Description
King’s South Africa, 2 bars, SA 1901, SA 1902, 3271 Pte F. Stevenson, Cape Mounted Riflemen, attached to the Provisional Transvaal Constabulary. At Siege of Wepener.
Officially impressed: “3271 Pte F. Stevenson. Cape M.R.”
Confirmed on the medal roll.
Entitled to a matching QSA with 3 bars, Wepener, Cape Colony, Transvaal.
Pte Stevenson took part in the Siege of Wepener during April 1900, just as it was lifted, the regiment marched to Donkerpoort, where as part of an outlying picket Stevenson went missing in action with a comrade, they were forced to leave Pte Smyth who was severely wounded, and miraculously managed to crawl over to Basutoland and be tended by natives.
Private Francis Davie Stevenson, enlisted into the Cape Mounted Rifles before the war on 5th November 1897.
During the Boer War, the “Provisional Transvaal Constabulary” was formed, the men were temporarily attached to the unit from various units on service in the war.
He is on a roll of the P.T.C. as one of the men who were on attachment from the Cape Mounted Rifles, serving with the PTC between 14th June – 16th Sept 1900.
“The Unit was set up after the taking of Pretoria on 5 Jun 1900. Its’ members came from a wide range of other Units such as the IY, Royal Engineers, Imperial Light Infantry and Brabant’s Horse. The date for joining varied from 14 Jun 1900 to 10 Oct 1900 with Service lasting until the end of Jan 1902. “
Source: https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/story/92039
It looks like Francis was one of the original men who joined at the earliest date.
Casualty List recording recent casualties from “Doorkespoort, May 3rd 1900” contain the following casualties: “Cape Mounted Rifles – Private Harry D. Smythe, Severely wounded, Private Francis Davie Stevenson and Private Frank E. Flood, Missing.”
The regimental history recalls this period:
“After the Relief of Wepener, the Colonial Division, now containing all the CMR save for F, G and I companies, moved on 2nd May to Donkerpoort, near the Basutoland Border, and thence back to Dewetsdorp.
During this march an outlying picket of the C.M.R. under Sergeant Reilly was nearly cut off, Private Smyth being left for dead on the ground’ but in spite of a severe wound he managed to crawl into Basutoland, where he was tended by natives.”
It is clear that Stevenson was one of the picket, he and Flood having evaded capture unwounded, whilst poor Harry Smythe made a lucky escape.
He was later discharged on 7th June 1903.
