Supplement 1 -

The Staffordshire Yeomanry in the Boer War

My grandfatjer, Gerard Arden Clay, was born in 1871, in Burton-on-Trent, by which time the family had been involved in brewing there for 120 years, several generations, At the outbreal of the Boer War in 1899, he was commissioned as Lt in the Stafforshire Yeomanry, and served with them in South Africa.

I have his 75 Week-to-View diaries, but the "S.A." ones are "sketchy" to say the least. Obviously, he had his current one with him, and, equally obviously, would not write much as he (and it) miight have been captured.

On the ship going home, and now promoted to Captain, he drafted the Squadron's "Official History", Upon arrival back in England, he then travelled to the USA to judge fox-terriers at their "Crufts" equivalent, for he had already made a name for himself in that field in England. On that voyage he continued to work on the draught of the "Official History", but what then happened to it I do not know. But I have the hand-writtn draught ;-)

In the envelope with it my father added some other relevant items, and I a few too.

I have scanned all these documents, and am in the process of transcribing them, and posting them here.  Please note, when you click on a Link, a new Tab is opened.  When you have finished with it, just kill the tab to return here:-

1.  An excerpt from "Volunteers on the Veld:  Britain's Citizen-soldiers and the South African War." by Stephen M. Miller, 2007

2.  The Grenadier Guards in South Africa, 1899-1902.

3. An excerpt from "8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars — Diary of the South African War: 1900-1902" by J. W. Morton

4.  An excerpt from "Real War Horses: The Experience of the British Cavalry 1814 -1914 by Anthony Leslie Dawson - 

5.  The Staffordshire Yeomanry Boer War Diary

6.  Their Commanding Officer, Major Wight-Boycott

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