Who is the person who has died? I don't know about the Boer War, but in WWI notification for officers was nearly always by telegram, for other ranks more likely to be by letter. If it's a very senior officer - a general, perhaps - the War Office might send someone to see his family, especially if they're in London.
The person receiving official notification would be the person listed as next of kin by the man himself. Anyone else would hear it by other means.
Again in WWI the notification would normally say killed in action/died of wounds/missing believed killed/missing believed prisoner of war, as appropriate.
What do you want to happen? In wartime there's always room for things to go wrong, so you could probably arrange it however suits your plot, as long as you throw in a line about the official notification having gone astray, and make it plausible - you'd need a good reason to have a colonel visiting a private's mother, for example.
I actually have no idea what the rank would be of the person involved; I suppose it never dawned on me that it would be relevant. All I know is that he's probably career military, since he'd be *counts* in his mid-30s at the time of his death. I can certainly research enough to give him a rank, though, if you think that's likely to answer my question
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The rank would absolutely be relevant, if only for the mother's social situation-- does she have servants, where is she living. I'd make a rough guess that middle class and above would be offices, working class private soldiers.
Imperial Light Infantry. Spearsman's Camp, Natal, February 4th, 1900.
Dear Madam, It is with deep regret that I write to inform you of the death of your son, Private William Derby Harrison of this corps, who died fighting for his country at Spionkop on January 24th last. During the time that your son served under my command his conduct was in every way satisfactory.
I am, madam, yours sincerely, M. Neale Shutte, Lieut. Commanding A. Co., I.L.I. The same site also contains references that after a battle "all newspaper and post offices were thronged by anxious relatives" waiting to see the casualty lists. Given the slowness and uncertainty of communications back then, it's easily possible that the news of a death would reach the press before the next of kin were formally notified
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The letter is being sold on ebay and says it is a letter from the Boer War. The post mark is 1901, which is the year Queen Victoria died, so that probably explains the scratch out of her Majesty and the write in of his Majesty.
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The person receiving official notification would be the person listed as next of kin by the man himself. Anyone else would hear it by other means.
Again in WWI the notification would normally say killed in action/died of wounds/missing believed killed/missing believed prisoner of war, as appropriate.
What do you want to happen? In wartime there's always room for things to go wrong, so you could probably arrange it however suits your plot, as long as you throw in a line about the official notification having gone astray, and make it plausible - you'd need a good reason to have a colonel visiting a private's mother, for example.
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http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nzlscant/sa.htm
Imperial Light Infantry.
Spearsman's Camp, Natal,
February 4th, 1900.
Dear Madam,
It is with deep regret that I write to inform you of the death of your son, Private William Derby Harrison of this corps, who died fighting for his country at Spionkop on January 24th last. During the time that your son served under my command his conduct was in every way satisfactory.
I am, madam,
yours sincerely,
M. Neale Shutte,
Lieut. Commanding A. Co., I.L.I.
The same site also contains references that after a battle "all newspaper and post offices were thronged by anxious relatives" waiting to see the casualty lists. Given the slowness and uncertainty of communications back then, it's easily possible that the news of a death would reach the press before the next of kin were formally notified ( ... )
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http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/193/366193_091120145000_X1861a.jpg
The letter is being sold on ebay and says it is a letter from the Boer War. The post mark is 1901, which is the year Queen Victoria died, so that probably explains the scratch out of her Majesty and the write in of his Majesty.
Bid or Buy link
http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/18227116/Postal_History_Cover_with_1901_Pietermaritzburg_postmark_During_Boer_War.html
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