Description
Permanent Force Long Service & Good Conduct, GV, Sergeant Instructor William Glear, Permanent Force Staff. Natal Militia Instructor since 1903 and with the UDF in WW1.
A Soldier since 1885 when he was 18 years old, after 17 years in the British Army after the Boer War he remained in the country becoming Instructor to the Natal Militia, later serving in the Union Defence Force throughout WW1, by the time of his discharge in 1922 it had been 37 years since he first joined the Army.
Officially engraved: “Sgt. Instr. W. Glear. Perm. Force. (Staff)”
With detailed copy service file.
William Glear was born in Lanchester, Durham on 28th January 1867.
He was a lifetime Soldier, first joining up with the Royal Artillery in Newcastle on 30th March 1885, however after a year he was found to have deserted on 10th March 1886.
His papers then note he was “Held to serve in the 3rd Dragoon Guards under GO 102 of 1887”.
Later during the Boer War, a 2782 Sergeant William Glear, that looks to be him served in the Boer War as a Sergeant in the 3rd Dragoon Guards, earning the QSA and KSA, he was also attached to the Remount Department.
After the Boer War he seems to have stayed in the country, his UDF service file recording that he was appointed as Instructor to the Natal Militia, Permanent Staff on 7th September 1903, serving until 30th June 1908 when resigned on retrenchment (budget cuts). He rejoined on 1st March 1910, and after the foundation of the Union Defence Force of South Africa, resigned on with them on 1st July 1913.
During the war there was some questions about his skill as an instructor with some conflicting reports of his services dated February 1918:
When he was stationed at the Pretoria the Colonel Camp Commandant writes of him:
“I beg to report for the information of the Camp Commandant that the above mentioned NCO (Glear) has now been attached to the depot under my command for little over 3 months. On his arrival here I noticed he had very little knowledge of Infantry Drill, but within a week knew quite sufficient to instruct a Squad of Recruits and has continued instructing ever since, and to my entire satisfaction. he has never missed a parade since he has been here, and Recruits make good progress under him.”
William later died aged 66 on 27th February 1933 in Durban.
His profession was recorded as “Drill Instructor, South African Defence Force.”
