TOPIC:

Hello
I am trying to find out more about Ralph Walter Johnston's war service in the Boer War in South Africa. I have the attached photos and wonder if anyone can tell me / confirm anything from them. I am told Walter (Ralph) was a Regimental Sergeant Major and at one time served with Redvers Buller's army, but cannot really prove anything.

Any help anyone can give would be wonderful.

Many thanks.

Johnston was evidently a member of the South African Light Horse and, unless he was a late joiner, he certainly would have served in Buller's army during the Natal campaign in 1899/1900. You can find out more about the SALH under the 'Unit information' section of this site. I am sure that someone else will be able to supply you with more details of his service.

You are very fortunate to have such fine photographs of Johnston.

Regards
Brett

Hello,
Johnston appears to have been commissioned into the SALH, you would need to look carefully at WO126/130-138 and WO127/20 at The National Archives Kew, one assumes he joined the ranks, given your first photograph, so his attestation paper may have survived, there are no such papers for SAMIF officers, in addition the medal roll entries confirm a magnificent seven clasp Queens South Africa medal, their supplementary roll in WO100/275 page 138 for his South Africa 1901 clasp as a Lieutenant and a futher six clasps from WO100?274 page 9, also as a Lieutenant, though this latter gives his name as Johnstone.

Yes, he served under "Sir Reverse" and with the Churchill brothers, during operations to Ladysmith and beyond.
Welcome to this forum and good luck with Johnston, I like those photos, in particular the second one, the hunting stock is a give away, an officer, not an NCO.
Kind regards Frank

Mountford wrote: Hello
I am trying to find out more about Ralph Walter Johnston's war service in the Boer War in South Africa. I have the attached photos and wonder if anyone can tell me / confirm anything from them. I am told Walter (Ralph) was a Regimental Sergeant Major and at one time served with Redvers Buller's army, but cannot really prove anything.

Any help anyone can give would be wonderful.

Many thanks.

Hello

WO100/275p163 shows he served as number 168 in the SALH - no rank is shown.

Regards
Meurig

WO100/275 Page 163 very clearly shows his rank as a Lieutenant, having served in the ranks as 168, I would be very hopeful that a careful look at WO126 will show him having attested in their ranks, moreover, it also shows his South Africa 1901 clasp as being issued to the Officer Commanding Discharge Depot Capetown on the 23rd of October 1906.

SWB wrote: Hello

WO100/275p163 shows he served as number 168 in the SALH - no rank is shown.

Regards
Meurig

WO100/275 page 163

SWB wrote: Hello

WO100/275p163 shows he served as number 168 in the SALH - no rank is shown.

Regards
Meurig

edit......

"no rank is shown for his service as number 168 in the SALH"