Thomas Johnston

[JC]

Hi Everyone

My gr-grandfather Thomas Johnston joined the Manchester Regiment 11 Sept 1914, according to his service records he'd previously been a Kitchener Scout, my Dad remember's seeing a picture of him in uniform on horseback. How do I find information on this? He was born Nov 1881 in Ancoats Manchester. Any help on this would be appreciated.

Jane )

[JC]

sorry, that should've been a  after my name not  !

[ladysmith]

Hi Jane,

The roll for Kitchener's Fighting Scouts shows 516 Trooper Thomas Johnston 2/KFS enlisted Durban 27/8/1901 & discharged 13/3/1902 on completion of service.

Here's a link.

http://www.britishmedals.us/files/127kfs.htm

David

[JC]

Hi David

Thanks for that, I didn't even know that list existed! I'm confused now as to what he was doing in South Africa, but that may help solve a riddle thats puzzled me for a long time, he was born in Nov 1881, so he just missed the census, he isn't with his family in 1891 or 1901. The first 'real sighting' of him is in 1907 when he married, he was living on Margaret St, West Gorton. Is there a way to go about getting these records?

Thanks again

Jane

[mack]

many of the men in kitcheners scouts,had gone to south africa during the gold strike

mack

[JC]

Thanks Mack, just reading up on that now, according to wikipedia, the Witwatersand gold rush started in 1886 which would've made him about 5 years old. I'm searching the UK incoming passenger lists to see if I can find him coming back into the country after the Boer war, no hits yet, but I'm hopeful