Hello, I am trying to find out as much as I can about my great-grandfather, John Graham MacKay. He fought in the Boer War and I have his QSA medal. So far I have been able to find out his number (2863) and that he was a private in the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. His bible has him as being in 'A' Company, although this was dated 1888 when he first enlisted so I don't know if it is likely to have changed. I also know that he was wounded during the war - shot in the neck whilst brewing up cocoa, apparently. I do not know when or where this happened. I assume he was invalided out following this but I don't know for sure. His medal has the clasps: Cape Colony; Transvaal; Paardeberg; Driefontein and Wittebergen. Of particular interest to me is what these clasps actually mean. What happened at Paardeberg, Driefontein and the rest? Was he wounded in a bitter battle or was he simply extremely unlucky? I intend researching further by getting in touch with the regimental museum in Fort George, however any information or help anyone might be able to pass on would be enormously appreciated. I appreciate that as an enlisted man it is unlikely there will be any great detail on him but just to know what his unit or regiment did in the war would be fascinating in itself. Thank you, Alastair Scott

Alastair, Unless someone does it before me, I'll check the casualty roll to see if he is on it later. Regards, David ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alastair Scott" <alastair_scott@ntlworld.com> To: <BOER-WAR-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 11:36 PM Subject: [BOER-WAR] Seaforth Highlander > Hello, > > I am trying to find out as much as I can about my great-grandfather, John > Graham MacKay. He fought in the Boer War and I have his QSA medal. So far > I > have been able to find out his number (2863) and that he was a private in > the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. His bible has him as being in 'A' > Company, although this was dated 1888 when he first enlisted so I don't > know > if it is likely to have changed. I also know that he was wounded during > the > war - shot in the neck whilst brewing up cocoa, apparently. I do not know > when or where this happened. I assume he was invalided out following this > but I don't know for sure. > > His medal has the clasps: Cape Colony; Transvaal; Paardeberg; Driefontein > and Wittebergen. > > Of particular interest to me is what these clasps actually mean. What > happened at Paardeberg, Driefontein and the rest? Was he wounded in a > bitter > battle or was he simply extremely unlucky? > > I intend researching further by getting in touch with the regimental > museum > in Fort George, however any information or help anyone might be able to > pass > on would be enormously appreciated. I appreciate that as an enlisted man > it > is unlikely there will be any great detail on him but just to know what > his > unit or regiment did in the war would be fascinating in itself. > > Thank you, > > Alastair Scott > > > > ==== BOER-WAR Mailing List ==== > Boer War List Page > http://freespace.virgin.net/anglers.rest/BoerWar.htm > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > >

Thank you, that would be great. Being a bit of a novice when it comes to this sort of thing, what info will the casualty roll give me? -----Original Message----- From: David McNay [mailto:david_mcnay@blueyonder.co.uk] Sent: 27 December 2005 01:41 To: BOER-WAR-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BOER-WAR] Seaforth Highlander Alastair, Unless someone does it before me, I'll check the casualty roll to see if he is on it later. Regards, David ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alastair Scott" <alastair_scott@ntlworld.com> To: <BOER-WAR-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 11:36 PM Subject: [BOER-WAR] Seaforth Highlander > Hello, > > I am trying to find out as much as I can about my great-grandfather, John > Graham MacKay. He fought in the Boer War and I have his QSA medal. So far > I > have been able to find out his number (2863) and that he was a private in > the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. His bible has him as being in 'A' > Company, although this was dated 1888 when he first enlisted so I don't > know > if it is likely to have changed. I also know that he was wounded during > the > war - shot in the neck whilst brewing up cocoa, apparently. I do not know > when or where this happened. I assume he was invalided out following this > but I don't know for sure. > > His medal has the clasps: Cape Colony; Transvaal; Paardeberg; Driefontein > and Wittebergen. > > Of particular interest to me is what these clasps actually mean. What > happened at Paardeberg, Driefontein and the rest? Was he wounded in a > bitter > battle or was he simply extremely unlucky? > > I intend researching further by getting in touch with the regimental > museum > in Fort George, however any information or help anyone might be able to > pass > on would be enormously appreciated. I appreciate that as an enlisted man > it > is unlikely there will be any great detail on him but just to know what > his > unit or regiment did in the war would be fascinating in itself. > > Thank you, > > Alastair Scott > > > > ==== BOER-WAR Mailing List ==== > Boer War List Page > http://freespace.virgin.net/anglers.rest/BoerWar.htm > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > > ==== BOER-WAR Mailing List ==== Getting Started on Boer War Research? http://freespace.virgin.net/anglers.rest/BWInfo.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

I have a copy of the discharge certificate for Joseph Malins MYCOCK, who served in the South African Constabulary from 10 Feb 1901 to 9 Feb 1904. From his service number, B920, he was a member of B (or Northern) Division and was awarded the South Africa medal (King/ Queen not stated, but I assume King from the dates) with clasps for "Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, 1901 & 1902". His rank is shown as "3/C Trooper". Less than a year before joining the SAC, he had bought himself out of the Royal Navy on 14 Mar 1900, having only joined on 28 Dec 1899. Can anyone shed any more light on how he might have ended up in South Africa to sign attestation papers for the SAC at Moddersfontein and how B Division were employed both during the war, to earn the various clasps, and after? Thanks in anticipation. Ken Researching MYCOCKs any time anywhere

