TOPIC:

James Eldermour Hardouin

Shoeing Smith, Bethune’s Mounted Infantry – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 & 1902

James Eldermour or Eldenour as he was sometimes known was born in Umzinto on the South Coast of Natal on 24 February 1882.

Nothing is known about his early life save that members of his family appear to have been employed on the Sugar Estates in the area and, like so many others who came across to assist with the sugar industry, was of Mauritian extraction.

With the Anglo Boer war still raging and showing no signs of abating Hardouin succumbed to the temptation of adventure. On 19 January 1901 he enlisted with Bethune’s Mounted Infantry for service. Despite being a Bricklayer by trade he must have had knowledge of blacksmith work as he was mustered as a Shoeing Smith, the chap who moulds and shapes the steel into horse shoes for the farrier to fit, with no. 1238.

Physically he was f feet 8 inches in height, weighed 130 pounds and had brown eyes and black hair. By way of distinguishing marks about his person he had a scar on his shin. He provided his next of kin as his mother of Umzinto Drift, Natal.

By the time Hardouin entered the fray Bethune had been replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Monro and the war in Natal was over and the Regiment was engaged in the Lindley district of the Orange Free State. On 9 April 1901 at Dewetsdorp, in the south east of the colony and after two hours of fighting the Regiment effected the capture of a Boer convoy and took 83 prisoners.

On 19 May 1901 the remnants of Bethune’s M.I. were taken to the Cape Colony where their time was employed in the cat and mouse game of pursuing commandos under Kritzinger, Myburg and other leaders. On 12 September the force of which Bethune’s formed part was heavily engaged with Commandant Smuts at Stavelberg in the eastern part of the Cape Colony. They saw out the remainder of the war, which ended on 31 May 1902, in the Cape.

For his effort Hardouin was awarded the Cape Colony, Free State and South Africa 1901 & 1902 clasps to his Queens South Africa Medal.

He seems to have disappeared into thin air thereafter.

Rory,

There are immigration papers in the PMB Archives to one J.E Hardouin dated 1943.

Perhaps it's the same chap and perhaps he left SA after the war only to return as a much older man in 1943??

Regards
Adrian