Most of the South African War service records for soldiers in this database have now been digitised and are available by searching the Archives New Zealand Archway website.
Frederick Herbert Ward was my great grandfather. He signed up and sailed to South Africa to fight, only to arrive four days before peace was declared. Although he never fired a shot in anger he was awarded a military medal (the QSM with a South Africa 1902 clasp)which the family recently recovered after finding it for sale on trademe. Frederick contracted pneumonia while travelling home on the troopship Montrose, but recovered and married his sweetheart Ellen Jones early in 1903. Their marriage was tragically short. Ellen was left a widow with several small children when Frederick died of a burst appendix at the age of 28 in 1907.
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