Hi Chris, We are having similar problems trying to find out about my Grandfather's records and how to go about sourcing them. We have been on several web sites with very limited results, and my cousin has written to Kew for my Grandfathers records and they have come back records lost in the blitz....after paying 32 pound. We are looking for private 21460 Sidney Buckingham, 7th co. Imperial Yeomanry. Any information or web sites that you get, we would be greatful if you would pass them on to us. Regards Steve and Valerie Compton (N.Z.) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Woods" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, 26 August 2003 19:37 Subject: [BOER-WAR] Where to start? > Good morning researchers, > > I have just been given the name of a great uncle who appears to have served in South Africa in the Boar War and would appreciated some guidance in finding out more about his activities, service records, and the general life and times of the events...well, to start with, anyway :-) > > His name was ROBERT JAMES WATSON, born 7th. February 1876 Highgate, Middlesex. > > The following odd scraps are from bits of paper in his files: > > He appears to have served 20 years in the Volunteer Infantry Cavalry: > > 30th Novemebr 1900 joined City of London Imperial Volunteers rank Private, no. 1159 > > April 1901 issued with a Crossing-the-Line certificate (!), on route to South Africa. > > Saw active service in South Africa (Boar War) 1901 and 1902 (? Gen. French) > > at various times he was a c/o of some Yeomen cavalry, and commanded a column of Scouts. > > He reached the rank of Captain. > > He later transferred to India. > > All a bit of a muddle. I'm no military historian and so wondered whether anyone can make anything of the above, and possibly set me off in the right direction to find more. Budgetry constraints (too many ancestors) prevent use of professional researchers at this stage. > > Any help, guidance and suggestions will be very much apreciated, > > Chris, > Norfolk UK > > > ==== BOER-WAR Mailing List ==== > List Admin Message > http://freespace.virgin.net/genealogical.collections/AdminMessage.htm > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >

Hello Steve & Valerie, In general new subscribers to this list are best advised to first check the introduction page http://freespace.virgin.net/anglers.rest/BWinfo.htm . However I have a copy of the privately published Imperial Yeomanry medal roll and can tell you that the National Archive (aka PRO) at Kew has given you incorrect information. A proportion of the service records of the Regular Army of the period in series WO 97 were indeed destroyed in WW2 but the Imperial Yeomanry weren't Regular Army and their records survive almost completely in series WO 128. It seems to me that the person who checked the files for your grandfather looked in the wrong series and unsurprisingly came up with a nil result. The medal roll shows that 21460 Sydney (sic) Buckingham 7th (Leicestershire) Company, 4th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902. Because the roll shows his full name this means that the author (Kevin Asplin) has physically seen his file at the PRO when compiling the roll. I therefore suggest you revert to Kew with this information, get them to check in the correct series and send you a copy of his service record for which you have already paid. Regards, David ----- Original Message ----- From: Valerie Compton <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 10:31 AM Subject: Re: [BOER-WAR] Where to start? > Hi Chris, We are having similar problems trying to find out about my > Grandfather's records and how to go about sourcing them. We have been on > several web sites with very limited results, and my cousin has written to > Kew for my Grandfathers records and they have come back records lost in the > blitz....after paying 32 pound. We are looking for private 21460 Sidney > Buckingham, 7th co. Imperial Yeomanry. Any information or web sites that > you get, we would be greatful if you would pass them on to us. > Regards Steve and Valerie Compton (N.Z.)