Private 4241 William McDonald 9th Lancers - by: Mikky

June 9, 2019, 12:42 pm

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Private 4241 William McDonald enlisted in the 12th Lancers in 1897, before transferring to the 9th Lancers in 1898. Born in Aberfeldy, Perthshire. He served in the South African War receiving the Queen's Medal with clasps "Belmont" "Modder River" the "Relief of Kimberley" and Paaderberg".

I am trying to find out exactly where he was killed in action, and where he is buried.

The Military History of Perthshire book says he was killed at Roodepoort, near Thabanchu, on the 24th of April, 1900.

There seem to be three entries on the page linked to, with conflicting information www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/im...queens-royal-lancers

MacDonald W 4241 Private Demise: Killed in action 24 Apr 1900 Place: Dewetsdorp Near Rooikop Source: In Memoriam by S Watt

McDonald W 4241 Private QSA (4). Killed in Action, Grootfontein, 24 Apr 00. Source: QSA medal rolls

McDonald W 4241 Private Killed in action. Grootfontein, 24 April 1900 Source: South African Field Force Casualty Roll

There are over 500 miles between Grootfontein and Dewetsdorp Near Rooikop.

Where was Pte McDonald killed, and where is he buried.

Regards Mike

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A Swede in French's Scouts - Alfred Janson - by: Rory

June 9, 2019, 3:14 pm

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Alfred Janson

Trooper, French’s Scouts – Anglo-Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal and South Africa 1901 to 37756 Tpr. A. Jansen, French’s Scts.

Alfred Janson wasn’t your typical colonial volunteer in fact he wasn’t a colonial man at all (in the African sense); he was an American national born in Warburg, Sweden in 1873. At some point he changed the name he initially answered to – Alfred Johanson – to what we know him as – Alfred Janson.

His odyssey started with his departure from Goteborg (Gothenburg) in Sweden on 29 September 1899 aboard the “Ariosto” bound for Hull in England. His birth place on the ship’s manifest is stated as America (USA). What was he doing in Sweden? He was more than likely paying a visit to relatives there, having been granted, according to the Illinois Northern Districts Naturalisation Records, naturalisation in the U.S.A. on 22 October 1892 - he was resident at 177 Larrabee Street.

Having arrived in England, and after a short wait, he boarded the “Oceanic” on 4 October 1899 bound for New York sailing from Liverpool. Janson would have reached home to learn that the Boer War was underway and, possibly thirsting for adventure, made his way to South Africa in the next 12 months.

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On 11 December 1900, having arrived in Cape Town, he volunteered for service with French’s Scouts for the first time and was assigned no. 20566 serving until the expiry of his 6 month term on 1 July 1901; and on the second occasion he volunteered, the no. 37756.

Aged 27 he enlisted at Greenpoint in Cape Town on 22 August 1901. Physically he was 5 feet 9 ½ inches in height, weighed 168 pounds and had fair hair, blue eyes and golden coloured hair betraying his Scandinavian heritage. A Tailor by trade Janson was also a Presbyterian by way of religious affiliation and, a married man, (to Mabel Beatrix Johanson, born Byrne), who was his next of kin c/o Mrs Crammond of Glastonbury Road, Kenilworth, Cape Town.

The Scouts were operational in the Cape Colony, the Orange Free State and Transvaal Republics involved in the broad sweeping movements employed by their namesake, General French, to squeeze the ever diminishing number of Boers into a corner and thereafter surrender.

The Derbyshire Times of Saturday, 14 September 1901 carried an article headed, “A Bolsover man with French’s Scouts – The Encounter with Theron’s Commando which shed light on what they got up to:

“The recent engagement between French’s Scouts, about 50 strong, who were proceeding to join a column near Bethesda, and Theron’s Commando was noticeable for the magnificent defence of the Scouts, although surrounded in the hills and greatly outnumbered, they offered a splendid resistance before they surrendered. Donald Spencer who is on of French’s Scouts wrote as follows:

Graaff Reinet, August 14, 1901 - We have been on the trek for these past three weeks, and being on the veld it is impossible to write. We arrived here day before yesterday. You will be sorry to ere that we were captured by the Boers, 50 miles out of this place. It was a terrible affair but could not be helped. We being only 50 strong were marching from a place called Bethesda Road Station, to the town of Bethesda, a distance of 18 miles.

