Andrew McFall

Posts : 2 Join date : 2011-03-23

Hi everyone...glad I found this site!
My great great grandfather Andrew McFall came from Ballymena in Ireland and the records show that when he was married in 1875 he was noted as being a "soldier". He had 2 sons, one in 1877 and another in 1881, both born in Ireland. Anyway I managed to find out from somebody that he is on the South African 1879 medal roll as
376 Pte Andrew McFall, 2/21st Regt
"entitled to medal without clasp under Para IV"
Noted as serving with the regimental depot at the time the medal roll was compiled in Nov 1880.
I'm presuming he arrived with the 21st Royal North British Fusiliers on the "City of Paris" with all the other reinforcements in April 1879 and must have left early in 1880 to be home in time to make a baby Rolling Eyes

He probably didn't see combat as the medal was without clasp but I'm not sure on this.
If anybody has any other information on his military record it would be fantastic!

Posts : 2558 Join date : 2009-04-06 Age : 62 Location : UK

Roger39. Welcome to the forum. I sure someone will be able to help.

Subject: Re: Andrew McFall Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:11 pm

Hi Roger. Came across this was wondering if they were related to your great great grandfather.

Robert McFall
Daniel McFALL
James McFall
All from Ballymena. Click on link below....

http://www.snake43.webs.com/weeklywar1916.htm

Subject: Re: Andrew McFall Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:33 pm

This will give you the information on the regiments movements..
http://www.archive.org/stream/historicalrecord00clarrich#page/n9/mode/2up Click on page to turn.

Zulu War. 21st (Royal North British) Fusiliers Regiment of Foot; and between 1877 and 1881 as the 21st (Royal Scots Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot.
http://rapidttp.co.za/milhist/vol045sm.html

Posts : 2 Join date : 2011-03-23

Thanks for that info Littlehand. I'm not sure about the relationship to those other McFall's. Andrew was however a widower so he may have had other offspring that I don't know about but his two sons born in 1877 and 1881 came to South Africa to live in 1911.
What I'm trying to piece together is how he was serving with the regimental depot (which I'm presuming would be in South Africa) at the time the medal roll was compiled in November 1880 while his wife gave birth (in Ireland) in Jan 1881. Could his wife have come with him to South Africa and then returned before giving birth? Any ideas on what a likely scenario would have been in those days?
How would I get the military records for Andrew?

Posts : 1085 Join date : 2009-10-16

Hi Andrew
I have checked the available army service records on findmypast, these are any man who went to pension.
there is a Andrew Gibson McFall, but this is a slightly later period, however his record does also list his father and it is not your Andrew, but this could be his nephew ????
A G McFall is also on the 1911 census, but no Andrew.
Rai
Keynshamlighthorse

Posts : 1085 Join date : 2009-10-16

Hi Roger [sorry for the slip up on the last post]
some other notes
just had another look at those papers
Andrew Gilson [could be gibson] McFall B.1887 attested age 18 and 4 months on 19th Oct 1905 at Londonderry, born londonderry listed as a shoemaker joined Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at omagh on 21st Oct 1905, strangely dischared 1 Dec 1905. father David John McFall mother sarah brother William of 4 Robert Street Waterside Londonderry.

1911 Census
Andrew Gibson McFall B.1889 of Cumbercloudy Templemore Londonderry single Pvt 1st Batt Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Legation Guard Peking China
possibly rejoined

1851 Census
Andrew McFall unmarried lodger at Low Camden Lane, Tynemouth North Shields listed as born 1830 Belfast, labourer on steamboat.

Rai
Keynshamlighthorse

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