Soldier Record

My grandfather was a regular soldier joining the military in 1895 when just 19 he saw action in the Boer war when he served in the Kings own Hussars (the cherry pickers). He had a horse drawn cannon and a lovely uniform, I have a postcard sent to his mother where he is in full dress with a cape over the shoulder full dragoon uniform. He did his 7 years and came out and got married and had five children and became a miner at Bodsworth Pit carcroft Doncaster. On the outbreak of World War One he enlisted with his mates to the war, I think he was employed in the engineers to dig the mine shafts under the german trenches, he must have seen many terrible things as being a sergeant he led his men. Unfortunately my grandfather was invalided home with unsound mind (on his death cert.) as a result of being in the trenches, he took his own life, I dont think even in the wars before that he had been in he had never encountered anything like he faced on the Somme. I do feel proud of him and think he deserves rememberance, he does have a military grave back here in England where the country has honored him.

My Fathers father.