RARE BOER WAR FAMILY HISTORY

[Mervyn Mitton]

I recently re-found this small set of 'portable' silver plated containers - one for water, the other a 'shot' for alcohol.

They belonged to my Grandfather who used them in the Boer War - or, possibly India. Most officers and NCO's carried items like this in the early days - when you were in the bush how else did you drink ? I will post a few more views and thenone of my Grandfather

[Mervyn Mitton]

The larger beaker folded down into the body of the leather box - the smaller went into the raised part of the lid, you take the top off this part. Because of the engineering, when you pull them up, they are perfectly watertight.

[Mervyn Mitton]

My Grandfather Henry Mitton, when he was the colour sgt. of the Leicestershire Regt. - you will see he has the sash over his right shoulder and he carries a sword. This rank and the RSM were issued with them. I understand that he went on to be the R.S.M. - however, he died in 1933 and I never knew him. Have never found his medal entitlement - but, it must have been impressive. I know he was in India - in the Tirah campaign - and I think that is the Sudan medal he is wearing - not too clear. He served in the Boer War and of course, the 1st.WW. I think the Crown is Edward 7th. - but, he could still have been in Sth.Africa.

[Mervyn Mitton]

My Grandparents - Henry and Harriet Mitton. My Grandmother was born in India in 1873 - she was the youngest daughter of a regular in the Indian Army. I have an old photo which shows her as a baby in the arms of the ayah (nurse) and my Great-Grandfather in uniform and wearing a shako. I think he was also the RSM of his Regt. but, to be honest I've never really gone into the background. My G/father was commissioned as Captain and quartermaster at the outbreak of WW1 in 1914 and was transferred to the Derbyshire Regt.. I remember my G/mother saying he was shot in the spine and paralysed - he died in 1933, she died in 1949. She lived comfortably on her army pension.

In the photo, my Father is in the front - he was born in 1910 - so, this photo must have been taken in about 1915. His brother ,on the left, became the leading stockbroker in London and was in partnership with R.A.B.Butler's(Chancellor) brother.

The brother behind,was in Singapore at it's surrender and with his wife and daughter (now a retired doctor in Capetown) were on the last boat to leave for Australia. He was lost to the family from 1937 to 1956, when we discovered them living in S.A..

There was an elder brother - he was an officer in the army.

Amazing the memories a small beaker can bring ! Hope you find it interesting - any help will be appreciated.

Mervyn (if you look at my photo on profile you will see the family likeness to my G'father - but no moustache)

[Tony]

Hello Mervyn,

That's a very interesting family history and great photos.

I've just done a search on ancestry for Henry Mitton's MIC for Great War service and came up with nothing. The only one I could find was a card (I think SWB card) for a Capt. WH Mitton who was in the ASC and living in Southsea in 1917.

Tony

[Mervyn Mitton]

Dear Tony

The one you found in SWB would have been a relative of some sort - our surname - with various spellings , is all one family. We are Angles, descended from a tribe called the Zwiccu who settled in Shropshire in the 7th. Century!

When I wrote the notes above I was having trouble remembering his birth names - Henry, was how my G/mother always referred to him, but I never knew him. Should someone have access to either the Leicester of Northampton rolls for that period he will obviously be on them. I have just checked and I put Derbyshire in my notes, I'm now a little confused myself, as to which he was in - sorry, put it down to age. Thankyou for taking the trouble to look.

Mervyn

[Tony]

Mervyn,

If you need anything checking on ancestry I don't mind doing it at all, I find it all very interesting.

Tony

A quick edit - my family name apparently landed in England from Iceland in about the 8th century, apart from the name being anglocised (sp) that's all I know. I couldn't find the Zwiccu tribe online, but would like to hear what you know about them. It's very interesting indeed.

Edited May 8, 2009 by Tony

[leigh kitchen]

grandfather's wearng instructor's crosse rifles above the chevrons in the first photo, what are the collar dogs & buttonsdesign in the second please, any chance of close ups? - interesting that he's wearing straps as shown, rather than a sngle "Sam Browne" arrangement.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Tony.