Having to form a rear-guard and advance-guard, it left very few to do the scouting; however we managed to scrape up about 20 for scouting, these going ahead by about 1 ½ miles. When we got within three miles of the town, the Boers opened fire upon us, (the advance scouts); we were just going through a nek, and the Boers were on each side of us and in front of us, and later we discovered they had surrounded us.

By this time all hands were blazing away for all they were worth. Mind you we had absolutely no cover, except our horses, being in the nek and on the road. The fight continued three hours and twenty minutes, from 1 p.m. to 4. 20 p.m., and a hot time we had. At last both carbine and revolver ammunition ran out, until the last round was fired, then down came the Boers onto us. There was nothing to do but “hands up”. There were 14 of us severely wounded, including our Commander, Captain Henry Bettelheim, and one man killed.

Seventeen Boers were wounded and 5 killed; this we learned afterwards. However we took good care they got no ammunition, it having all been used. The Boers being in possession of the town they marched us to it, and there they put us in the gaol, and kept us there for the night. Next morning they took all our boots, socks, leggings, coats, blankets, money and whatever they fancied and let us go to walk to Graaff Reinet, a distance of 50 miles bare-footed, no coats and no blankets for the nights, which are yet very cold, however we have arrived safely although a little foot-sore.”

As can be seen the business of scouting was a dangerous one. The Sketch publication of 23 October 1901 carried an article entitled General French and his Scouts which shed further light on their activities:

“The chase after this redoubtable guerrilla chief – for this is all that Scheepers has been these many months past – was both a stern and a long one. The pursuit, indeed has been carried out unceasingly since the beginning of last July. On several occasions he has been all but laid by the heels. Thus, on 14 July, General French despatched four columns to Graaff Reinet and nearly succeeded in taking him prisoner. In some extraordinary way however he managed to effect his escape. A few weeks later he was engaged by another column operating in the south western portion of the colony, and was forced to abandon his supplies and beat a hasty retreat to the north.

Following on his trail night and day, French’s Scouts eventually traced him to a farmhouse at Kopjeskraal, where he was in hiding. The building was promptly surrounded by a patrol of the 10th Hussars, and Scheepers placed under arrest. The corps of scouts whose success in locating the hiding place of Scheepers was primarily responsible for his capture by the Hussars belongs to one of the many Colonial contingents who were raised in South Africa some months ago.

So far as possible, all its members are of Colonial extraction. Splendid shots and horsemen and adepts in the science of “veld-craft” they form ideal soldiers. They have but scant respect for pipeclay, certainly, and are, perhaps, apt to attach more importance to outpost-duty than to mere barrack-square drill; in the presence of the enemy however, they have invariably contrived to give an admirable account of themselves. Their Commanding Officer is Captain Bettelheim, and among his subordinates are Lieutenants Pietersen, O’ Sullivan and Lowndes.”

Janson took his discharge from the Scouts on 31 December 1901 – the date on which the unit appears to have been disbanded. For his efforts in the war he was awarded the Queens Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal and South Africa 1901.
Like so many before and after him Janson, once the war was over and the dust had settled, decided to remain in South Africa.

Gravitating to the Witwatersrand, he became an Underground Gold Miner. He passed away at the Discoverer’s Hospital in Roodepoort on 18 February 1943 at the age of 69 years and 9 months from Phthisis. He was survived by his wife and two daughters – Hilda Bretta McWade and Mabel Doreen Janson. The family were living at 3 Alberts Road, Delareyville, Transvaal.

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"I saw my late father dying" - Willem Petrus Van Niekerk - by: Rory

June 10, 2019, 3:30 pm

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This chap perished in the Boer War version of the Charge of the Light Brigade - the difference is he was a Boer and he died in his sons arms on the battle field, cut almost in two by machine gun fire:

Willem Petrus Van Niekerk
(Killed in Action, Rooiwal, 11 April 1902 )

Burger, Bloemhof Kommando – Anglo Boer War

- Anglo Boer War Medal (Type III) to Burg. W.P. Van Niekerk

Willem van Niekerk never lived to either see or wear the medal he was entitled to. This was claimed on his behalf by his widow twenty years after the Government of the day acquiesced to a request by the Boer forces for the issue of a medal commemorating the role they played in the Anglo Boer War.

Born on the farm “Poortjie” in the Edenburg region of the Orange Free State, he was the son of Frederick Christiaan van Niekerk and his wife Maria Helena. The Van Niekerk’s, like most of their kin of Dutch extraction, were Farmers who made their living off the land in what was, at times, a harsh and unforgiving climate. The “Free State” could be a very hard task master and the sons of the soil who made their home there were quickly made adept at riding, hunting and shooting – often the very means of their survival.

