Hello Pauline, You have all the necessary basic information to avoid the usual difficulties with common names and enable you to progress your research. You would need to visit the PRO at Kew or get a researcher to do a search for you. The Inniskillings' QSA medal roll is in subseries WO 100/183. The date of the letter and mention of Ladysmith show he was in the 1st battalion. They were in the operations to relieve Ladysmith and saw a lot of action, notably at the fierce battles of Colenso 15/12/1899 and Hart's Hill 23/12/1900 where they took a lot of casualties. These will confirm the award of the medal and the clasps issued. The 27 refers to the old number of the regiment which was replaced by the Inniskilings' title in 1881. Then you can check series WO 97 for his attestation and service papers although not all of these have survived. He must have been an optimist thinking that the war would be over in a month. It went on for another 29 months! Regards, David ----- Original Message ----- From: Treehouse <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, May 16, 2003 6:08 PM Subject: [BOER-WAR] 27 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1899 > Hello, > I just found a letter written by my ggrandfather to [I think] my > ggrandmother . He was in South Africa in the Boer War. > > I think this is quite a find but I would be interested in any ideas about > how I can utilize it to further my research. > > I will copy it here the way it was written eg: spelling mistakes and > punctuation mistakes. It is written in pencil on paper that has a crest > embossed on it. > > South Africa, December 8th, 1899 > > Dear Minnie, [I don't know that that is my ggrandmothers name.] > > I write to let you know that I am in good health. Hoping you are the same > and Bobby and Frank [ I think this is my grandfather]. I would like to hear > how you and the children is getting on it is so long since I got any news > from you and I would like a letter very much we do not get any time for > writing nor we wont to this is over but you might keep on sending letters > we > are up cuntry within 12 miles of ladysmith > let them all know at home I am well at present > Dear Minnie this cannot last more than one month you must not expect many > letters of me for I do not get any time to write we cannot get any ink here > no more at present from your loving Jack > > No 2422 pte > John Thompson > D Company > 27 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers > South African Field Forces > > These directions will find me any where out here > XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX > > Regards and Thanks > Pauline Leonard