Alistair, The casualty roll shows a Private J McKay, number 2863, 2nd Seaforth Highlanders, was wounded on 11/12/1899, at Magersfontein. Magersfontein was one of the major battles of the Boer War, and the Highland Brigade, of which the Seaforth Highlanders were a part of, was heavily involved and suffered a large number of casualties. I'm not sure if the fact he was involved in the battle of Magersfontein means he wasn't brewing cocoa or not, it may not have been possible for him to do so in the hat of battle, but you never know! Also, just to let you know, the McKay/MacKay misspelling isn't unusual. Regards, David ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alastair Scott" <alastair_scott@ntlworld.com> To: <BOER-WAR-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 3:42 PM Subject: RE: [BOER-WAR] Seaforth Highlander > Thank you, that would be great. > > Being a bit of a novice when it comes to this sort of thing, what info > will > the casualty roll give me? > > -----Original Message----- > From: David McNay [mailto:david_mcnay@blueyonder.co.uk] > Sent: 27 December 2005 01:41 > To: BOER-WAR-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [BOER-WAR] Seaforth Highlander > > > Alastair, > > Unless someone does it before me, I'll check the casualty roll to see if > he > is on it later. > > Regards, > > David > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Alastair Scott" <alastair_scott@ntlworld.com> > To: <BOER-WAR-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 11:36 PM > Subject: [BOER-WAR] Seaforth Highlander > > >> Hello, >> >> I am trying to find out as much as I can about my great-grandfather, John >> Graham MacKay. He fought in the Boer War and I have his QSA medal. So far >> I >> have been able to find out his number (2863) and that he was a private in >> the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. His bible has him as being in >> 'A' >> Company, although this was dated 1888 when he first enlisted so I don't >> know >> if it is likely to have changed. I also know that he was wounded during >> the >> war - shot in the neck whilst brewing up cocoa, apparently. I do not know >> when or where this happened. I assume he was invalided out following this >> but I don't know for sure. >> >> His medal has the clasps: Cape Colony; Transvaal; Paardeberg; Driefontein >> and Wittebergen. >> >> Of particular interest to me is what these clasps actually mean. What >> happened at Paardeberg, Driefontein and the rest? Was he wounded in a >> bitter >> battle or was he simply extremely unlucky? >> >> I intend researching further by getting in touch with the regimental >> museum >> in Fort George, however any information or help anyone might be able to >> pass >> on would be enormously appreciated. I appreciate that as an enlisted man >> it >> is unlikely there will be any great detail on him but just to know what >> his >> unit or regiment did in the war would be fascinating in itself. >> >> Thank you, >> >> Alastair Scott >> >> >> >> ==== BOER-WAR Mailing List ==== >> Boer War List Page >> http://freespace.virgin.net/anglers.rest/BoerWar.htm >> >> ============================== >> View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find >> marriage announcements and more. Learn more: >> http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx >> >> > > > ==== BOER-WAR Mailing List ==== > Getting Started on Boer War Research? > http://freespace.virgin.net/anglers.rest/BWInfo.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 > > > ==== BOER-WAR Mailing List ==== > Boer War Links > http://freespace.virgin.net/anglers.rest/BoerWarLinks.htm > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx > >

Please remove me from this E Mail list Thank You -----Original Message----- From: Alastair Scott [mailto:alastair_scott@ntlworld.com] Sent: 27 December 2005 12:36 To: BOER-WAR-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [BOER-WAR] Seaforth Highlander Hello, I am trying to find out as much as I can about my great-grandfather, John Graham MacKay. He fought in the Boer War and I have his QSA medal. So far I have been able to find out his number (2863) and that he was a private in the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. His bible has him as being in 'A' Company, although this was dated 1888 when he first enlisted so I don't know if it is likely to have changed. I also know that he was wounded during the war - shot in the neck whilst brewing up cocoa, apparently. I do not know when or where this happened. I assume he was invalided out following this but I don't know for sure. His medal has the clasps: Cape Colony; Transvaal; Paardeberg; Driefontein and Wittebergen. Of particular interest to me is what these clasps actually mean. What happened at Paardeberg, Driefontein and the rest? Was he wounded in a bitter battle or was he simply extremely unlucky? I intend researching further by getting in touch with the regimental museum in Fort George, however any information or help anyone might be able to pass on would be enormously appreciated. I appreciate that as an enlisted man it is unlikely there will be any great detail on him but just to know what his unit or regiment did in the war would be fascinating in itself. Thank you, Alastair Scott ==== BOER-WAR Mailing List ==== Boer War List Page http://freespace.virgin.net/anglers.rest/BoerWar.htm ============================== View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find marriage announcements and more. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.3/209 - Release Date: 21/12/2005 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.3/209 - Release Date: 21/12/2005