Willem would have been no different – the Boers were a God-fearing people whose lonely existence was punctuated by the monthly “Nagmaal” - religious services where the farmers would trek in from far and wide to a central point to commune with one another, catch up on the local gossip, exchange recipes and tips on how to till the land, and be on the receiving end of conventional wisdom imparted by the “old timers” who always had something to share.

This peaceful routine was rudely interrupted by a war which, for many, especially in the Free State, was not of their making. Their ally, Oom Paul Kruger in the neighbouring Transvaal, declared war on the might of Imperial Britain on 11 October 1899 and the Free State, honour-bound by a pact between the two territories, followed suit.

The Boers had always, more for their own self-defence than for any aggressive intent, formed themselves into Commandos – a form of local regiment – where they elected their leaders and were expected to join forces when in times of need. The Boer War was such a time and it was to the Bloemhof Commando that a 42 year old Van Niekerk gravitated in early October 1899, on the very eve of war.

In order to do so he had returned home from the Transvaal where he had been employed as a “ZARP” – a mounted Policeman in the employ of the South African Republic (Zuid Afrikansche Republiek). As his Veld Cornet he had the experienced Louis Elwin Lauritz Mussman and as his Kommandant, the elder Tollie de Beer.

The Bloemhof Commando were to see plenty of action during the war, commencing with the fighting in the vicinity of Vryburg, where considerable destruction to Railway and Telegraph links was caused. On 9 October 1899 De Beer and the Bloemhof men were at Morokani on the Transvaal border with Bechuanaland before moving on to Taung, a village of trading stores and home to 2000 blacks, which was occupied by 500 men under De Beer on 16 October. He crossed the frontier at Pudimoe with 800 men, raised the Vierkleur and occupied the government buildings.

But the first major engagement in which VAN Niekerk and his comrades took part was the Battle of Magersfontein, which was fought on 11 December 1899, at Magersfontein near Kimberley. British forces under Lieutenant General Lord Methuen were advancing north along the railway line from the Cape in order to relieve the Siege of Kimberley, but their path was blocked at Magersfontein by a Boer force that was entrenched in the surrounding hills.

Lord Methuen failed to perform adequate reconnaissance in preparation for the impending battle, and was unaware that Boer Vecht-generaal (Combat General) De la Rey had entrenched his forces at the foot of the hills rather than the forward slopes as was the accepted practice. This allowed the Boers to survive the initial British artillery bombardment; when the British troops failed to deploy from a compact formation during their advance, the defenders were able to inflict heavy casualties.

The Free State government decided to reinforce Cronje's position after the Battle of Belmont. Between eight hundred and a thousand men of the Heilbron, Kroonstad and Bethlehem commandos arrived at Spytfontein from Natal, accompanied by elements of the Ladybrand commandos from the Basuto border. Reinforcements were also brought up from the Bloemhof and Wolmaranstad commandos who were besieging Kimberley. The Highland Brigade were to suffer the most casualties in this battle, they charged the Boer lines and were met by a murderous fire from the Boer trenches, lined up in long single file and covering an expansive stretch. Pinned down they suffered mercilessly under the boiling hot sun and were shot at when even the slightest move was made. It wasn’t until the artillery came to their rescue that they were able to be extracted.

Methuen lost this battle and was forced to retreat thereby shutting off an early relief for the siege of Kimberley.

Van Niekerk and his commando fought in many more skirmishes over the course of the next year but the next battle of any significance in which he participated was, according to the Vorm B completed in respect of his medal application, that of Yzerspruit. On this occasion the Bloemhoffers fell under the command of General De la Rey and, on 25 February 1902, charged, shooting from the saddle in almost reckless disregard for their foe.

Near a stream called Yzerspruit, on the road from Wolmeranstad to Klerksdorp, they ambushed one of Methuen’s convoys, consisting of 151 wagons. This was one of the very few convoys which by this late date still had to travel across open country as opposed to along a blockhouse line. It was in charge of Major Anderson of the 15th Hussars, who commanded the 5th Imperial Yeomanry. Two hundred and thirty men of this battalion formed the mounted part of the convoy’s escort.

Once again De la Rey’s intelligence, based on ubiquitous scouts and the heliograph, far outmatched Methuen’s. Every movement of the convoy was at once made known to the Boers. Anderson, by contrast, had no idea that 1200 Boers were awaiting him in ambuscade.

