Hi Florent: While your George Emmerson was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia he could have joined up in Britain or South Africa. Many New Zealanders traveled to South Africa and enlisted in local units such as Brabant's Horse, Robert's Horse or the South African Light Horse. The official New Zealand Contingents were oversubscribed, there were 4000 volunteers for the 1011 places in the Eighth NZ Contingent. Brabant's Horse recruited in New Zealand, and the Scottish Horse recruited in Australia (though they had to sign up on the ship outside Australian territorial waters). For the Canadian Scouts (recruited in South Africa) see: http://www.civilization.ca/cwm/boer/canadianscouts_e.html For Canadian Contingents see: http://www.angloboerwar.com/forces/army_canada.htm British volunteers joined the Imperial Yeomanry, and there are 5 Emmersons including George Lionel Emmerson in the IY according to Kevin Asplin's online list: http://hometown.aol.co.uk/kevinasplin/IYE.html He could have joined the British Army, though I would think in that case that he would have joined before the war as a full-time soldier. Records for the British Army of the time, the Imperial Yeomanry and South African units are NOT ONLINE, and as the records at PRO, London are by regiment/unit it is difficult to trace anyone down! The website below for The Anglo-Boer War Memorials Project claims that they can find soldiers (see Research Services) though I have not used their services and so cannot attest to them: http://www.casus-belli.co.uk/abwmp/index.html Re his age, up to WWI you did not need a birth certificate and if you looked old enough you were old enough! Yours, John Wilson (Wellington) > I still would not know if he is my man. I would have to clarify a few items > and was wandering if you could direct me to a military UK site having > photocopies or copies of some of this G. Emmerson service records. My George > Emmerson was 5 feet 8 inches tall, blue eyes, blond hair, 140 pounds. > > George Emmerson was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and was really 21 years old > in 1899. The family tradition (her only living daughter) always told her > daughter (my spouse) that he was not 18 years old, but 17 when he enrolled. > So he had to trick his age to 18. thinking he was only 17 himself. In fact > he was born in 1878 and he always taught he was born in 1881...go figure.... > > Now my problem will be to find a source stating that he was enrolled in > Halifax by the British army...Is such a thing possible....that a country was > recruiting in another country (Canada)? > > The other point was that he really had a wound during the Boer war...He was > hurt behind the head and kept a permanent mark behind his scalp...he always > claims that he received a hit from the back arm (butt) of a carbine...not > that he self-inflicted a wound...but it is possible that he never admit to > his wife and daughter that he did a false move on his own... > > He never mentioned that he received a medal at the Boer war....and > possibly never received any pension from a government as a veteran.... > > Any idea where, on the Internet I can access a UK official web site for the > list of soldiers or service records for the Boers war? > > Thanks again for your big help. > > Florent Coache > Napierville, Quebec, Canada >

Hi Mr. Wilson, Thank you for your information. I will need a rest about searching my information from the Internet. There are so many George Emmerson everywhere... My George Emmerson has the initial F. His full official name should be George Forest EMmerson. I say should be, because he had an eptic life...from what we are learning. His grand-daughter never new he got married twice...and so his 2nd wife probably. He desappear in the western area of Canada for roughly 10 years (1902-1915) and came back alone (without the wife) and claiming he got a ranch for his service in the army and that he lost his ranch...gambling it on cards....and he got back to Montreal ....having lost his luggages falling from the train getting him back to Montreal....go figure.... Anyway, I appreciate your cooperation and I am gratefull for your help. Well...I will still continue searching...it is so much exciting. Regards Florent Coache Napierville, Quebec, Canada -----Original Message----- From: John Wilson [mailto:hugo@actrix.gen.nz] Sent: Friday, December 30, 2005 7:58 AM To: BOER-WAR-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [BOER-WAR] Re: Lookup for George Emmerson- Boer War Hi Florent: While your George Emmerson was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia he could have joined up in Britain or South Africa. Many New Zealanders traveled to South Africa and enlisted in local units such as Brabant's Horse, Robert's Horse or the South African Light Horse. The official New Zealand Contingents were oversubscribed, there were 4000 volunteers for the 1011 places in the Eighth NZ Contingent. Brabant's Horse recruited in New Zealand, and the Scottish Horse recruited in Australia (though they had to sign up on the ship outside Australian territorial waters). For the Canadian Scouts (recruited in South Africa) see: http://www.civilization.ca/cwm/boer/canadianscouts_e.html For Canadian Contingents see: http://www.angloboerwar.com/forces/army_canada.htm British volunteers joined the Imperial Yeomanry, and there are 5 Emmersons including George Lionel Emmerson in the IY according to Kevin Asplin's online list: http://hometown.aol.co.uk/kevinasplin/IYE.html He could have joined the British Army, though I would think in that case that he would have joined before the war as a full-time soldier. Records for the British Army of the time, the Imperial Yeomanry and South African units are NOT ONLINE, and as the records at PRO, London are by regiment/unit it is difficult to trace anyone down! The website below for The Anglo-Boer War Memorials Project claims that they can find soldiers (see Research Services) though I have not used their services and so cannot attest to them: http://www.casus-belli.co.uk/abwmp/index.html Re his age, up to WWI you did not need a birth certificate and if you looked old enough you were old enough! Yours, John Wilson (Wellington) > I still would not know if he is my man. I would have to clarify a few items > and was wandering if you could direct me to a military UK site having > photocopies or copies of some of this G. Emmerson service records. My George > Emmerson was 5 feet 8 inches tall, blue eyes, blond hair, 140 pounds. > > George Emmerson was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and was really 21 years old > in 1899. The family tradition (her only living daughter) always told her > daughter (my spouse) that he was not 18 years old, but 17 when he enrolled. > So he had to trick his age to 18. thinking he was only 17 himself. In fact > he was born in 1878 and he always taught he was born in 1881...go figure.... > > Now my problem will be to find a source stating that he was enrolled in > Halifax by the British army...Is such a thing possible....that a country was > recruiting in another country (Canada)? > > The other point was that he really had a wound during the Boer war...He was > hurt behind the head and kept a permanent mark behind his scalp...he always > claims that he received a hit from the back arm (butt) of a carbine...not > that he self-inflicted a wound...but it is possible that he never admit to > his wife and daughter that he did a false move on his own... > > He never mentioned that he received a medal at the Boer war....and > possibly never received any pension from a government as a veteran.... > > Any idea where, on the Internet I can access a UK official web site for the > list of soldiers or service records for the Boers war? > > Thanks again for your big help. > > Florent Coache > Napierville, Quebec, Canada > ==== BOER-WAR Mailing List ==== Boer War Links http://freespace.virgin.net/anglers.rest/BoerWarLinks.htm ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx