving in the 2nd Bn for example)

Regards,

Matthew

[Michael]

Soldiers were transferred between battalions quite often as demand dictated

Absolutely. The 1st Bn needed approx 500 reservists to bolster its strength at the start of WW1 whereas the 2nd Bn were up to strength in India, the colonial interest being more important pre-war.

I'd be interested to see your census returns. I'll pm you

Mick

[Guest Paul-r]

Yes thanks All

I am assuming he lived in the Lewisham area as that is where I pick up his trail in later life. He may not have and that area of course, from your comment about "Underage" I take it you have come accross my past posts.

Yes I believe he was possibly underage when he joined (thats the family rumour anyway!)

I hope you do not mind me asking you to look here

 

and here

 

As his MIC's and a vast amount of other information regarding William, Michael and the kind forumists helped me out with and its turned into quite a story!

I think the book comes out next week followed by the film!

I have searched the 1901 Census in case he appears in Barracks there but its just the Civil Census although it does mention Chelsea Barracks (Ancestry.com).

Do you have a Buffs specific Census for 1901...If so would appreciate a look up or please contact me if thats the protocol.

I am planing a trip to to Kew at some stage to check all of the various angles out for William.

Are the Attestations the same papers as his "Service Record" that could have been destroyed/damaged by fire or are they a seperate record?

As I understand it the Muster rolls go up to 1898 which may have been the year he joined unless I am mistaken. Did they continue through the Boer war also?

Although not a "Boer War" forum I would much appreciate any info or look ups possible regarding William pre Kew visit (Whenever I get time!)

I really looking for some info/personal details re William i,e on the Next of Kin, DOB, Where William lived etc etc

I know I need to go to Kew and check out the Various options as he probably had a pension and or/Medical pension (Lost a leg) and if he joined in 1898/9 and finaly discharged in 1919 as "W" probably in his second stint in the Army (See the linked threads) then there should be some trace of him....

I thought there was a London connection to the Buffs that I read about somewhere, maybe not.

I do not know where he lived when he joined up so he may well have lived in the "Recognised area" as mentioned earlier, he may have had his reasons for going futher afield or maybe his connection with the Buffs began in the Great War as I am going by the Tags I have and Medal Cards refer to East Kents & East Kent 6th BTN.

Cheers

Paul