Well before dawn these carefully hidden Boers burst forth, attacking first the front (Kemp), then the rear, General J.G. Cilliers) and finally, hoping in vain that front and rear would have drawn the escort to their defence, one flank, under General Liebenberg, of the convoy.

All three attacks were skilfully and stoutly resisted. As the day broke, De la Rey, seeing that the native drivers and conductors were in a state of panic, ordered a general charge. The official historian described its progress thus:

“Nine hundred horsemen appeared on the left. Having advanced in unbroken line to within 500 yards, firing from the saddle as they ambled forward, the whole body suddenly charged impetuously down upon the flank. A fire that was not to be faced met the stormers; three times they came on, wavered and fled back out of range. Once under shelter they were steadied by their officers, and twenty minutes later advanced and charged again. For the fourth time they were hurled back by a terrible fusillade from the men of the flank guard who lay immovable, in the face of what were virtually repeat rushes of cavalry.

….Soon after the second repulse of Kemp from the flank (Cilliers) galloped onto the field with 500 men and immediately rode against the British rearguard…. Like Kemp, Cilliers met with a shattering reception; his men refused to face the fire, and scattering backwards and outwards, contented themselves for the next two hours with bringing a cross-fire to bear upon the rearguard, which suffered considerably but replied with vigour.”

It was to no avail. The escort was outnumbered at least three to one. By 7 a.m. when at last the firing ceased there could be no doubt that there had been suffered an unmitigated disaster. De la Rey, though he found most of the wagons empty, got what e so badly needed. Among the booty were three ammunition carts with half a million rounds in them. He also captured most of the 170 horses and 1 450 mules which were with the convoy.

He lost, though, which he could ill-afford, fifty one burghers. The British casualties numbered 381, of which 58 were killed and 194 taken prisoner – these were released the next day.

The next and final battle that Van Niekerk was to participate in was that of Rooiwal on 12 April 1902. De la Rey was away parleying with Kitchener when his lieutenant, Kemp, with a rashness his commander would certainly have censured, led the most spectacular charge of the war, executed by either side. Rooiwal was very near where he and Cookson had fought the action of Boschbult twelve days previously.

It occurred in the course of the last large-scale drive of the campaign, which Ian Hamilton had been sent by Kitchener to co-ordinate. His group of columns numbered some 11 000. Kemp, wrongly believing that the two columns under Kekewich and commanded by Von Donop and Grenfell, numbering perhaps 1 750, constituted the weak point of the twenty seven mile long line, concentrated against them.

In all he had summoned practically all the remaining fighting burghers in the Western Transvaal: seven commandos, numbering between 1 700 and 2 600 men – a singular feat at the war’s eleventh hour. When Kemp, in broad daylight led some 800 of these, formed in orderly and compact lines, two, three and even four deep, riding, it was said, knee to knee, against the British advance screen, Von Donop mistook them for part of Grenfell’s column and Grenfell mistook them for part of Rawlinson’s. Von Donop actually ordered his signallers to open communication with them.

Kemp’s men, having started a good mile and a half away, were less than 1 000 yards off, topping a slight ridge in what was otherwise flat, open veld and already firing from the saddle, shouting in a blood-curdling manner, before their real identity was established. An irregular dismounted defensive line was speedily formed: there were but a few seconds in which to do it. kemp, whose Intelligence had led him to believe that the right flank of the drive comprised no more than 300 troops, was amazed to see over 1 000 dismounted men with two field guns and a pom-pom hastily making a rough semi-circle to oppose him.

Nearby were many more dismounted troops, including the Imperial Light Horse in Rawlinson’s column, with a further four field guns and two more machine guns; something approaching 3 000 men with rifles , supported by six guns and three machine guns, arrayed against 800 burghers firing at random from magazine rifles.

“To continue the charge,” wrote Thomas Packenham, “seemed folly, if not madness. Yet Kemp and Potgieter (who appears to have been leading the central section) both accepted the challenge; in their attempt to out-do De la Rey’s achievements, they threw his tactics to the wind. They cantered on, forming a massed phalanx…. The six British guns began to tear holes in the column. Still they came on, gambling everything on the chance the British would turn and run.”

A few of the raw, untried Imperial Yeomen did, in fact, turn and run, but the mass of Kekewich’s men stood firm. Considering that so many of them were only half-trained, it is to their credit that they did so, faced by such an alarming spectacle. Certainly such a perfect target had not presented itself to the British troops since the battle of Omdurman.

