CUNNINGHAM

Bonsoir
I am actually making research on tropper CUNNINGHAM who was with CHELMSFORD the 22 Januray 1879.
-For Ian Knight, he was in the "Newcastle Mounted Rifles" (zulu Rising")
-For Julian Whybra he was in the Natal Carbineers ("England' sons").

Maybe someone knows the answer...(one man? / two men?)

I research his account : Natal Witness, 19th Januray 1929 and his christian name.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers.

Frédéric

Thomas Henry 696 Natal Carbineers Is this your man Frederic?

Hi Frederic & Springbok
In the Forsyth Roll there isn't a ' Cunningham ' listed in the Roll for the Natal Carbineers .    
I'm not home tonight so I dont have access to ' For God , Queen & Colony ' , which may provide an answer , also there is a
' Cuningham ' ( only 1 'n' ) unless it's a typo in the Roll of the Newcastle Mtd Rifles .
Cheers 90th

Hi 90th
Cunninghams a bit of a strange one. Moles lists him as 696, Carbineers, awarded a QSA. Hes not listed on the muster rolls in Stalker. IK has him recollecting the sounds on the night of the 22nd and belonging to the NMR.
Hopefully Julian will be able to comment.

Cheers

PS, Number 1 side in the world after the Sri Lanka series is ............................?

springbok9 wrote:

Thomas Henry 696 Natal Carbineers Is this your man Frederic?

Bonjour Springbok and 90th,
Thanks for your Help.
I have also found on the site "Rootschat" Thomas Henry CUNNINGHAM of the "Natal Carbineers" during the zulu war ...
But (maybe) there is also a trooper CUN(N)INGHAM in the Newcastle Mounted Rifles with CHELSMFORD the 22 January 1879? (source: Ian Knight/Zulu Rising)
I am not sure if Thomas Henry was the CUNNIGHAM of the account in the "Natal Witness", 19th January 1929 (i have only extract of this account)

I.E: 90 th
Unfortunaly, I don't have a copy of the book of Terry SOLE "For God , Queen & Colony" .This book is unobtainable (stock shortage) since several years on Amazon or Abebook

Cheers

Frédéric

Hi Springy
The QSA medal is not the medal awarded to those who took part in the zulu war , Moles ? , has he put together Rolls from another conflict ? . I cant say I know of anyone named Moles having anything to do with the AZW ? . As usual happy to be corrected .

Hi Frederic
If I find a copy of Sole's book I'll send you the link    .

cheers 90th

Hi 90th
Moles genealogy research blog. It doesnt specifically mention where or how or when merely that he was awarded the QSA, details are very sketchy.

Cunningham T 2nd Battalion
Source: Medal rolls Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadia
Cunningham T G G 1st Battalion
Source: Medal rolls (Princess Louise's) Sutherland and Argyll Highland
Cunningham T H 696 Trooper Served 20 Mar 00 to 09 Oct 00.
Source: Nominal roll in WO127 Natal Carbineers
Cunningham T H E 530 Trooper 1st Battalion
Source: Nominal roll in WO127 Imperial Light Horse
Cunningham Thomas 2753 Attested: Sep 1902. Source: CMP 9 Cape Police
Cunningham Thomas 3309 Source: Attestation papers. See image on this site. Railway Pioneer Regiment
Cunningham Thomas Nominal roll #1 (C1) Driscoll's Scouts
Cunningham Thomas 3309 Private 4th RPR
Source: Nominal roll in WO127 Railway Pioneer Regiment
Cunningham Thomas 19 Occupation: Farmer. Next of kin: Brother. Address: Rearston .
Source: Attestation paper in WO126 Town Guard and District Mounted Troops
Cunningham Thomas 200 Trooper 2nd Battalion
Source: Nominal roll in WO127 Imperial Light Horse
Cunningham Thomas 501 Private Source: Nominal roll in WO127 Imperial Light Infantry
Cunningham Thomas 26730 Trooper Source: Nominal roll in WO127 Prince of Wales Light Horse
Cunningham Thomas 2nd Battalion
Source: QSA and KSA rolls Imperial Light Horse
Cunningham Thomas Cuthbert 29061 Ord/Sergeant Source: Nominal roll in WO127 Rand Rifles
Cunningham Thomas Goode 374 Trooper Source: OZ-Boer database New South Wales, 1st Battalion Australian Commonwe
Cunningham Thomas Henry 696 Trooper QSA (3)
Source: List of QSAs with the clasp Talana from the Talana book Natal Carbineers
Cunningham W 8429 Private

Cheers

Hi 90th
Long winded but heres a list of Moles sources.

Researching Ancestors Who Were Servicemen



RESEARCHING ANCESTORS WHO WERE SERVICEMEN

A very brief summary of South African military history of significance to genealogists.

After the second British occupation of the Cape in 1806 various British regiments were garrisoned in South Africa. Prior to this occupation a well established Commando force, or citizen army, of free burghers provided protection for the settler population. Compulsory service for all classes of the population obtained for local defence. After the 7th Frontier War of 1846-7 the British set about trying to replace the Commandos with units of full-time Hottentot and Coloured troops and volunteer units of citizens loyal to the crown. The latter were the Cape and Natal colonial units. As a result of the Crimean War the Cape and Natal governments passed volunteer legislation, and formal volunteer units were formed.

The nine Frontier wars (1779-1878) and the Anglo-Zulu War (1879) were fought by British regimental troops and South African colonial forces against the Nguni speaking peoples along the eastern side of the country.

