Boer war W J Edwards

[eddie56]

Hi I am trying to find as much military history for my g/granddad 5628 PTE W J Edwards Norfolk regt 2nd Battalion.
He received Q S A medal 1899-1902 with Transvaal, Orange free state, Cape colony,clasps.
Tibet medal with Gyangtse clasp 1903-1904.
D/Mobed June 1907

Any help/info would be great, did regt fill in diaries as they did for ww1

Eddie

[Geoffers]

Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums

Best place to look for him would be The National Archvies (TNA) at Kew, who will hold his service record. See their research guides (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp?j=1#b) click on the links prefixed 'British Army'

The activities of the battalion in the Boer War will be mentioned in any decent history of the war. If you need further information on specific actions, try then using the London Gazette (http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/index.htm)which is free to search and view. It contains the despatches of commanding officers and awards to soldiers.

Fare y'we'll tergether

[ladysmith]

Eddie - Just a note on the medals. The QSA with the 3 state clasps is very common. However, the Tibet medal with clasp Gyantse is very rare. It's a scarce enough medal to British troops anyway as the only regiment there in battalion strength was the Royal Fusiliers. The Norfolk Regiment had only 18 men in a machine gun section present. These men were from the 1st battalion so he must have switched battalions at some point after the Boer War. This isn't particularly unusual.

David

[eddie56]

Thank you both for your replies

Looks like my only solution is to pay kew a visit, couldn't find anything in the London Gazette.
He must have changed battalions,as he was in Colchester in 1907 and as far as
i know he enlisted in Ireland (something to do with free pardon if you enlisted )and he married a Norwich girl in 1894, on the only photo i have he has 6 long service strips on his arm so he must have several years service, what doesn't make sence is the 1901 England Census shows him his wife and children in a pub in Norwich .

Eddie

[Geoffers]

i know he enlisted in Ireland (something to do with free pardon if you enlisted )and he married a Norwich girl in 1894, on the only photo i have he has 6 long service strips on his arm so he must have several years service, what doesn't make sence is the 1901 England Census shows him his wife and children in a pub in Norwich.

There are occasional examples in census returns of the apparantly impossible situation of people being in two places at once - e.g. worker at factory shown at home and at work, proud parents of a university student recording him at home as 'Student at Oxford University', whilst also being recorded in Oxford, husband wife and children at one address with the wife and children also visiting her parents 30 miles away.

What is the reference for the census return? Is he shown as a soldier, or landlord?

[keith9351]

I see your in Norwich, is the Norfolk Regiment Museum still their. I visited them a couple of years ago and they were most helpful with my research.
Keith

[eddie56]

Hi Geoffers, not sure i will have to wait until my next visit to the library to check i thought i had a printed copy but can't find it.

Kieth i have tried the regt museum they hold the medals, i gave them a photo of my g/granddad to go with them, they couldn't help me with any more info than i already have and suggested i contact NRO.

Eddie