QSA 3 bars Durban LI Relief of Ladysmith

Description

Queen’s South Africa, 3 bars, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, 271 Private T. Wilson, Durban Light Infantry.

 

Officially impressed: “271 Pte T. Wilson. Durban L.I.”

 

Confirmed on the medal roll, which remarks he was one of about 39 of the regiment to join the “Vol Comp Regt”.

 

The actual nominal roll of the Durban Light Infantry lists him as “Jno” or “John Wilson”, having joined the regiment during December 1899, leaving on 31st December 1901.

 

You can click here to read the informative page for the Durban Light Infantry on Angloboerwar.com, which recalls their war services and the raising of the Volunteer Composite Regiment of which Wilson was one of the few that joined.

 

They note that: “On 21st September 1900 authority had been obtained from Lord Roberts to raise among the Natal Volunteers a composite regiment of 300 mounted men to take over the duties hitherto performed by the Volunteer Brigade, and thus facilitate the return of the remainder of the Brigade to their daily avocations.

 

The Volunteer Composite Regiment was made up as follows:

Natal Carbineers, 6 Officers, 125 Men

Natal Mounted Rifles, 5 Officers, 32 men

Umvoti Mounted Rifles, 1 Officer, 13 Men

Border Mounted Rifles, 3 Officers, 48 men

Natal Field Artillery, 19 Men

Natal Royal Rifles, 8 Men

Durban Light Infantry, 39 men

Hotchkiss Gun Detachment, 6 men

Volunteer Medical Corps, 1 Officer, 4 men

Totalling 16 Officers and 294 men.”

 

Private Wilson was one of the 39 volunteers to make up the unit from the ranks of the Durban Light Infantry.