Those men who fought during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) fall into three categories:
1. Boers who fought in the burger commandos
2. British troops who came out from Britain and fought in an Imperial regiment e.g. the Coldstream Guards
3. British supporters who fought in a colonial regiment raised locally in South Africa or in Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Rhodesia and sent over to fight on the British side

After the declaration of peace in 1902 until the promulgation of the Defence Force Act in 1912, which provided for the establishment of the Union Defence Force in 1913, British regiments were garrisoned in South Africa as a peace-keeping force.

The Documentation Service of the South African National Defence Force has individual service records of South African personnel from 1913 onwards.

Before South Africa became a republic in 1961 South African military personnel were involved outside the borders of the country in the First World War, the Second World War and a relatively small contingent provided assistance to the United Nations in the operational area of North Korea.

During the First World War and the Second World War South Africans volunteered for British units as well as South African ones. The service records of the former are held in the Public Record Office in London [Update:The National Archives, Kew] The Documentation Service of the SANDF only houses records of South African personnel.


USEFUL REFERENCE SOURCES AVAILABLE TO RESEARCHERS IN THE MUSEUM'S LIBRARY

MEDAL ROLLS

The starting point for researching the military career of anyone is often to establish the unit with which he served, which can often be ascertained from a medal roll. The Anglo-Boer medals have the name of the recipient and the abbreviation for his unit inscribed on the rim. Medal rolls can give information on British and Colonial troops who received campaign or gallantry medals in South Africa or abroad. "Die Dekoratie voor Trouwe Diens", which was issued 18 years after the Anglo-Boer War and had to be applied for, and the "Honoris Crux", for gallantry, are South African awards. The reference library contains many medal rolls other than those listed below, which are cited as having particular bearing on South African genealogical research.

Sources: (arranged alphabetically according to author)

The DISTINGUISHED Conduct Medal 1914-20 Citations : Rhodesia, South & East Africa (ISBN: 185154-0822)
EVERSON, G R The South African 1853 Medal: being the roll of the recipients and story of the Campaign Medal issued for the Frontier Wars between 1834 and 1853 (ISBN: 0-906304-02-4)
FEVYER, W H & WILSON, J W The Queen's South Africa Medal to the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines (ISBN: 0-90-7605-08-7)
FORSYTH, D R Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal awarded to Cape of Good Hope, Natal & Union Defence Force Units 1903 to 1949 (Johannesburg: author, 1988)
FORSYTH, D R The Defenders of Kimberley Medal Roll: the Queen's South Africa Medal 1899-1902 with clasp (n.p.: author, n.d.)
FORSYTH, D R South African War Medal 1877,8,9: the Medal Roll (Johannesburg: author, 1978)
FORSYTH, D R Cape of Good Hope Service Medal : Medal Roll (Johannesburg: author, n.d.)
FORSYTH, D R The Medal Roll - Natal Native Rebellion 1906 : war medal awarded under Natal Militia order no. 128 (Johannesburg: author, 1976)
FORSYTH, D R The Zulu Rebellion of 1906 (completely revised with biographical details) (Reading: Roberts Medals, 1990)
FORSYTH, D R The Cape Copper Company Limited Medal for the Defence of O'okiep 4th April to 4th May 1902 (Johannesburg: author, 1986)
FORSYTH, D R British South Africa Company Medal Roll : 1890, 1893, 1896, 1897 (Johannesburg: author, n.d.)
FORSYTH, D R Efficiency Decoration, Union of South Africa: the Roll (Johannesburg: author, 1987)
FORSYTH, D R King's Commendations: military recipients Union Defence Force (Johannesburg: author, 1986)
FORSYTH, D R Decorations awarded to Natal, Cape Colony and United Defence Force units 1877-1967 (Johannesburg: author, 1981)
FORSYTH, D R Die medaljerol: Dekoratie voor Trouwe Diens. Anglo-Boereoorlog: de Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek en Oranje Vrijstaat Oorlogs-Medalje Lint voor Verwonding opgedaan gedurende die Anglo-Boereoorlog
FORSYTH, D R Medals for gallantry and distinguished conduct awarded to Natal, Cape Colony and Union Defence Forces units (Johannesburg: author, 1981)
FORSYTH, D R Orders of chivalry, foreign decorations and awards to Natal, Cape Colony and Union Defence Force units 1877-1961 (Johannesburg: author, n.d.)
FORSYTH, D R & BISSETT, W M South African recipients of the France and Germany star or clasp (Johannesburg: Military Medal Society of South Africa, 1986)
HIBBARD, M G Military Commemorative Medals of the South African War 1899-1902 : a paper presented to the South African Numismatic Convention at Durban 1967
KAPLAN, Lilian The Medal Roll for the campaigns in South Africa 1834-1835, 1846-1847 (n.p.: author, 1977)
KAPLAN, S M The medal roll of the Queen's South Africa Medal with Wepenar Bar (Johannesburg: author, 1977)
KAPLAN, S M The medal roll of the Queen's South Africa Medal with bar - Relief of Mafeking (n.p.: author, n.d.)
KING, Terence Gallantry awards of the South African Police 1913-1994: including a complete Roll of Honour (ISBN: 0-620-26275-3)
OWEN, Colin R The South African Korea Medal Roll (Benoni: Chimperie, 1982)
OWEN, Colin R The South African Medal Roll of the 1935 Jubilee Medal; 1937 Coronation Medal; 1953 Coronation Medal as issued to South Africans (Benoni: Chimperie Publication, n.d.)
UYS, Ian Cross of Honour (medal roll of Honoris Crux) (ISBN: 9-780958-317320)


CASUALTY ROLLS AND ROLLS OF HONOUR

Some Rolls of Honour are arranged alphabetically, while others are arranged according to regiment. The following information can be derived from these: name of the serviceman, name of regiment, regimental number, cause of death, place of death, medals awarded. A Roll of Honour or list of casualties is often found as an appendix in regimental histories. The Museum's reference library has a very comprehensive collection of regimental histories, both British and South African.

