French in the Transvaal irregulars units

Guest

Hi all

Anyone on the forum knows anything about the French in the Transvaal irregulars units?.

Thanks for help

Best regards

Pascal

Guest

It seems that there is information about this in:

With His Face to the Foe: Life and Death of the Prince Imperial

Anyone can learn

Posts : 72 Join date : 2011-02-26 Location : Scotland

I've a medal to a Frenchman who served in the Frontier Light Horse, not a Transvaal Unit but served closely with the Border Horse etc

Emile BOUFFET, born circa 1845 Amiens, he apparently left for South Africa 1876/7 and was serving as a Sergeant and later Regimental Sergeant Major of the Frontier Light Horse 15th Feb 1878 until end of August 1879. He wounded at Hlobane during the Zulu War. I later picked up a mention of him during the Mapoch war of 1882/3, where he seemed to be acting as an interpreter to a Chief!

Justin

Guest

Hello

Thank you Justin, I searched all night and part of the night, I only find things on the Boer War 1899 -1902 ...

I know boaparte was visiting wounded French (Wounded in battles fought by Wood)

I misspoke, I'm not talking about the units of Transvaal, but who were with Wood ...

It seems that the French men were mostly in the FLH and WBH ...

Cheers

Pascal

Posts : 72 Join date : 2011-02-26 Location : Scotland

Apart from Grandier I can't think of any other Frenchmen off hand that are mentioned to any extent but the Border Horse certainly had others and going through the medal rolls their are a good deal of French sounding names. Certainly these units contained a huge mix of men of different Nationalities.

Justin

Guest

Hi Justin

Yes it is true but there are many French-sounding name on the rolls of these two units, but unfortunately it does not prove anything ...

If I manage to find enough, I think that playing on their chauvinism, I would interest fellow to this war purely British ... Do you understand ?

Thanks for your help...we must continue, please...

Best regards

Pascal

Posts : 72 Join date : 2011-02-26 Location : Scotland

Pascal

I just went through the rolls and there are many French sounding names but as you say that does not make them French.

I noted a few I either know are French or probably are

Bakers Horse:
Tpr Leon Surgina

Bettingtons
Tpr Barbourns
Tpr Le Tocq

Border Horse
Tpr Boudoin - survived Hlobane by hiding
Tpr Grandier - POW Hlobane

FLH
Sjt Maj Bouffet WIA Hlobane
Tpr Potgietor

NLH
Tpr Beissner

There are more names but..

Justin

Guest

Thank you.

Yes this is what I explained earlier on French sounding names ...

Find if you could name of the the wounded visited by Bonaparte, it will help a lot ...

Cheers

Pascal

Subject: French in the Trasvaal Irregular units Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:22 am

Hi Justin / Pascal La Rascal
I have a medal to a chap in the NLH who seems to have a French Name , Trpr . L. Dupuis .
Cheers 90th. Salute

Subject: French In The Transvaal Irregular Units Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:26 am

Hi Justin.
Tpr Le Toqc of Bettington's Horse was I think from Guernsey or another of the Channel Islands . He was also on the Patrol which resulted in the death of the P.Imperial .
Cheers 90th.

Guest

Hi,Congratulations and thank you my good kangaroo

In some time, when we're done, we will be able to make a summary, a very interesting ... small file with above example ,will beings very interessant ...

Cheers

Pascal the Rascal

Guest

Also Tpr Le Toqc of Bettington's Horse is not good for our list ... Sad