Minor Records Scotlandspeople - War Returns - South Africa W

[AnneM]

Hi Carole

Your post caught my eye because Pietermaritzburg is where my husband originally went to University. Just a few years after the Boer War

I hope you have some luck in finding William though it is going to be a bit hit and miss, I'm afraid. I know he did not survive to draw a pension but might there not be other records at Kew which refer to him. You know his regiment and rough date of signing up.

Perhaps an expert researcher in military records could find something for you that would at least narrow down the place of birth to where in Engerland.

Anne

[casserole]

Anne,

I did contact a couple of researchers who told me that since he was not discharged to pension that no records would have been retained. I have not taken this any further having accepted their answers to my enquiries.

Now is the time to look further.

William WILSON is buried at Fort Napier. Perhaps your husband knows where this is.

Carole

[Montrose Budie]

Anne,

I did contact a couple of researchers who told me that since he was not discharged to pension that no records would have been retained. I have not taken this any further having accepted their answers to my enquiries.

....snipped.............
Carole

Standard army procedure in the event of the sojer not being able to claim a pension due to death, or having "run" = deserted, was to destroy his papers, but that didn't happen in 100% of cases, so that it's always worth a look !

David

[casserole]

Thank you David. Will follow that line of enquiry again and be a bit more 'pushy' this time.

All the best,
Carole

[AnneM]

I'm reliably informed that it was a military hospital in Pietermaritzburg and was when last heard of a psychiatric hospital.

Anne

[casserole]

A big thank you to everyone for their help. I have now ordered the death certificate for William WILSON from the GRO. The reference is on their index of overseas deaths.

Here's hoping that the certificate gives a bit more information but if not then I will continue to search for William's family in England by following up the leads which you have posted on the site

Carole

[emanday]

Hi Carole,

I hope the certificate will offer a bit of help.

Good luck.

[DavidWW]

A big thank you to everyone for their help. I have now ordered the death certificate for William WILSON from the GRO. The reference is on their index of overseas deaths.

Here's hoping that the certificate gives a bit more information but if not then I will continue to search for William's family in England by following up the leads which you have posted on the site

Carole

Hi Carole

Sad to say, an English record won't show the names of the parents.

David

[Lorna B.]

I recently found a searchable database at the South African Archives for graves in South Africa. http://www.national.archives.gov.za
Some(few) have detailed headstones but most are quite basic. It does give information about where graves are to be found. There are many graves of soldiers from the South African war to be found.
I hope this may prove useful to someone.
Good luck,
Lorna B.
link revised - AndrewP

[Lorna B.]

I forgot to mention that not all South African graveyards are listed. There are some big graveyards that are not yet on the site. You just may be lucky, like I was.
Lorna B.