Sources: (arranged chronologically)

TAVENDER, I T (comp.) Casualty Roll for the Zulu and Basuto Wars : South Africa 1877-79 (ISBN: 0-903754-24X)
WHYBRA, Julian The Roll Call for Isandhlwana and Rorke's Drift (Reading: Roberts Publications, 1990) LOVELL, Kenneth C and PRIOR, John C British casualties of the First Boer War 1880-1881 (ISBN: 0-9508621-0-X)
DOONER, Mildred The "Last Post" - Roll of all officers (Naval, Military or Colonial) who gave their lives in the South African War 1899-1902 (London: Simpkin, 1903)
EREROL 1899-1902 : Burgergedenkteken (Ladysmith: Tugela Press, 1979)
PRICE, John E They proved to all the Earth : a source book of Victoria's dead in the South African War 1899-1902 (ISBN: 0-9593781-0-3)
The SOUTH African War Casualty Roll : the "Natal Field Force" 20th Oct. 1899 - 26th Oct. 1900 (Polstead, Suffolk: J B Hayward & Son, 1980)
SOUTH African Field Force : Casualty List 1899-1902 (n.p.: n.p., c1972)
WATT, Steve In Memoriam : Roll of Honour Imperial Forces Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 (ISBN: 9-780869-809686)
DE RUVIGNY, The Marquis The Roll of Honour, biographical record of members of His Majesty's Naval and Military Forces 1914-1918 ISBN: 0948130857)
ROLL of Honour 1914-1918 Ererol
NORTHEY, Margaret (comp.) Index to the Roll of South Africans who fell 1914-1918 (Typescript)
ROLL of Honour World War 1939-1945 : Wêreldoorlog Ererol
CASUALTY Roll South African Army, Air Force and Navy 1962-1990 (Typescript)


NOMINAL ROLLS

Nominal rolls contain alphabetical lists of the participants in a particular conflict. The Lists for Army, Navy and Air Force contain the names of all active and retired officers; however the reference library's collection is incomplete. Regimental histories sometimes contain similar lists, although these are often limited to officers.

Sources: (arranged chronologically)

HART'S Army list (Annually from 1799)
The NAVY List (Annually from 1918)
The AIR FORCE List (Annually from 1935)
HULME, J J Eighth Kaffir War 1850-1853 : a provisional list of officers of the Irregular Forces of the Cape of Good Hope (ISBN: 0-620-08051-5)
HOLME, Norman The Silver Wreath : being the 24th Regiment at Isandhlwana and Rorke's Drift, 1879 (ISBN: 0-906304-02-4)
The JAMESON Raiders (Aldermaston: Roberts Publications, 1992)
BOER War Services of military officers of the British and Colonial Armies, Imperial Yeomanry, Mounted Infantry, Local units 1899-1902 including earlier services (ISBN: 1-902366-01-8)
GRAY, Sheila The South African War 1899-1902 : Service records of British and Colonial women ((Auckland, N Z : Sheila M Gray, 1993)
KIERAN, Brian L The defence and relief of O'okiep Cape Colony 4 April to 4 May 1902 (ISBN: 976-8136-30-8)
LUNDERSTEDT, Steve, (ed.) Summer of 1899 : the Siege of Kimberley : 14th October 1899 - 15th February 1900 (ISBN: 0-620-23421-0)
SOUTH African War Honours and awards 1899-1902 : the officers and men of the British Army and Navy mentioned in Despatches (London: Arms & Armour Press, 1971)
SHORES, Christopher, FRANKS, Norman & GUEST, Russell Above the trenches : a complete record of the fighter aces and the units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915 -1920 (ISBN: 0-948817-19-4)
SHORES, Christopher, FRANKS, Norman & GUEST, Russell Above the trenches : Supplement (ISBN: 1-898697-39-6)
UYS, Ian Rollcall : the Delville Wood Story (ISBN: 0-9583173-1-3)
BRENT, Winston "Flying Cheetahs" : Korea 1950-1953 (ISBN: 0-958-3880-91)


PRISONERS OF WAR AND INMATES OF CONCENTRATION CAMPS

The following books are either exclusively devoted to listing prisoners of war or have lists of prisoners or inmates of concentration camps included as appendices. One can find out the POW number, regimental unit, regimental number and the camp in which the detainee was held. We have no books giving names of Japanese POWs but there are two useful records in the Public Record Office [The National Archives] UK. Ref. WO345 is an index captured by the Allies at the end of the Second World War which contains cards for British, Indian and Australian servicemen in alphabetical order of surname. The second is Ref. WO367, "Japanese Registers of Allied POWs and Civilian internees held in camps in Singapore".

Sources: (arranged chronologically)

