Locating 2nd Boer War Records

[JanetCarmichael]

Hi All. My great-grandfather John Macdonald (born Inverness 1869 & died Fochabers, Scotland 30/08/1919) fought in the Boer War and I am trying to track his military service number. I have newspaper articles which report that he served with the City of London Imperial Volunteers, and sailed for South Africa in January/February 1900. He was a former volunteer in the Ross-shire buffs and London Scottish Battalion before serving in the Boer War. At the end of the war he chose to take up a position of Town Clerk in Bulawayo, Rhodesia where he joined the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers. At the outbreak of the First World War he became Captain and Adjutant of the Rhodesia Motor Volunteers.

I am told that there is a place in London where you can go in person and find military information of your ancestors, but that you need to register ahead of time. I will be in London in 2 weeks time and would like to find out more about this place and register ahead of my arrival. I would be grateful for any leads.

[Jomot1]

Hi Janet

Find my Past has a record of a Lieut J MacDonald of the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers and notes that he served with City Of London Imperial Volunteers, Rank: Lance-Sergeant, Number: 681.

Under 'Notes' it says: QSA Clasps: J,DH,CC,OFS,R

The National Archives references given for his medal rolls are: WO100/231 page 252 and WO100/267 page 43

Although not directly related to John, West Sussex archives also has an account of the service of the City of London Imperial Volunteers in South Africa, February - September 1900, based on the diary of Cyclist Frederick James Pickman, 13th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps

[JanetCarmichael]

Thank you Jomot1 for your valuable information. My apologies for only replying now, as the website was down. I will be making an appointment to visit the National Archives when I am in London next week. Do military documents generally have the date of birth of the soldier on them so that I know that I have located the correct record? There were so many John Macdonalds that went out to the Boer war, even with the CIV, so I want to make sure I have the correct one. And in the CIV there seem to be lots of different battalions and companies like the London Scottish and Middlesex which he may have been in. Also, where would I find those West Sussex archives to locate that diary? It would make great informative reading. Many thanks again, Janet

[Lesley Robertson]

Janet, an additional source of information might be the newspapers. I recently spent a wet weekend happily following my Great Uncle George and his Black Watch battalion from their home base in Perth to their bases and battles in South Africa. Although individuals were not often mentions (although there are transcriptions of letters from some of the men to their families), there’s a surprising amount of information about what was happening - more than for either of the World Wars.

[Jomot1]

Hi again Janet

I've never viewed the medal rolls for the Boer Wars so I really can't say what information is on them, but generally speaking I wouldn't expect there to be much in the way of personal info. The combination of name, City Of London Imperial Volunteers and Southern Rhodesia Volunteers is encouraging though, and its possible there may be some other note that confirms it as your man. Unfortunately I can't locate any actual service records for him.

The West Sussex archives are in Chichester - 3 Orchard Street, Chichester, PO19 1DD - which you should be able to get to by train from London

[Jomot1]

Hi again

I’ve managed to view the rolls online.

Go to the National Archives website, and click ‘Search the Catalog’
In the box type WO100/231
Click on the link to the right of the page.
Scroll down and you’ll see the words “preview an image of this record’ – click this
Go to image 256 of 303

Repeat the above using WO100/267
Go to image 47 of 216

Unfortunately there’s no personal information.

[Jomot1]

You might also find this interesting reading (direct link removed, but if you put it in your browser bar it should take you straight there)

angloboerwar.com/unit-information/imperial-units/542-city-imperial-volunteers

All of the links on the page are for the City Imperial Volunteers, including the (limited) diary of Trooper Airey

[Peter Goodey]

National Archives series WO100 is on Ancestry as "UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949"