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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Karytay on Saturday 11 January 20 17:17 GMT (UK)
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I have a photo of my great grandfather who was involved in the last Frontier War in the Eastern Cape
Colony. The Xhosa wars. He could of been in the British army after the war, family told me he had been a Captain. I am trying to find out more about his career in the army starting with identification of the uniform he is wearing. The years were 1865 -1878
Thanks
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The uniform has the look of a Rifle Volunteer uniform which had a number of variations (search "Rifle Volunteers uniform"). The Rifle Volunteers were a part time organisation, one of the predecessors of the Territorial Force. They weren't run by the War Office but by the county authorities and to quote the National Archives "After 1859 records of the Rifle Volunteers are very rare and are mostly held in local archives or private collections. Search for archives using Find an archive"
Implicit here is that you have to know which county volunteers he belonged to.
I find no record in the London Gazette of a commission to that name (the LG is where army and volunteer omissions would be recorded).
Was he in the UK in the years you mention?
MaxD
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Perhaps you could give us his full name?
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Thanks Max.
He was South African. And he lived in the Eastern Cape Oudtshoorn area. His full name his Ignatius William Charles van Wyk and he was in his early 20's in the photo. There was a Rife Volunteer unit that kept the peace in the Cape, between the settlers and the Blacks/ Xhosa. I have looked at some records I have managed to find but his name does not appear on them. The trouble is the records do not give much info.
Max ,does it incite on his uniform his rack?
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Some mentions in connection with the Boer War:
https://angloboerwar.com/forum/7-genealogy-and-family-research/9025-looking-for-info-on-i-c-w-van-wyk
https://www.stormfront.org/forum/t1008857/
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https://www.geni.com/people/Ignatius-William-van-Wyk/6000000026366760103.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Ignatius+William+Charles+van+Wyk&client=firefox-b&sxsrf=ACYBGNTylQEJCyB_XK9y2KK85iCkUGft8Q:1579347889988&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwigotaviY3nAhVkpHEKHX_zA7AQ_AUoAXoECAsQAw&biw=800&bih=475.
lots on him.
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Yes those were my quires. I C W van Wyk in his 40's, was in the Boer War on the side of the Boers.
I now have all the info for him for the Boer War.
But it is when he was younger and living in the Cape and joined the British army, that info I am still looking for. I would like to know how long was he in the army, was it only for the time of the unrest?
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Rank - unfortunately not to be seen
I was a little confused by dates/places. In your first post you said "after the war" which I now take it must mean the Eighth Xhosa War 1850-1853. I initially took that to mean after the Boer War and I was looking in England rather than S Africa.
I do find reference to the Cape Royal Rifles in 1857 but this period/place is way out of my comfort zone. This:
https://www.worldcat.org/title/cape-royal-rifles-and-other-volunteer-units-1855-1881-c-graham-botha-edited-by-brian-johnson-barker/oclc/50432407
would seem worth looking for. In that time frame, I would imagine that all military units raised in S Africa could be called "British Army".
MaxD
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Thanks Max, will see if I can find the book. You might be interested in reading this article - http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol021jj.html
I scrolled down the page and found a list of units, one court my eye, the 1 company mounted riflemen in the town George. I.C.W. van Wyk was from the George area. George is not far from the town Oudtshoorn were he was born.
So I am going to focus my search on this unit, and see what I find.
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I think you are now on the right track by concentrating on S African rifle units. The Cape Town Rifles (now or soon to be Chief Langalibalele Rifles (CLR)) are descendants and still exist, they will no doubt be eager to help.
Good luck, do let us know how you get on.
MaxD
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Thanks Max
And thanks to the other that share info
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Hello Karytay
I think I have information for you with regard to IWC Van Wyk. I messaged you on the angloboerwar.com forum via private message . Please go check there as I am unable to private message you here as I am a new member on this site.
Thank you
Regards
RR
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Hi RR and welcome to Rootschat... when you have made two post you will be able to send a Personal Message, you do this by clicking onto the text icon beneath her Avatar on the left.
Carol
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Thank you Treetotal
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Thanks RR will read message