COETZEE, C G Kampkinders 1900-1902 : 'n Gedenkboek (Bloemfontein: Oorlogsmuseum van die Boererepublieke, 1982)
VAN SCHOOR, M C E Die bannelinge : A.B.O.- Boerekrygsgevanges 1899-1902 (Bloemfontein: Oorlogsmuseum van die Boererepublieke, 1983)
BOER Forces P.O.W. Roll Boer War 1899-1902 (Aldermaston: Roberts Publications, n.d.)
RAATH, A W G Die konsentrasiekamp te Bethulie gedurende die Anglo-Boereoorlog 1899-1902 ( Bloemfontein: Oorlogsmuseum van die Boererepublieke, 1991)
RAATH, A W G Die konsentrasiekamp te Bloemfontein gedurende die Anglo-Boereoorlog 1899-1902 (ISBN: 0-9583757-7-1)
RAATH, A W G Die konsentrasiekamp te Springfontein gedurende die Anglo-Boereoorlog 1899-1902 (ISBN: 0-620-16109-4)
RAATH, A W G Die konsentrasiekamp te Vredefortweg gedurende die Anglo-Boereoorlog 1899-1902 (ISBN: 0-620-16334-8)
MARTIN, A C The concentration camps : 1900-1902 (Appendix B is a petition to the superintendent of the Pinetown camp signed by 127 women) (Cape Town: Howard Timmins, c1957)
FERREIRA, O J O Viva os Boers! (Roll of POWs in Portugal at back) (ISBN: 0-620-18627-5)
JONES, E H The road to En-Dor : being an account of how two prisoners of war at Yozgad in Turkey won their way to freedom (Appendix I comprises a list of British and Indian officers interred at Yozgad in 1917) (London: John Lane The Bodley Head, 1920)
CLOSE , Percy L A prisoner of the Germans in South-West Africa (The Appendix has a nominal roll of prisoners) (Cape Town: Maskew Miller, n.d.)
PRISONERS of War, British Army 1939-1945 (ISBN: 0-903754-61-4)
PRISONERS of War, Naval and Air Forces of Great Britain and the Empire 1939-1945 (ISBN: 0-903754-62-2)
PRISONERS of War, Armies and Other Land Forces of the British Empire 1939-1945 (ISBN: 0-903754-63-0)


CEMETERY REGISTERS

Using these sources the researcher can discover the country and the exact location in which the serviceman died, the name of the cemetery in which he is buried, regimental rank, date of death, age, military unit and grave number.

Sources:

THE SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE RESOURCES AGENCY has a computerised database of all those who died in military conflicts on South African soil. This includes those who died during the Anglo-Boer War.
Current website: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


GREAT BRITAIN. Imperial War Graves Commission. The war dead of the British Empire 1914-1918.
All the servicemen who fought and died for the British Empire in the First World War are named. These registers are arranged according to cemetery, and there is a book for every cemetery where war dead are buried.

GREAT BRITAIN. Imperial War Graves Commission. The war dead of the British Empire 1939-1945.
The war dead in cemeteries in the following countries are covered: Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Belgium, Burma, Ceylon and the Maldive Islands, Hong Kong, Malaya and China, Singapore and Thailand, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India and Pakistan, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Tunisia.

Update 2014: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
This site commemorates the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the two world wars. Cemeteries, burial plots and memorials are a lasting tribute to those who died in some 153 countries across the world. The register records details of Commonwealth war dead so that graves or names on memorials can be located.




ARCHIVAL REPOSITORIES IN SOUTH AFRICA

The following archives contain a variety of information, detailed after each entry.

Documentation Centre of the SANDF
The records of all South African servicemen in the Army, Navy and Air Force are held in the archives. Copies of service records can be acquired if application is made in writing.
Contact details:
The Senior Staff Officer
Documentation Centre
Department of Defence
Private Bag X289
PRETORIA, 0001
Tel: +27 (012) 322 6350
Fax: +27 (011) 322 6360
email: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. Records cannot be sent electronically and therefore a fax number or postal address must be included in the request.
Update 2014: see
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] (not only about the airforce)

Cape Town Archives Repository
This archives has an inventory of the Cape Colonial Defence, and one archival group is the Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths 1892-1972.
Contact details:
The Head
Cape Town Archives Repository
Private Bag X9025
Cape Town,
8000
Tel: +27 (021) 462 405
Fax: +27 (021) 465 2960

National Archives Repository
The records of the South African Constabulary, 1900-1908, form part of the core holdings of this archive. There are also records of the Rand Rifles Recipients of the Queen's South Africa Medal (Reference CS vol 435 no 1562/64).
Contact details:
The Head
National Archives Repository
Private Bag X236
Pretoria, 0001
Tel: +27 (012) 323 5300
Fax: +27 (012) 323 5287

Correctional Services Archives
Information about German internees during the First and Second World Wars can be obtained from here.
Contact details:
The Head
Correctional Services Archives
Private Bag X136
Pretoria, 0001

Italians POWs held in South Africa during the Second World War Mr Coccia has microfiche copies of all listed Italian POWs.
PO Box 647
Irene, 0062
Tel & Fax: +27 (012) 667 3279

Free State Archives Repository
Ref SRC, Chief Superintendent of Refugee Camps 1900-1903, consists of registers of all the Refugee Camps in the Free State during the Anglo-Boer War. Some Birth, marriage and death certificates are also housed here.
Contact details:
The Head
Free State Archives Repository
Private Bag X20504
Bloemfontein, 9300
Tel: +27 (051) 522 6762
Fax: +27 (051) 522 6765

Citations

Copies of citations for gallantry medals awarded to South Africans during both World Wars. The reference library has an incomplete set.
Contact:
The Military Medal Society of South Africa
1 Jacqueline Ave
Northcliff
JOHANNESBURG
2195
Tel & Fax: +27 (011) 888 5797
e-mail:bickley@global.co.za

Amathole Museum
This museum is the official repository of the records of the Cape Mounted Riflemen.
Contact details:
The Curator of History
PO Box 1434
King William's Town
5600
Tel: +27 (0433) 24506
Fax: +27 (0433) 21569
E-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
visit their website

Greytown Museum
Records of men who served in the Umvoti Mounted Rifles
Contact details:
Greytown Museum
PO Box 71
Greytown
3250
Tel: +27 (033) 4131171

War Museum of the Boer Republics
Anglo-Boer War POW records on computer, and Records of Boer pensioners organizations
Contact details:
Mrs Wessels
War Museum of the Boer Republics
P O Box 704
Bloemfontein
9300
Tel: +27 (051) 4473447
Fax: +27 (051) 4471322