Thankyou for taking interest in the post. I found ref. to the Zwiccu in a history of Arthur. I also made enquiries and found that this tribe was in one of the invasions from Scandinavia in the 7th.C.. Where they settled in Shropshire was at the confluence - or, joining of two rivers - which is the meaning of my surname - Mitton. My savage ancestors must have been the chiefs , because there is still the village of Mitton, the Manor of Mitton and the Mitton and Mermaid pub. Although they are related I have never met the present owners - cadet , or, junior members of families break away and set-up on their own all the time. The Angles pre-dated the Saxons by some years , although they are closely related. Your origins are probably Angle - so, Hi cuz.!!

The Angles gave their name to England. After the Anglo-Saxon invasion had built-up strength they advanced downwards and in the process drove out the Celtish people who had lived in England until that time. They moved into Wales - Cornwall and crossed the Channel into Brittany. Which is why their language can still - basically, be understood by the three areas - and probably, why, they're not too keen on English visitors !!

I think it would be great if you had time to do a little research - the problem will be that I have lived so many years overseas that I am not in touch with much of the family history - and I am one of the last of my side of the family.

Whilst old families are fascinating for their history - my Father always told me ' It is what you do in your life - not others'.

I hope we can stay in touch. Mervyn

[Mervyn Mitton]

Leigh - I have been going 'blind' trying to look at the buttons and badge through a glass. The badge looks like it has three uprights - am having a badge ref. book brought back from shop tomorrow. I thought the double strap Sam Browne was standard at the start of WW1 - it was in the Boer War ? I could see the crossed rifles above the chevrons and above those is an Edward 7th. crown. On his shoulders are the crossed flags for his rank - with a Tiger badge underneath.

Will come back if I can track down his Regt. badge. The photo is an original - in the broken cardboard mount - it just enlarge too well. Mervyn ( It's stupid that both Regt.s sound correct in my mind)

[leigh kitchen]

The collar badge in post 3 will be the Leicester's tiger, I can't make out a tiger badge on the sleeves or shoulders.

I can't make out if there's the "HINDOOSTAN" scroll above the tiger cap badge, I can't see one, that combined with the bell tent background etc tend to suggest to me a TF battalion?

If you try scanning just the insignia on the photos rather than the whole photos then you may get a suitable image of them. The straps may be a regimental foible, depending on the unit, but they look like the brown leather version rather than the rifles black.

Edited May 9, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[Graham Stewart]

Just a couple of points about photo 1.

Although dressed in scarlet the cap badge worn doesn't appear to be a regular pattern Leicestershire Regiment badge i.e. there's no "Hindostan" scroll above the tiger. This suggests to me that when this photo was taken he may have been seconded or actually serving with either a Volunteer Battalion or Territorial Battalion of the Leicestershire Regt.

Secondly his rank in this photo, if my memory here is correct, he is a 'Sergeant Instructor of Musketry' and not a Colour Sgt, who wore the large crossed Union flags where the crossed rifles are positioned. No crossed flags would be worn on the shoulder strap.

[Graham Stewart]

To enhance my point about him not being a Colour Sgt, this is Colour Sgt Boyd, 6th Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers wearing the Colour Sgt's badge. If you look at your grandfathers photo a gap has appeared on his shoulder strap, allowing the tent background to show through, giving the inpression of another badge, which I'm afraid isn't there.

Edited May 9, 2009 by Graham Stewart

[Graham Stewart]

The third medal which appears next to his South African medals, appears to be the Volunteer Long Service Medal, due to it's oval shape. One of the criteria for it's award was twelve years service in the Volunteer movement, so this isn't a regular Leicestshire Battalion he's serving with.

This is the later 'Territorial' medal, which replaced the Volunteer one, but kept the same shape.

[leigh kitchen]

Yes, he's a SIM, it would be interesting to know if he wears the marksman's badge too, on the lower left sleeve. Perhaps not, as he would probably have arranged his sleeves to show that badge off too. as he's done with the right arm, twisting it slightly forward as s usually the case in these photos of the time.

[Graham Stewart]

Leigh

Did the Volunteer Medal change it's shape to oval at some stage or is the oval medal strictly Territorial, I can't remember and have none of my books here?

Having looked at the photo again, I don't think he's a regular seconded, I've a feeling this lad is definately either a Volunteer or even Territorial, depending when the photo was taken. Is it definately a crown above the crossed rifles, as it looks really small and I was wondering if it was the 'Proficiency' star, which would be correct for a Volunteer or Territorial?

