First Anglo-Boer War

[shirleyarule]

I am interested in finding a listing of those who served in the first Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, which was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881. 
My Gr Gr Grandfather, Arthur Albert Harold, born in 1858, had told family that he served in the Boar War and worked at the Diamond Mines.  But I can not find any record of him in the military. Nor can I locate him in the 1881 British census.  He is in the 1871 in Wales going to school.  Then by 1884 he is in the USA for a few years.  His father was with the 16th Lancer and drew pension.
Any idea of how to locate those that fought in the first Boer War 1880- 1881?
Thank you
Shirley

[t mo]

hello shirley
don,t think i,ll be much helpif at all but here goes
i,ve found a record for a passport application for an A HAROLD dated 26 july 1883 only prob now is the emigration records don,t start till 1890 , also looked for first boer war records and as far as i can make out there are no records availiable not till the second boer war then there are  the eng national archives say that there are no significant records for first boer war just some reports from officers commanding and the usual political ramblings of politicians , hopefully someone will be along to put me right but that,s what i can make out of it , i did an army records search for A A Harold but nothing shows .
best wishes
trevor

[shirleyarule]

Trevor,
Thank you for looking into this for me.  Any help is always appreciated.
I had a feeling that I was up against a brick wall but you never know until you ask.
Shirley

[km1971]

Hi Shirley

If he was already in South Africa he would have enlisted in a local irregular mounted infantry unit. As the British were beaten in this war no medals medals issued; and I don't believe the attestation forms of the local units were sent to London as they were for the South African war - ie 2nd Boer war. You could try a post on the British Medal Forum as they have lots of SA members. He may also have been involved in the earlier wars of 1877-1879 - ending in the Zulu War - for which medals were issued, and casualty rolls produced.

You could also try passenger lists on a site such as Ancestry Worldwide. South Africa does not keep census returns even today, so if he was there in 1881 that information has been lost.

Ken