Durban Archives Repository
The ships' lists of passengers (DIA) form part of the core holdings Contact details:
The Head
Durban Archives Repository
Private Bag X22
Greyville
4023
Tel: +27 (031) 309 5681/2
Fax: +27 (031) 309 5685

Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository
The archives contains all the records of the offices of the Natal colonial government and also includes records of the Landdros, Pietermaritzburg from the Voortrekker period.
Contact details:
The Head
Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository
Private Bag X9012
Pietermaritzburg
3200
Tel: +27 (0331) 42 4712
Fax +27 (0331) 94 4353

Africana Library, Kimberley
Contains manuscripts and photographs dealing with the Siege of Kimberley, including diaries, and other material relating to the Anglo-Boer War.
Contact details;
The Africana Librarian
PO Box 627
Kimberley
8300
Tel: +27 (053) 830 6247
Fax: +27 (053) 833 1005
email: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Albany Museum
Archival material concerning Grahamstown and the Eastern Cape from 1812 to the present.
Contact details:
The Director
Somerset Street
Grahamstown
6139
Tel: +27 (046) 622 2312
Fax: +27 (046) 622 2398
email: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Update 2014: see [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] for current contact details of all South African archival repositories as well as museums, libraries etc.


ARCHIVAL REPOSITORIES OVERSEAS

Public Record Office
This institute contains the military service records of all who served in British regiments and also the South African colonial forces prior to 1912. Unfortunately colonial service records for the Anglo-Zulu War were pulped for paper during the First World War. In April 2003 this archive and the Historical Manuscripts Commission joined together to form a new body, the National Archives. In the future there will be joint development of the online systems.
Contact details:
The Head
National Archives
Ruskin Ave
Kew
Richmond
Surrey TW 9 4DU
England
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Royal Air Force Service Records
Contact details:
The Head
RAF Personnel Management Centre
Eastern Ave/ Gloucester Rd
London WC1 X BRY
England

Australian War Memorial
Service records of those who fought in the Anglo-Boer War. This museum has an Anglo-Boer War nominal roll data base based on P L Murray's Official Records of the Australian Contingents to the war in South Africa 1899-1902 (1911).
Contact details:
The Head
Australian War Memorial
G P O Box 345
Canberra
2601
Australia
Tel: (09612) 62434210
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


USEFUL WEBSITES

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
This is the site of the Family History Service Centre, a worldwide service run by The of Jesus Christ of the Latter day Saints. For South Africans it has useful information on ancestors who have immigrated from the United Kingdom or Ireland. There is step-by step guidance on how to do research.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
The site of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has all the names of those who lost their lives in the British, Imperial and Commonwealth services during the First and Second World War. The name, age, regimental unit, regimental number, cause of death and place of burial as well as any known personal particulars are given.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
The website of the Public Record Office, which has now been amalgamated with the Historical Manuscripts Commission to form the National Archives, is very user friendly. A variety of leaflets can be downloaded which give the numbers of the relevant records. The Public Record Office does not undertake to do research, and to this end a professional must be employed.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Cyndi's list of genealogical sites on the Internet. This site is regularly updated and has a category index of sites of interest to genealogists e.g. census related sites worldwide, lineage-linked databases, all countries including South Africa, guides for beginners, military resources worldwide etc.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
The site of the National Archive in Australia has service records of those Australians who fought in South Africa during the Anglo-Boer War.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
The genealogy section of the National Archive of Ireland

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Also useful for Irish ancestors.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Gives the names of the New Zealand participants in the Anglo-Boer War.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Information on the regiments of Britain and the Commonwealth. One can trace the movements of the regiments and there is information on the wars in which they were engaged, but there are no personal records of individuals.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Society of Australian Genealogists

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Society of Genealogists ( in the United Kingdom)

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
The Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies offers home study courses

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] & [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Look under specific country for ancestors who were emigrants or immigrants.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Information on ancestors of Scots extraction.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
The library and museum of Freemasonry provides genealogical information and research for a fee.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Scots at war.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Canberra Heraldry and Genealogy website gives details of graves and memorials of 600 Australians who died in South Africa.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
OZ Boer website with a nominal roll of Australians who fought in the Anglo-Boer War.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Can download charts which show where vessels have been sunk by enemy action.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Detailed information on each U-boat including the names of those sailors who were lost.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
British seamen of merchant vessels.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
The website of the Genealogy Society of South Africa has the names of researchers, news of branches and articles taken from the pages of various publications.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Ancestors : the family history magazine of the Public Record Office. Issue 12. Feb/Mar 2003. Update 2014: no longer in publication.

2. De Lange, B L "S A Nasionale Museum vir Krygsgeskiedenis Johannesburg : Nuttige bronne vir genealogiese navrae in die biblioteek", S A Archives Journal, Vol 31, 1989 pp 84-88.

3. A Directory of Archival Repositories in South Africa. Pretoria: National Archives of South Africa, 1999, (ISBN: 0-7970-3785-3).
Update 2014: see [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


4. Tylden, G The armed forces of South Africa. Johannesburg: City of Johannesburg Africana Museum, Frank Connock Publication No 2, 1954.

Note: This useful article by Rowena Wilkinson previously appeared on the South African Military History Museum website. I have reproduced it in its entirety as originally shown on that site and some details, particularly web addresses, may not be current. Updated information is given where possible. Google searches for recent details of relevant institutions are advisable.

