Help needed researching in the Great War period & South Africa

[Missprim]

Thomas William Fisher was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire in 1879 the son of Samuel Tanner Fisher and his wife Alice Ann nee Jobling.  I have recently been sent a newspaper cutting dating from 1918 which is about Thomas William and his brothers Harry and John Savile Fisher during the First World War.  According to this article Thomas William was in the 6th Dragoon Guards (the Carabiniers) where he was a signalling instructor and he served in the South African War (1899-1902).  He joined the South African Police in 1911.  At the outbreak of WWI in 1914 he applied several times to enlist and was eventually successful joining the Second Mounted Brigade of Signallers.  At the time the article was written in February 1918 he had risen to the rank of Sergeant Major.

In case anyone is wondering about the other two brothers, Harry and John S.Fisher.  My friend and I have been able to research them to some extent.  Both of them came home to England and their records survived although damaged in the WWII fire. Thomas William presents and altogether different challenge; I have not done much research in foreign parts and none at all in South Africa so any help anyone can give will be much appreciated.

Missprim

[scrimnet]

Well....

Your chap Thomas William would have been well known to my grandfather...He was also in South Africa during the Boer War with 6th DG!!

I have an amount of int on the war history of the Regt during the period...

[Missprim]

Hi Scrimnet,

Thank you for your reply to my post. Although I would like to find any info there might be about Thomas William's army career I'm really very interested in what happened to him after the war.  Did he stay in South Africa or did he come back to England?  I thought I had found a marriage for him a day or so before I wrote the post on RC but when the certificate arrived it was plainly some other chap named Fisher!! So I'm back to square one

Best wishes,

Missprim

[neil1821]

Here's Thomas on the QSA roll............

Fisher,T., 4407, Private, 6th Dragoon Guards
Cape Colony,OFS,Transvaal,1901,1902.
Initials 'T.W.' on E.C. Roll

[km1971]

Hi Missprim

The 6th Dragoons Guards arrived in South Africa in December 1899. They took part in a number of set battles leading up to the Relief of Kimberley. As your man did not receive clasps for these actions it is probably that he arrived in SA in late 1900 or 1901 during what is known as the guerrilla phase of the war, when the good guys would 'drive' the Boers onto lines of block houses.

From the date that he joined the SA Police it is likely that he served from about 1899 to 1911. To be sure, and also to discover the date he arrived in SA, you will have to see if his papers survive in Kew. If you cannot get to Kew Findmypast will be putting them online by 2011.

Ken

[scrimnet]

Hi Missprim

The 6th Dragoons Guards arrived in South Africa in December 1899. They took part in a number of set battles leading up to the Relief of Kimberley. As your man did not receive clasps for these actions it is probably that he arrived in SA in late 1900 or 1901 during what is known as the guerrilla phase of the war, when the good guys would 'drive' the Boers onto lines of block houses.

From the date that he joined the SA Police it is likely that he served from about 1899 to 1911. To be sure, and also to discover the date he arrived in SA, you will have to see if his papers survive in Kew. If you cannot get to Kew Findmypast will be putting them online by 2011.

Ken

My grandfather did!....

Just a shame his medals are diffy...

[Missprim]

Hi,

Thank you Neil1821 and km1971.  It's really great to have the information you have unearthed I never would have managed on my own. Showing my ignorance can I ask what are the QSA rolls and where does one access them?  I'm guessing that SA stands for South Africa but can't think what the Q could stand for.  

The newspaper article says that T. W. "was with Brigadier-General Alberts on the great northern trek" it also quotes from what I presume is a South African newspaper received by Samuel Fisher [T. W's father] as follows "and states that he [T. W.] holds the record for long-distance signalling having succeeded on May 7, 1911 in receiving a signalling message for a distance of 126 miles with a five-inch helio" I'm not sure if this happened while he was still in the army but think it would seem more likely that he was.

I'll have to see what I can do about either getting to Kew myself or asking a friend who I know is going there soon to help.  

Thank you both.

Missprim

[km1971]

QSA = Queen South Africa medal

http://www.stephen-stratford.co.uk/boer_war.htm

The medal roll for regular cavalry is one of only a handfull that has been published. You should ask your friend to look in WO97 in the section for men discharged between 1900 and 1913. They should have a digital camera with them so they can take photographs.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/step4.htm

Ken

[Missprim]

Hi Ken,

Thank you so much for your help. I've had a quick look at the links which look very interesting but I won't be able to read them properly until this evening. 

Missprim