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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: leemeetee on Tuesday 17 June 25 11:18 BST (UK)
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Hi,
See attached a clip from a South African WW1 Attestation form....I have three queries
1. How come this man only served in the Boer War for 12 months
2. I presume the 301 days in the Engineers was separate service??
3. What do the letters 'S W' signify?
Thanks
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It would help if you gave his name and age, also his number if you know it.
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His name was Edward Higgins.
His service number for the 3rd SAI during WW1 was 13774.
He age on his 1917 Attestation Form was 37....he was actually 39.
Originally born in Ireland, it looks as though he stayed in South Africa as he married there in 1907.
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Do you know his number in the Boer War? I have. Nit had any luck in finding any records for him in that. Hopefully someone one will come along who can help you, I have to haven’t time to do any more at the moment.
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Thanks Jebber - I'm afraid the only details from the Boer War that I have are the three scant references shown on the original pic.
I had no idea he had served prior to WW1 and had presumed he had gone to SA in search of a better life outside of Ireland.
He was a sailor and know that he signed off from a ship in Waterford in March 1902 and was therefore very surprised he served for 12 months in the Anglo Boer War which ended in May 1902.
It is definitely the same guy as his place of birth in a small town land in our town. He was also born into the only Higgins family there too....it would not be a common surname in our part of Ireland.
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Perhaps the "S W" indicates that he served in the South West Africa campaign
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_West_Africa_campaign