The military museum has had a change of name and is now The South African National Museum of Military History [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Hi Springy
The QSA Medal was awarded to troops which took part in the conflict of 1899- 1902 . I didnt find Cunningham in the Roll of the N.Carbs in the Medal Roll of 1877-78-79 , We all know the records arent infallible , especially regarding Colonial Troops , as all their AZW records were pulped in 1915 in the UK from memory !     
Cheers 90th

Yeah no doubt your right, Ive been looking through a few files, the only references are the one Ive posted with an enlistment in 1900. I'll keep digging, Ian got his quotes from some place, not the sort of bloke to pull things out of thin air, so just a case of searching is all  
You should have a look at the Mole site its a really usefull tool that's why I posted all the references hes used.

Cheers MAte

Hi All
No Cunningham mentioned in the Natal Carbineer Rolls from ' For God , Queen & Colony ' by Terry Sole .
The chap Ian Knight has in Zulu Rising I assume is ; James Cuningham , Brickmaker from Newcastle .
90th   

90th wrote:

Hi All
No Cunningham mentioned in the Natal Carbineer Rolls from  ' For God , Queen & Colony ' by Terry Sole .
The chap Ian Knight has in Zulu Rising I assume is ;   James Cuningham , Brickmaker from Newcastle .
90th   

Bonjour à tous,
So it seems that there are (at least) two chap named CUNNINGHAM in the Volunteers troops with CHELMSFORD the 22 January 1879:
-James CUNNINGHAM from the Newcastle Mounted Rifles (quoted by Ian Knight in Zulu Rising) / well done 90th;
-Thomas Henry CUNNINGHAM from the Natal Carbineers (quoted by Julian Whybra in England's sons / WARNING Julian had written only CUNNINGHAM of the Natal Carbineers not his Christian name Thomas Henry)
But, I have found an extract of an Journal:the death of Thomas Henry CUNNINGHAM (from Dundee from memory) a veteran of the Natal Carbineers who was with CHELSMFORD the 22 Januray 1879

Both Ian knight and Julian had written that there is an account by CUNNINGHAM in a journal for the 50th anniversary of the battle (22 January 1929).

The question is who is this chap: James or Thomas?

Cheers
Frédéric

I.E. 90th and Springbok,
I have sent to 90th on his private email ("Gary...) an extract of the journal on the death of T.H. CUNNINGHAM (Springbok: i don't have your private email but i ask to Gary to send you the extract of the journal)

Hi Frederic
Thank you for that cutting. Ive just gone through the Natal Carbineers history 1855 - 1911 and cannot find any reference to Cunningham. He isn't on the list of men who reported on call up and isn't on the list of replacements after the battle. You have a mystery man on your hands my friend.

Cheers

Hi Frederic
Natal Mounted Police
351 AE Cunningham Awarded service medal without clasp was a member of the reserve force based in PMB and did not take part in any battles.

Natal Carbineers
696 TH Cunningham Trooper Served 20 Mar 00 to 09 Oct 00.
Source: Nominal roll in WO127

I cant find any references to a Cunningham serving with Chelmsford Im afraid apart from Knight and Whybra

Cheers

That's as far as Ive got

Cheers

springbok9 wrote:

Hi Frederic
Thank you for that cutting. Ive just gone through the Natal Carbineers history 1855 - 1911 and cannot find any reference to Cunningham. He isn't on the list of men who reported on call up and isn't on the list of replacements after the battle. You have a mystery man on your hands my friend.

Cheers

Frank,
Mate, it's a pleasure for me...
I can't seriously imagine that Mister WHYBRA had made an error with his CUNNINGHAM of the Natal Carbineers in "England's sons"...
If i am wrong i will cut my left hand!!!!  (I.E: I'm taking little risk: don't forget the extract of the journal "the death of a zulu war veteran")
In this article we can read that "Jim" of Newcastle was one of the brother of Thomas.
Maybe "James" from the "Newcastle Mounted Rifles" mentioned by 90th was "Jim" ?

Cheers

Frédéric

springbok9 wrote:

Hi Frederic
Natal Mounted Police
351 AE Cunningham Awarded service medal without clasp was a member of the reserve force based in PMB and did not take part in any battles.

Natal Carbineers
696 TH Cunningham Trooper Served 20 Mar 00 to 09 Oct 00.
Source: Nominal roll in WO127

I cant find any references to a Cunningham serving with Chelmsford Im afraid apart from Knight and Whybra

Cheers

That's as far as Ive got

Cheers

Springbok,
Thanks for your help.
I begin to be afraid for my hand... I am left-handed.
Cheers
Frédéric

Bonsoir Frederic
I am also left handed , I would've said I'd cut ( off ) my right hand !     
Cheers 90th

Im pretty sure that at some point Julian will read this and contribute. But sorry Frederic, in the meantime: " Off with his hand.................................."

   

There was a Trooper Cuningham in No. 3 Troop, Natal Horse, which was formed from n.c.o.'s of the disbanded Natal Native Contingent, just to throw that possibility into the mix.

John Y.

John Young wrote:

There was a Trooper Cuningham in No. 3 Troop, Natal Horse, which was formed from n.c.o.'s of the disbanded Natal Native Contingent, just to throw that possibility into the mix.

John Y.

Mister Young,

Disturbing suggestion...

"The three troops of Natal Horse organised in February were drawn from the Officiers and NCO of the [disbanded]3th NNC.
However, the total is more than the number of Officiers and NCO in the regiment".
Source: "Black soldiers of the Queen" by PS Thompson p.90 note 29 / "Narrative" p.169.

The Native Horse has fought in particular at Khambula and Lhobane with Redvers BULLER.

