Soldiers Serving in the Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902

by SLHS on Sunday 20 August 2017

Several soldiers from Somercotes and Pye Bridge served in the army and took part in the Second Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902. The Derbyshire Times & Chesterfield Herald published on 30 December 1899 printed a large article on the South African Campaign, and included a list of Derbyshire men serving in country at that time. In total, eighteen soldiers were listed from the “Alfreton Division”. Although only four are from Somercotes or Pye Bridge, the whole list is quoted below for completeness, and is in the order and style as printed in the newspaper.

ALFRETON DIVISION:

Private J Bettison, Somercotes

Private Walter Bettison, Somercotes

Private Darling, Pye Bridge, Coldstream Guards

Private Shear, Pinxton, Coldstream Guards

Private Ewin, Tibshelf, 1st Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment

Private Bradshaw, Newton, West Riding Regiment

Private Slack, Pye Bridge, 4th Sherwood Foresters

Private Guest, Old Danesmoor, King’s Royal Rifles

Private Moakes, Tibshelf, Derbyshire Regiment

Private Renshaw, Pinxton, Durham Light Infantry

Private Sewell, Riddings, Devonshire Regiment

Private John Sewell, Selston & Riddings, Derbyshire Regiment

Private Hall, Pinxton, Derbyshire Regiment

Private Brewster, Alfreton, 60th King’s Royal Rifles

Private Young, Oakerthorpe, KOYL Infantry

Private Iliffe, Shirland, York and Lancashire Regiment

Private Webb, Morton

Private Orton, Swanwick

The Derbyshire Times confirmed that they were indebted to the local secretaries of the relief funds for the names of the soldiers from Derbyshire serving in South Africa.

One name missing from the list (as it was no doubt compiled prior to his arriving in South Africa) is Thomas Musgrove, who we confirm below:

Driver Thomas Musgrove, Somercotes, 7th Battery, Royal Field Artillery

Thomas Musgrove was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal during the Battle of Colenso. Please refer to the separate article written on this soldier.