81st Battery RFA

[niimmm]

Hello folks,

I've just aquired a medal to the 81st battery RFA during the Boer war. The QSA has bars: Relief of Kimberly, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg and Wittebergen.

To my huge frustration no service papers exist

I'm asking here if anyone knows if there is an account of the 81st during the war as it would help to recreate a picture of the man. The only thing I know is that Paardeberg was an important battle for this battery.

Simon

DSC00639.JPG (50.97 KiB) Viewed 301 times

[QSAMIKE]

Hello Simon......

I have two 81st Battery RFA QSA's in my collection both with the same set of bars......

WILLIAMS, W. C.
REG. NO.: 10615
RANK: CORPORAL
REGT: 81st BATTERY, ROYAL FILED ARTILLERY
BARS: RELIEF OF KIMBERLEY, PAARDEBERG, DRIEFONTEIN, JOHANNESBURG, WITTEBERGEN
KINGS SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL, USUAL TWO BARS

and

CAULFIELD, J.
REG. NO.: 85077
RANK: GUNNER
REGT: 81st BATTERY, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY
BARS: RELIEF OF KIMBERLEY, PAARDEBERG, DRIEFONTEIN, JOHANNESBURG, WITTEBERGEN

ALONG WITH THE 76TH, 81ST AND 82ND ARRIVED AT THE CAPE ON 21ST JANUARY 1900 AND WENT UP TO MODDER RIVER. FORMED A BRIGADE DIVISION FOR KELLY-KENNY'S VITH DIVISION, AND TOOK PART IN THE PURSUIT OF CRONJE, THE ACTION AT PAARDEBERG, AND THE OTHER TWO BATTLES ON THE ROAD TO BLOEMFONTEIN. TWO OFFICERS AND 1 GUNNER OF THE 76TH WERE MENTIONED IN LORD ROBERTS' DESPATCH OF 31ST MARCH 1900 FOR GALLANT WORK UP TO THAT TIME. THESE THREE BATTERIES AND THE 74TH ACCOMPANIED IAN HAMILTON ON THE MARCH TO PRETORIA, TAKING PART IN HIS NUMEROUS ACTIONS. THE 76TH AND 82ND DID VERY EXCELLENT WORK AT DIAMOND HILL, 11TH AND 12TH JUNE, WHEN THE 82ND WAS SPECIALLY MENTIONED. IN THE OPERATIONS AGAINST PRINSLOO THE 76TH DID WELL ON 24TH JULY, IN SUPPORTING THE SEAFORTHS NEAR RETIEFS NEK. IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, AND OCTOBER 1900 THE 76TH WAS IN A COLUMN UNDER BRUCE HAMILTON BASED ON KROONSTAD (LORD ROBERTS' DESPATCH OF 10TH OCTOBER 1900, PARA 39). IN 1901 FOUR GUNS WERE IN A COLUMN UNDER COLONEL THORNEYCROFT WHICH OPERATED MAINLY IN THE ORANGE RIVER COLONY, AND VERY FREQUENTLY HAD FIGHTING (LORD KITCHENER'S DESPATCH OF 8TH JULY 1901).




Mike