Or, in the article "Death of ZW veteran: Mr TH CUNNINGHAM, oldest resident of Dundee" (27/12/1938 ? /I.E:i am not sure of the year) we can read: "During the Zulu War, Mr CUNNINGHAM joined the Natal Carbineers at Newcastle under Lord CHELMSFORD with Lieut. BULLER [?] as one of his officers. A coencidence that during the Boer war Mr CUNNINGHAM served again under Lieut BULLER then promoted to General BULLER".

Nevertheless, the article doesn't tell that CUNNINGHAM served under Redvers BULLER during the AZW.
The article only tells that BULLER was one of the Officers of CHELMSFORD...

Cheers

Frédéric

I.E: Springbok and 90th
My great pleasure in the life is not the study of the AZW but the women...
Finaly, i am a lucky guy.
Only the hand.... 

Six troopers of Bettington's Horse,and a native guide. Corporal Grubt was' in charge of the Prince imperials escort, and the troopers were Abel, Cunningham, Lestocq M'Gillivray, and Rogers.

HiCtsg
Possibly your taking the piss with the names you mentioned with the Prince   . There certainly isnt a Cunningham among them   . In case someone is interested in the names of the 6 troopers , the correct names are ; Corp Grubb 16 yrs experience in the RA and a decade's farming in Natal , he spoke fluent zulu and was a member of the Langalibelele expedition , Le-Tocq a french speaking Channel Islander , troopers Abel , Rogers ( KIA with the Prince ) , Cochrane and Robert Willis , also a friendly zulu who was also Killed .
Cheers 90th   

Back here in the land of civilisation, we say " Taking the Micky" Never mind we realise your still evolving over there.

Anyway. Click on link scroll to page 10

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But you could possibly me correct, as it's comes from an Austrailian new paper and we know how in-correct they have been in past dicussions!

Hi Ctsg
I said ' Taking the piss ' as I believed it was a pommie saying ! , the poms out here say it all the time !   , generally I dont use the term . Newspapers are the same all over the world , they do get it wrong at times , I've seen some errors in your fine English tabloids over the journey regarding the AZW , the press hardly ever let the facts get in the way of a good story ! . I think if you stick to reading the well researched publications , instead of reading newspaper articles from the back blocks of Australia , you will find you'll be correct more times than you aren't .    
90th   

Perhaps Cunningham was the friendly Zulu.  
Not wanting to extract the urine.
Steve

What is interesting is that the two 'new' members of the patrol were actually members of No. 3 Troop, Natal Horse, just got to wonder if they were bragging!

90th,

FYI - Grubb was commonly known as 'Jim', so I think we can safely assume his given name was James; Le Tocq's name was Nicholas, a former fisherman/seaman from Castel Parish, Cobo Bay, Guernsey. He would perish in a shipwreck in 1880's.

John Y.

90th,

Talk about the press getting it wrong, I was looking through a French newspaper in the early hours of this morning and discovered the two troopers who died with Louis were 'Killick' and 'MacGregor.'  So that's at least four 'new' members of the patrol we've established!

John Y.

Its annoying, because not so long ago, I was reading a artical, that referred to the case of two missing troopers, that were part of the Princes escort. Can I find it now no?

Is this the account you were referring to? A transcript is in the Killie Campbell Library Collection.

Statement of T.H. Cunningham, Newcastle Mounted Rifles.

Mr.Cunningham of Dundee was with the force that went on the ill-fated trip to attack Matyana, returned to the scene of the massacre, and relieved Rorke’s Drift. Mr. Cunningham, born in 1856, came to Natal in 1873, and 5 years later joined the Newcastle Mounted Rifles, being the second man to join up. He says:
“I go back to the foundation of the Newcastle Mounted Rifles. There had been a lot of trouble in Zululand. Captain Osborn and Dr Allen’s brother walked into my shop one day. Capt. Osborn said “There is going to be trouble and we are going to form a corps.” He came to the right place; we were all fighting men. Then he signed his name and I signed after him, the first 2 members to sign on. We raised 62 men; some of them were Dutch and German, but they fought like demons against the Zulus.
We crossed the Buffalo River on Jan. 9, 1879. I was on vedette duty. We had to circle and manoeuvre on horseback. There were no helios at that time and I had been out 2 days and nights, and said to my Lieut. “My horse cannot stick it any longer”. “Get away” he said “Yours is the best horse in the troop. You must be off in the morning.” Sergt. Swan came to me very early in the morning with coffee and offered me his watch, saying “That may save you a bullet.”
We used to circle on horseback if the enemy was coming. Matiyana’s people tried to get through. We were in a hollow and the Zulu army was on a hill. Captain Mansell called to about 20 of us to go and reconnoitre, during which a poor little policeman let his revolver go off and he was sent back to camp. We chased Matiyana right into a cave. I shouted to Colonel Mackenzie, “For God’s sake, sir, don’t go in front of that cave.” Then we heard a bugle calling, blowing something horrible. The news had come in about the cut-up at Isandhlwana. Referring to Matiyana, “Leave him” I said, but I got Matiyana’s horse. (I got my name up for that lot.)
The bugles were blowing something terrible. One of the boys came along galloping like mad, shouting “Isandhlwana is finished. Our men are all cut up.” Major Dartnell said; “Boys, we can do nothing.” We had nothing to eat or drink for a long time, so the major said “I think I have enough biscuits to go round. Get you billies and we’ll have tea.” Then Capt. Shepstone rode up shouting “The camp is taken by the Zulus.” I was told to pick out another trooper, go like the devil, and get right to Isandhlwana and see what we could spot. So I set out with Grundy. We had got strict orders not to get too close to the Zulu army. After a bit the column came up. It was very dark, we searched for a man screaming in the rocks and got him out, he seemed to have gone mad, but I think recovered afterwards. We came across Major Black, constantly shouting “Give them nothing but cold steel.” He had gone mad.
We cavalry men got orders to form a square, and the infantry formed outside of us. We fired volleys so as to keep the Zulus away from us. The jackals were screaming. We could hear the rifles at Rorke’s Drift. The General gave out orders that every man was to be up before daylight so as not to see the slaughter. There was a police chap, a German, swearing, the General forbade it in a loud voice. I knew it was the General by his voice. I had ridden dispatches for him.
Before dawn we cleared out. As soon as we got over the rise we met about 600 Zulus coming back from Rorke’s Drift. We could hear their leaders ordering them not to fire- they had had enough of it. I expected we were going to get a licking, for we had no ammunition. I said to Jack Grant, my half section, that I feared we were in for it. Yet we walked right past them and they never fired a shot. We made tracks straight along for Rorke’s Drift. There was a bugler there blowing for all he was worth. We dashed through the Buffalo River and got up all right- Pretty near all were dead, I used to chaff my friend Napier about the silver spurs he wore. He shoved his spurs into a native who might have been dead, but to Napier’s astonishment up sprang the Native. We got to Adams farm. There were 6 dragoons with us. They were holy terrors with the sword. I asked Colonel Braid if we could go to the orchard to get peaches. There was a native supposed to be looking after the orchard. He cheeked us something awful, so a dragoon with his sword and one stroke cut his head right off.
We relieved Rorke’s Drift, stayed several days, and were then placed along the border to guard Natal.

