ST. AUSTELL PARISH GENEALOGY	Genealogy Index Main Menu

St. AUSTELL PEOPLE and the BOER WAR
Cornishmen serving in the South African War
1880 to 1881, and 1899 to 1902

based on transcriptions by

Malcolm Webster, 2009-11

If you locate a relative, be sure to contact Malcolm, as he has copies of original documents available for free.
J. Mosman, OPC - St. Austell History & Genealogy website

______________________________________________________________________

RAILWAY PIONEER REGIMENT ,

2nd Boer War, 1899 - 1902*

*To quote the Anglo-Boer War website, recruitment commenced about 18th December 1899 at Cape Town; "the first regiment was organised, its work being to assist in protecting the railways and to repair bridges, culverts, and lines when broken. Without outside assistance the corps of Royal Engineers could not have faced the enormous amount of work naturally falling to their department. From the Railway Pioneer Regiment they received very valuable help. Of such value was the work of the Railway Pioneer Regiment that before the close of the war a fourth battalion had been organised. The battalions were employed chiefly on the Cape-Pretoria railway, but they were also on the Krugersdorp line, and sometimes operated as a fighting force a considerable distance from railways. The regiment also did admirable service on the armoured trains which did so much to make railway traffic possible during the guerilla stages."

In his evidence before the War Commission, vol i p 445, Lord Roberts said: "An enormous amount of reconstruction was carried out by the Railway Pioneer Regiment and the Railway Companies Royal Engineers. The Pioneer Regiment consisted almost entirely of civilian refugees, mostly mechanics from Johannesburg, and it rendered excellent service. To its aid and that of the Royal Engineer officers and men we were indebted for the fact that the railways very seldom lost touch with the fighting portion of the army, and that we were able to seize Johannesburg and Pretoria, distant about 1000 miles from our base upon the coast, and 260 miles from Bloemfontein, our advanced depot, with such rapidity that the enemy were unable to concentrate their resources and offer a strongly organised resistance".

Malcolm is working to transcribe all the Regiments involved with this action. (please see Sample Attestation form)

To see actual images of attestation forms, please follow this link, which will take you from this site: http://www.angloboerwar.com/south-african-units/459-railway-pioneer-regiment?start=1