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J. Kearley (possibly John Kearley, born Wycombe, 2nd quarter of 1865) was a Reservist who received a head wound at Klip Kraal, on the 16th of February, 1900, resulting in paralysis of his right arm and leg. After being invalided home, he was discharged on November 30th, 1900.



....Private Oliver Austin, of the First Oxfordshire Light Infantry, writing to his brother, Mr. Harry Austin, of Mill-street, High Wycombe, from Paardeburg Drift, on February 27th, says:— " . . . . Bullets rained all round us. Poor Kearley, I saw him being taken away from the firing line; he got shot through the head. . . . . "
South Bucks Free Press, Friday 6th April 1900


....After many weeks without any intelligence, Private J. Kearley has at last written home to his wife, who resides in Mill-street, High Wycombe. Private Kearley, of the 1st Oxfordshire Light Infantry, was wounded in the same battle that Private R. Page and Private Goldswain were killed. On several occasions Wycombe soldiers at the Front have stated in their communications sent home that Private Kearley was killed in action. It, however, appears that he was badly wounded, but we are glad to state that he is going on well. Writing from Hospital on March 13th he says:—"My dear wife,—I now take the pleasure of writing these few lines to you, hoping it will find you and all at home the same. I got wounded in the head, but thank God I am going along all right again, only the worst of it is I am paralysed in the right arm and leg. But never mind, I shall soon be well, and, I hope, please God, able to come home. Please remember me to my children, and mother and father, and tell them that I am getting on. At the present time I am quite lively. I am being well looked after in the Hospital. There is only one Englishman in the Hospital with me, and he is in the next bed to me. Good bye, and God bless you all."
South Bucks Free Press, Friday 13th April 1900


....On Friday last, Private J. Kearley, of the First Oxfordshire Light Infantry, returned home from the War. The wounded soldier arrived at Wycombe at four o'clock, and he was accorded a big reception. In addition to his wife and numerous friends, we noticed Private T. Carey, who was wounded at Graspan; Private A. Cussell, wounded at Modder River; and Private E. Stratford, who was invalided home after being wounded at Paardeberg, who are staying at Lady Carrington's Convalescent Home. To the above named trio, Kearley was well-known, and there was much handshaking over the renewal of acquaintanceship. Private Kearley, whose wife and parents reside at Mill-street, High Wycombe, was present at the Town's farewell banquet given on December 11th. He had served with the colours for seven years, and at the time of being called out was a Reservist, and had been so for about two years. When a "Free Press" representative saw him on Tuesday morning, Kearley was looking remarkably well, considering the serious nature of his wound. He told his story in a straightforward manner. He was wounded at Klips Kraal on February 16, two days before the battle of Paardeberg. On that eventful morning, the First Oxfordshires commenced marching at three a.m., taking with them two days' rations. The enemy were encountered at 8 a.m., and at the hour named the Boers opened a vigorous fire. It was in the early stages of the battle at Klips Kraal that Private Kearley was wounded in the head. The havoc wrought by the bullet is still visible, in fact, the scar left by a portion of the skull having to be taken away and a silver plate inserted measures fully three inches. The case of Private Kearley is rendered all the more sad by the fact that he is paralysed down the right side, but though at first he was unable to use his leg and arm, we are glad to state, on his own testimony, he is improving. After receiving his "knock out blow," the poor fellow was delirious for seven weeks. He was taken to a Boer Hospital, which had been commandeered at Jacobsdal by General French, and attended by German doctors and nurses. Private Kearley made the remarkable statement that while in South Africa, he never saw a Boer until he was in the Hospital, this being due to the fact that the enemy fired upon the English from under cover. In order to try and locate the position of the bullet, Private Kearley has been placed under the Rontgen Rays no less than five times, and the doctors still give it as their opinion that the bullet has not yet been extracted. The wounded soldier spoke in the highest possible terms of the treatment he had received from the Boers, and German doctors and nurses. Private Kearley will be detained at the Countess Carrington's Convalescent Home at Daws Hill Farm for some time, and we can only wish him, as hundreds of his old companions have done, a speedy and complete recovery to health.
South Bucks Free Press, Friday 8th June 1900

Kearley's WO 97 service papers haven't survived but he was invalided to pension and he has a large file in the PIN 71 series at the National Archives. This series is not available online. The file reference is PIN 71/3628. He enlisted in 1891 and died in 1941. He was entitled to a QSA with the very scarce single clasp Relief of Kimberley.

David

davidh wrote: Kearley's WO 97 service papers haven't survived but he was invalided to pension and he has a large file in the PIN 71 series at the National Archives. This series is not available online. The file reference is PIN 71/3628. He enlisted in 1891 and died in 1941. He was entitled to a QSA with the very scarce single clasp Relief of Kimberley.

David

Thank you, David. The only J. Kearley I can find who died in 1941 was John Frederick Kearley - died Oxford, first quarter of 1941, aged 68..

BereniceUK wrote:

davidh wrote: Kearley's WO 97 service papers haven't survived but he was invalided to pension and he has a large file in the PIN 71 series at the National Archives. This series is not available online. The file reference is PIN 71/3628. He enlisted in 1891 and died in 1941. He was entitled to a QSA with the very scarce single clasp Relief of Kimberley.

David

Thank you, David. The only J. Kearley I can find who died in 1941 was John Frederick Kearley - died Oxford, first quarter of 1941, aged 68..

That's your man Berenice.
1939 records him living at 30 Alma Street Oxford aged 66


Ps....1891 Census has J F Kearley in the Milita aged 17
1901 Census J F Kearley living at 33 Baker Street High Wycombe with family
1911 Census J F Kearley living at the Oxford Light Infantry Cottages Cowley Oxfordshire.

Dave.......

Berenice - I neglected to mention that his PIN 71 index entry shows his name as John. It's not unusual for a middle name to be either dropped from or added to a PIN file index entry. Dave's find on the censuses and 1939 register confirms his other details. I log medals to PIN 71 men whenever I see them on the market but I haven't spotted Kearley's - yet!

Point 1 of 3 - Speculative DoB on original post does not correspond

Point 2 of 3 - i think he also served in WW1 but was not sent overseas - not surprising as he claimed to be disabled on the 1911 census!



Point 3 of 3 - to finally put him to rest 9ft under the ground with another lady on top of him and then his wife! In all my hours spent on Ancestry i never come across such a document before.



Footnote - my wife worked for several years with a lady who rented the Rose Hill Cemetery house for the former Cemetery Superintendent (she was a bit odd). I might larrup on about Smethwick but I have actually spent more of my life to date living in or near the City Of Oxford.