56922 Sergeant James Craig (Knight) Forbes

56922 Sergeant James Craig (Knight) Forbes,
Royal Garrison Artillery



James Craig Forbes born November 15th 1871 and now 19 years of age from Arbroath, Forfarshire in Scotland, attested into The Royal Artillery on 20th September 1886 at Leith Fort.  He was a member of the 1st Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders at the time.  His height was 5 feet 7¾ inches, his weight 122 lbs, he had a chest measurement of 32 inches, his complexion was fresh, his hair light brown and his religious denomination was given as Church of England.

After training he became a Gunner and got his first Good Conduct pay at 1d a day from 15th September 1888.  In the meantime on 12th January 1888 he embarked for Malta.  On 1st April 1889 he became a Bombardier.  After re-organisation he was promoted to Corporal on 1st June 1889.  On 29th April 1890 he was promoted to Sergeant and due to more re-organisation on 1st August 1891 he applied to extend his service to complete 12 years with the colours and received a £2 bounty.

Everything went well and on the 18th January 1895 he embarked for Singapore where he carried out his duties until embarking for home 13th February 1898.  Whilst in Singapore he gained his Certificate of Education 3rd Class on 12th October 1886 and his 2nd Class Certificate on 11th May 1887.  Sergeant Forbes had served 7 years and 6 days in Malta and 3 years and 26 days in Singapore.  He was then at Home until 2nd February 1900 when he embarked for South Africa.


Kings South Africa medal.
This is the medal I have in my collection.

Here he served gaining the Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal, he was also awarded the King's South Africa Medal with the two date clasps, South Africa 1901 and 1902, this is the medal I have in my collection.

He then did a stint in St Helena from 11th January 1902 until 4th January 1904 when he returned to South Africa and served there again from 5th January 1904 until 12th September 1907.  In this latter service in South Africa he managed to get married to Laura Helena Dük on the 10th April 1906 at St Mary's, Woodstock, Cape Town.

He must have found married life more expensive than he thought because on the 1st September 1906 he is awaiting trial by District Court Marshall for embezzlement and forgery!  He was reduced to the ranks and imprisoned for 18 calendar months forfeiting his good conduct pay and his two medals on the 11th October 1906.

He returned to duty on 11th September 1907 and was discharged on the 14th November at Gosport with his character described as bad, convicted of embezzlement and forgery.  He also appears to have either left or divorced his wife as he is struck off the married establishment on the 11th October 1906.

We next catch up with Forbes in 1911, now with an addition to his christen names of Knight, so he is now James Craig Knight Forbes and he is married again, to Minnie and their residence is given as Avenue Hotel, Prince Albert Saskatchewan, Canada.  At about this time he joined the 52nd Battalion Prince Albert Volunteers.  On 16th April 1915, he attested into the Canadian Expeditionary Force at the age of 44 years.  Here he was quickly promoted to Quarter Master Sergeant on the 13th May 1915 in the 53rd battalion of the P.A.V. On the 1st January 1916 he transferred to the 108th Battalion as a Band Sergeant Major then he became the Regimental Sergeant Major on the 6th January 1916.  In June 1916 he was transferred to the 76th Company Canadian Field Artillery as a Sergeant (Presumably because of his past experience as a Gunner).

On the 29th March 1917 he was signed off strength as a consequence of having a dislocated shoulder as a result of having to jump clear of a motor vehicle and falling into a ditch.  This accident had occurred on 17th September 1915.  After attempting to re-set it twice it was given up as a bad job and after a Board of Enquiry was convened on 27th June 1917 he was discharged to pension.

This medal comes with copy attestation papers for both of his recruitments in the Armed Forces and his service record and the Court of Enquiry documents.  At some time the South Africa medals must have been re-awarded, I have the K.S.A where I wonder is the Q.S.A?

James Craig Knight Forbes passed away on 26th September 1959 aged 88.