BOER WAR RECORDS

Actor Charles Dance was able to learn more about the life of his father, Walter, in his recent episode of Who Do You

Think You Are?. Walter died when Charles was only four years old, so knew very little about him.

Charles had a picture of his father in military uniform, which he had assumed was from the First World War, but discovered that it was actually for the South African campaign towards the end of the 19th century.

We were able to research Walter’s military career by referring to the wealth of records held at The National Archives (TNA) and now also available online.

First, records for noncommissioned officers like Walter held in TNA series WO 97 can be searched in the British

Army Service Records collection on findmypast.co.uk.

However, you should bear in mind that if your ancestor went on to fight in the First World War, then his Boer War record would be included with his First World War service record (if it survives), available on Findmypast as well as on ancestry.co.uk.

All servicemen who fought during the Boer War would have been entitled to the Queen’s (or King’s) South Africa medal, so should be listed in TNA’s collection of medal rolls from 1900.

These are available online as part of Ancestry’s Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls (1793– 1949) collection.