Bonsoir Weekend Warrior,
I tend to think that the narrative from Trooper T.H. Cunningham, NMR, held in KCAL is not the same published in the NW, 19th January 1929.
Thank you very much for your help.
Cheers
Frédéric

Sir,

Did you ever find said Natal Witness account? I'm a bit intrigued.

Weekend Warrior,
I have a copy of an another account told by Cunningham ("embelished memories" in my humble opinion).
Ditto, I don't think it is the same which was published in the NW, 19th January 1929.
I suspect that in the account published in the NW, Cunningham told the story about the "heads on a wheel".
I read on another website that you have "some doubts" about the veracity of "this sad story".
Milne, RN, in his official report, wrote a similar comment (told by him by a Trumpeter / from memory).
As I am intrigued by Milne's remark, I try to find other testimonies on this subject.


Cheers
Frédéric

A number of 1879 papers listed Cunningham of the Carbineers escaping from Isandhlwana; the CC account and the 19th January 1929 and 22nd January 1927 NW accounts to TH Cunningham of the NMR being out with Chelmsford.  No need to get the knife Fred.
There is also a photo of Cunningham NMR in Dutton's book p. 16 with a typed note describing those pictured as Isandhlwana survivors.  The others are Clarke, MacPhail and McCarthy 1/24th (2nd possibly).
So the early newspaper lists and the photo description are obviously awry.  Long live fake journalism or was it just poor?  I don't know where Dutton found the photo (the CC?) - does anyone know?  It obviously related to those on the Isandhlwana campaign rather than the battle itself (MacPhail excepted).

Julian,

Please confirm the page number in Forgotten Heroes..., as I’m not seeing anything but medal tables on page 16.

JY

Bonjour Julian,
I have a photography of Cunningham taken from a Natal Newspapers. Only his face and he is "alone" on the photography.
Amitié.
Fred

John
Apologies, it is at the foot of p. 41.

Found the photograph on page 41, second from the right isn’t that Sparks of the N.M.P.?

JY

John
Well, it could be. Why then would it identify him so specifically as McCarthy 1/24th???
Obviously the typed inset has been added to the photo at a later date but that would be quite a specific mistake to make, wouldn't it?
Anyway, any idea on which paper it might have been used for? find the paper, read the interviews, see whether it's Sparks or McCarthy...!

Hi John

Yes I think you are correct.

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Andy

Well done, Andy, the answer was there all the time.
Does anyone know the whereabouts of the original photo? It must be available to the public for Dutton to have used it.

Hello,
Reference Thomas Cunningham the research into this man indicates that he served in the Newcastle Mounted Rifles and not the Natal Carbineers. papers relating to him came be found in the archives of the Talana Museum, which has information on families specifically who served in both the Buffalo Border Guard and the Newcastle Mounted Rifles. For the Cunningham family papers they are under the
Museum's archive accession code numbers 200 plus. Examples:
202 - Notes of the family tree of James and Sarah Cunningham by Neville Cunningham 1987.
203 - Hand notes on Thomas Henry Cunningham, no author or date given.
204 - The death of Thomas Henry Cunningham 1938.
206 - Survivors account, Isandlwana, Natal Witness 1927, Cunningham Papers.
208 - Cunningham Family by Shelia Henderson, no date.
209 - Samuel Cunningham, family details, no date.

I am of the opinion that this man is Thomas Henry Cunningham of the Newcastle Mounted Rifles and Son in law of John Sutcliffe Robson, late commanding officer of the Corps, having married his Elizabeth Robson.

Observations and comments welcomed.

Ells.

Sorry,
Quick addition Robson was with the Buffalo Border Guard not the Newcastle Mounted Rifles.
Typing to fast for my own good.

Ells.

Ells
Thank you for the additional confirmations of the earlier posts of 18th June. Cunningham did indeed serve in the NMR and Robson was indeed in the BBG.

Cunningham’s account of the return to iSandlwana appears in The Supplement to the Natal Mercury 22nd January 1929 under the headline Survivor’s Night of Horror - How Chelmsford Fell into a Trap.

JY

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Here are two photos of Thomas Cunningham, courtesy of his descendant, Neil Bloy. He's the bearded gentlemen on the right, in the uniformed pic. In the second pic he is shown with his wife, Elizabeth, and two children.