WW1 Soldiers who also served in the Boer War

[marksimner]

Hi all

I am currently researching members of the South Staffordshire Regiment who served in the Boer War as well as World War One.

Does anyone know roughly how many South Staffords served in both wars - i.e. earned medals for both?

I only have one such medal group in my collection but hoping to acquire another and would like to work out their scarcity.

Not asking much am I???

TIA

Mark

[westkent78]

Come on Mark, ask a difficult one why don't you!

I think you're doomed to cross referencing the South Staffords' QSA & KSA rolls with the WW1 rolls (and don't forget those who might have served with the South Staffords in South Africa but then served in a different regiment in WW1.) Don't think you want to even contemplate trying to track down WW1 South Staffords who served with other regiments in the Boer War.

But I can tell you that there were at least 27 men who were fatalities who served in WW1 with the South Staffords and are listed as having being involved in South Africa. (courtesy of Geoff's CWGC search engine). Undoubtedly there will have been other casualties called into the regiment from the Army Reserve who don't have "South Africa" mentioned.

Just start indexing every single man who served in the South Staffords and they should come to light. It's a task I've set myself for the RWK and it provides hours of fun. Should be ready in about 2018 Also your bank-balance will thank you as you still get the story of the man but don't have to necessarily purchase the medal unless it piques your fancy.

Best regards,

Matthew

[marksimner]

Cheers Matthew, I knew I was asking the impossible but they say if you don't ask you will never get

As tempting a research project as it is I have a few MM groups to research first.

I'm 32 now so by the time I complete th task I would be around 262?

Oh well

Mark

[dorrie]

EDWARDS

Initials: C

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lance Corporal

Regiment/Service: South Staffordshire Regiment

Unit Text: 5th Bn.

Date of Death: 24/08/1915

Service No: 8407

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Trench Railway Cem.Mem. 81.

Cemetery: PERTH CEMETERY (CHINA WALL

Served Boer War came from Blakenall near WalSALL

hAVE A PHOTO AND A LITTLE MORE INFO SOMEWHERE IF REQUIRED.

[rob elliott]

Mark,

Can't be of much help, but when i started researching my grandfathers 1st war service i came accross something.

He was Joseph Baugh, from Bilston. But was working as a miner when war broke out so joined the 10th York and Lancs at Pontefract.

When we got his service record a few years ago there was a little card with it that said previous service with the '3rd Battalion Staffordshire Volunteers'.

My mother was not aware that he had been in service prior to the 1st war.

As he was old enough to have served in the Boar war i had a bit of research done. It turns out he didn't go but there was a list of those that did. If i recall it correctly there were only about thirty that volunteered for overseas service.

It may be possible to check them against the medal indexes to see if they served. I will have a look through my old papers to find the research out, although i don't have the names, i may have the Kew references.

Another thing i have always thought to check out is on Willenhall war memorials there is a man named Hill on each of the Boar, 1st and 2nd memorials. One family?

Another thing i have found while looking for my grandfathers service, i found 3 other Baughs from around the Bilston area who joined the South Staffs and each of them lasted only two weeks in the army being discharged as unsuitable?

Rob