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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Sldesormeaux on Monday 26 August 13 14:58 BST (UK)
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Hello everyone
I would like to know if my great-grandfather, Robert Campbell b. 1853 in Bonar Bridge, was in the Boer War. My grandfather, George Campbell b. 1889 in Greasby, England had a Boer War medal in his possession. George said that he had been in the Boer War which was impossible since he was born in 1889 so I'm thinking that the medal belonged to his father, Robert. My grandfather was a character and fabricated all kinds of stories! He was also 27 years older than my grandmother!
The medal could also have belonged to John F. Campbell b. 1857 in Creich, Sutherland. John was my great-grandfather's (Robert's) brother.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you and regards,
Suzanne Desormeaux
Quebec, Canada
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Hi Suzanna
Unfortunately over 90% of the Boer War medal roll only gives an initial rather than the first name. Over 150 R Campbells recieved a medal. You need to look on Findmypast and hope his service record survives, matchng him using his date and place of birth.
Ken
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They weren't necessarily fighting on the British side, though.
There was a large exodus of Highland Scots to the new mining towns of the Transvaal in the 1880s, some of whom (including my great-great uncle R M Campbell, an architect born in Durness, Sutherland) renounced their British status and became burghers of the SAR. If your ancestor had migrated there years before then he could a Boer Kommando, although he might of course have gone over there as a British soldier.
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Hello,
Robert Campbell didn't emigrate to Transvaal though he did move to Birkenhead, Cheshire, England and married Elizabeth Thompson from Birkenhead. I'm not sure when he moved there or when he married Elizabeth since I couldn't find any information on these two events. They had 4 children in Greasby and Birkenhead. The first was born in 1889.
Suzanne
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marriage
Robert Campbell
Elizabeth Thompson
Wirral/Cheshire in 1888 A/M/J Quarter
volume 8A page 654A
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Thank you, gortonboy!
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Frankby, St John was the church.......source --- Cheshire BMD.
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Heres your roberts baptism
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robert junior ;D
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georges baptism
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Thank you! I feel kind of silly calling you gortonboy! Do you have a name, sir?
Suzanne
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Thank you for the marriage information. Robert Campbell Sr. married Elizabeth Thompson when he was 35. I can't imagine what he was up to before that. He may possibly have been married in Scotland where he was born or been in some kind of military until he arrived in Cheshire. I looked up possible military events and he may have been in the First Boer War (the date fits), hence the Boer War medal that we used to have or fighting somewhere in the Highlands. Or, maybe just roaming around for work and that's how he ended up in Cheshire!
Suzanne
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Thank you! I feel kind of silly calling you gortonboy! Do you have a name, sir?
Suzanne
lol,, its Mike.
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Hi Suzanne
We lost the first Boer War so they did not issue medals. It did follow wars against various native tribes from 1877 to 1879. the last year being the Zulu War.
Ken
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Thank you, Ken! I've been poking around a little bit everywhere trying to find out what Robert Campbell Sr. was up to!
Wish me luck!
Suzanne
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Hello,
Now that I have the index information for Robert Campbell's marriage, how can I access the parish register that shows more information such as the parents without flying to England from Canada? lol I have a subscription to findmypast and to scottishpeople and ancestry.
Suzanne
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Hi Suzanne
I would start with a new question on the Sutherland board. They may be online, on DVD or someone may live next to the Record Office.
Ken