Search British Army, Local Armed Forces' enrolment forms, Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902
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These original enrolment forms are catalogued in series WO 126 at The National Archives in London. The series comprises enrolment forms completed by men who enrolled in the units raised in South Africa during the South African War, 1899-1902. They contain details of the man's age, nationality and trade, the date and place of his enrolment (and, in some cases, his discharge) and the oath of allegiance.
These original enrolment forms are catalogued in series WO 126 at The National Archives in London. The series comprises enrolment forms completed by men who enrolled in the units raised in South Africa during the South African War, 1899-1902. They contain details of the man's age, nationality and trade, the date and place of his enrolment (and, in some cases, his discharge) and the oath of allegiance.
You can typically expect to find the following information:
Findmypast has published transcriptions only of these records. The original documents can be viewed at The National Archives.
These are important records and they give terrific detail about the men who served in these locally raised units. The men who volunteered their services came from mixed backgrounds; some had been born in South Africa but there were also many men, ex-soldiers, who had settled in South Africa after the termination of their army service. These men, with prior military experience were great assets, and they were also very well paid.
33-year-old John Beeson, a single man whose next of kin was recorded as his aunt, Mrs Tomkins, in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, enlisted with Ashburner’s Light Horse at Kimberley on the 8th November 1901. He was a carpenter by trade, standing five feet three inches in his socks, and weighing 143lbs (64kg). He had blue eyes, light hair and a fair complexion.
John was paid five shillings a day, a small fortune compared to the British infantryman’s shilling a day. Even over a decade later, a private soldier taking the King’s shilling during the First World War was only paid a shilling a day.
John, and others like him, swore allegiance to King Edward VII and received in return their pay plus rations, clothing and equipment. Arms and Equipment were the property of the State and were to be returned on termination of service.
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