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thankyou everone. I have checked my books and in the family photo his lapel badges are Northamptonshire, a castle with 3 turrets - the one in the middle being taller. He has a King Edward crown above the chevrons. What you thought was a gap under the epaulette looks to me like a pair of crossed flags - the right one looking white. He was never a volunteer - he was a full time regular and I remember my G/mother saying he was in India before the turn of the century - so that must have been Tirah. The only thing I have of his - apart from the travelling companion, is his malacca walking stick. This has a silver top with the Leics. tiger. I will post it next week when the silver has been cleaned.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Def. not the Eff. - it has two bars. Enclosed are some close-ups - I can see now that you were right about the white being a gap. However, there is a shoulder badge

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Guest Rick Research]

Have been over at the Mormons online, but much confusion and have always been disappointed at their English holdings-- since that's where I lose my main male line (wretched Tudors and their blasted inconvenient Reformation screwed up ALL the Essex records just where I need 'em most) but you need some more data like a birth year and great grandparents' names, I think to get anywhere there.

But try

http://www.familysearch.org/

and try clicking in on the second page for "advanced search." The English census of 1881 is online, and he must be in there SOMEWHERE under some spelling.

Census takers obviously never had to pass spelling tests, so there is always the chance they got some part wrong.

I don't know what is available online for Victorian/Edwardian Britain (mine were all this side of the pond by the 1660s), but you MAY be able to back-track from birth records for your father and his siblings.

In my pass through the LDS website, noted at least one tribe of Mittons/Mittens from one of my ancestral villages, so there is always the horrifyingly inevitable possibility that we are related. :cheeky:

[jagwca]

My Grandfather a Colour Sergeant in the Hampshire Regt. the little girl is my mother the baby was born December 1899 which would make my mother about 4 years old she was born in 1896 so the picture would be about 1900 he retired from the army in 1902 after 22 years service.The medal is the Indian General Service clasp Burma 1887-89 note he has 4 stripes above is the Musketry Instructors Badge on his left arm a marksmans badge the collar dog is a wreathed rose ,I have one along with his cap badge,when I was very young had his tunic as well don't know what happened to it.When the Regiment change from the 8 company system to 4 he became Company Sergeant Major.During WW1 he was recalled and served in a Home Defence Battalion.

I keep trying to add a picture but don't know how to make it smaller

John

Edited May 9, 2009 by jagwca

[Mervyn Mitton]

I hope you are succesful jagwca I know how to do it - but, only using PhotoImpression 6 and Irfanview - if this would help at all ? Don't we have a section you can ask for help ?

Rick - this is too much ! Two people in one post 'claiming' to be relatives !!! If I had any money I would be very suspicious - the main problem, will be that I don't like most of my relatives...

[Graham Stewart]

As is probably clear from this photo a gap has appeared in the shoulder strap. At the end of the shoulder strap is his shoulder title, which in this case is a three tier Territorial title for the Leicestershire Regt which will be "T/numberal/LEICESTER" (or Leicestershire). No rank badges of any description were ever worn by either senior or junior ranks on their shoulder straps.

As for the third medal it's unique shape defines it from all other's as being Volunteer/Territorial forces and you will note Colour Sgt Boyd is also wearing the same shaped medal as he too was a Volunteer/Territorial.

If I'm correct your relative will also appear in Army Orders as being awarded this medal, although I'm unsure if they appeared in the London Gazette.

A popular misconception is that if you have Boer War Medals you served with a regular unit during the South African War - not true. All regular units in South Africa had attached to them "Volunteer Service Company's" made up of men volunteers from the regiments Volunteer Battalions, who served in S.A. for a period of one year.

JAGWCA,

Your reference to your own relative wearing the four chevron's with crossed rifles above is 'unique' to regulars on secondment to Volunteer/Territorial battalions, who were termed 'Colour Sergeant Instructors'. Without the fourth chevron you were just a plain Sergeant. I'll try and post a photo of just such. CSI's were generally men who after seconded service returned to their regular unit with a view to becoming Colour Sergeants and wearing their unique badge when in parade order. In service dress there was no such badge designed to define their rank and so they wore three chevrons with a very large crown above.