TOPIC:

My grandfather John Percy Anderson born 04 September 1870 was part of The Siege of Mafeking under command of Genl Piet Cronje. We would like to confirm if this family story is true. Thank you.

I can find no trace of a John Percy Anderson who served in the Boer War, if he did he didn't claim a medal. I did find this fellow in Rhodesia 6 years earlier as a member of the Bechuanaland Border Police (see below):

Hi Vivien,

I can see on-line that you are putting together a good family tree and have a potential hit on an 1893 medal; sorry to ask a silly question but what side was he on and was he a civilian or soldier during the siege?

Regards,
Sturgy

Good day Sturgy,

Yes, that is what we are not sure about. He was under Lt- Col F Carrington in Rhodesia in1893. The story goes he was a transport rider for the Boers (he deserted the English) in the siege of Mafeking. Would that make him a civilian? I was hoping there would be some record from where he was born?
Thank you for your response.

Regards
Vivienne

I assume you know he married Susan Delport in 1896 whilst living in Mafeking and he died in 1933 in Bloemfontein, Marico - this either two different places they have confused together or a farm named Bloemfontein in the Marico District (Rustenburg)

He could, possibly have been born in India but his death notice says born in the Cape Colony in about 1870

Hi Vivienne,

Unfortunately I couldn't find any information on your relative; he didn't apply for an ABO medal and as such does not appear on the medal roll. He also doesn't show up on the Anglo Boer War database (museum).

I don't have access to past newspapers so the last hope is that there is an obituary out there somewhere that may shed some light on him.

All the best for your research and please keep us posted with what you find.

Regards,
Sturgy