Page 103 - ATKCM_30.04.15
P. 103
Suffolks were part of this final reinforcement. By September
1900 the main battles were effectively already won by the
British and the Boer territory annexed. However a guerrilla war
continued for a further two years.
Quite what happened to William in December 1900 is not clear
from the surviving records, but on the 13th of that month he was
tried by a Field Court and sentenced to 84 days imprisonment
with hard labour.
Before the sentence had expired he was tried again on 31st
December 1900 and sentenced to nine months imprisonment
with hard labour. It should be remembered that one didn’t
actually have to do too much wrong to get this sort of sentence
when on the battlefield!
He was released from prison on 22nd May 1901 and shipped
back to England that day.
He was only in England for three months before he returned to
South Africa in August 1901 and remained there until after the
Boers capitulated. Rather than return to England the Suffolks
were sent to Burma, and remained there for the next six years.
Just before leaving South Africa William signed up for a further
seven years and received £5-15-0 (£5.75) as a gratuity.
In Burma he seems to have become a different man. He was
still a Private but in May 1906 he was granted two good conduct
badges, and on 2nd June was appointed Lance Corporal.
However, giving orders to his erstwhile pals obviously did not
suit him, as, after a month, he reverted to a Private at his own
request.
On the premise that you cannot keep a good man down, eleven
months later he is back as a Lance Corporal, a rank he retained
until his discharge. The Battalion spent a year in Aden on the
way home in 1907. William had extended his service to the full
12 years whilst in Burma and eventually left the service on 27th
April 1910, when he returned to Kings Cliffe.
On his discharge papers he names his next of kin as –
Father – “John”, Kings Cliffe, Northants. This is scored out.
101
1900 the main battles were effectively already won by the
British and the Boer territory annexed. However a guerrilla war
continued for a further two years.
Quite what happened to William in December 1900 is not clear
from the surviving records, but on the 13th of that month he was
tried by a Field Court and sentenced to 84 days imprisonment
with hard labour.
Before the sentence had expired he was tried again on 31st
December 1900 and sentenced to nine months imprisonment
with hard labour. It should be remembered that one didn’t
actually have to do too much wrong to get this sort of sentence
when on the battlefield!
He was released from prison on 22nd May 1901 and shipped
back to England that day.
He was only in England for three months before he returned to
South Africa in August 1901 and remained there until after the
Boers capitulated. Rather than return to England the Suffolks
were sent to Burma, and remained there for the next six years.
Just before leaving South Africa William signed up for a further
seven years and received £5-15-0 (£5.75) as a gratuity.
In Burma he seems to have become a different man. He was
still a Private but in May 1906 he was granted two good conduct
badges, and on 2nd June was appointed Lance Corporal.
However, giving orders to his erstwhile pals obviously did not
suit him, as, after a month, he reverted to a Private at his own
request.
On the premise that you cannot keep a good man down, eleven
months later he is back as a Lance Corporal, a rank he retained
until his discharge. The Battalion spent a year in Aden on the
way home in 1907. William had extended his service to the full
12 years whilst in Burma and eventually left the service on 27th
April 1910, when he returned to Kings Cliffe.
On his discharge papers he names his next of kin as –
Father – “John”, Kings Cliffe, Northants. This is scored out.
101