At one point Kemp’s centre checked its pace to allow his flanks to swing forward into line just as the Russian cavalry had done at Balaklava. The sonorous charge of European cavalry, wrote the official historian, the chanting onset of the Zulu impi were less impressive that the slow oncoming of this brigade of mounted riflemen. Potgieter got to within thirty yards of the British line before he fell with three bullets in his head and body.

At the same moment those behind him spun round and cantered away. ‘I am by no means sure, ‘ wrote Ian Hamilton a week later, ‘that the Boers would have actually fled, had it not been for the promptitude with which Briggs, of Rawlinson’s column, threw the Imperial Light Horse in a direction by which they must fall on the flank of the Boers, unless they cleared right back,’

Now was the time for counter-attack – for three hours the chase went on, covering eighteen miles, but only twenty three stragglers were picked up. By far the most interesting aspect of what was in effect the last engagement of consequence in the Boer War was the question of casualties.

The counted loss in burghers was only fifty-one killed, of whom all fell in the great charge, forty wounded and thirty six unwounded prisoners, making 127 men in all. That so few of the Boers in that phalanx were hit argues that the firing of the British riflemen was abysmally inefficient. At least two and probably six 15-pounders and two machine guns were in action and it seems that these last did “most of the actual execution’. Numbers of the burghers were seen to have received two bullet wounds in the abdomen ‘where machine-gun fire caught them just above the pommel of the saddle’.

Willem Van Niekerk was one of those who, in the brave charge, was shot twice in the abdomen, falling from his horse never to rise again.

An affidavit declared by his son, Frederick Christiaan Van Niekerk, at Christiana on 25 October 1902, several months after the war was over; tells the story. It read as follows: -

“I, Frederick Christiaan Van Niekerk, hereby make oath and say – That I knew the late Willem Petrus Van Niekerk, formerly Policeman in the employ of the late Government of the late South African Republic and that he was my father.

That we went on commando together and so remained fighting with the Burgher forces up to the battle of Rooiwal in the district of Wolmeranstad on 11 April 1902.

At this battle my late father and I were fighting side by side. I was wounded first and later in the battle my father dropped, mortally wounded through the breast by two bullets. Being wounded myself I remained with him until he died shortly after.

He died during the fight, before the British troops captured the wounded and others. I solemnly swear that I did personally see my late father dying and after death again his corpse and I did recognise the same to be his.’

Willem Petrus Van Niekerk, aged 44 years, was no more. He was survived by his wife and eight children – all of them minors. Today he is remembered on the Boer Wall of Remembrance.

His wife, as previously stated, applied for his medal in 1941 and, in a moving letter addressed to the authorities from her farm ‘Nuwejaarsfontein’ in the Amalia district, she wrote (translated from the Afrikaans): -

“Dear Sir

I acknowledge receipt of the medal and many thanks therefore. But I am a helpless widow and, with my husband having served in the police and throughout the war, I have never received his salary despite all the many times I have applied for it. I would be very grateful if you assist me to get it. He fought under Commandant De Beer and, with the peace negotiations underway, fell at Rooiwal under General Kemp. I am but a poor widow who needs help.”

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The Indian Contingent - by: David Grant

January 30, 2011, 1:26 pm

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The Corps of Guides

This bronze QSA was my find of last year and it was found locally. The naming is indistinct but "Corps" and "Guides" as well as the prenominal number "35" can be seen with a glass. There are no bronze medals awarded to the Corps of Guides if WO 100/296 p240 -241 is to believed. Luckly for researchers, the distribution list bound with WO 100/296 makes mention of 2 silver and 8 bronze medals having been prepared by the 15th December 1904, roll number A.G.2/M/13108.

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The 2 silver medals are found on page 241 with 3 others on p240. A similar medal to 39 Syce Mehr Ali was sold by Toad Hall in 1992 for £110. The group to have is to 1574 Farrier Kala sold by Hayward in 1972. QSA clasp CC;KSA;IGS clasps Punjab Fronteir and Malakand '97 and an IMSM. The interest for me was to find a medal not on the roll at the National Archives but can be proven to have been prepared.

Register of Surviving medals awarded to St John Ambulance Brigade - by: Bablefish

October 1, 2011, 9:21 am

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The attachment is a listing from the register of surviving medals. It uses the following key:

Q = QSA
B = SJAB Bronze medal
K = KSA
C = China Medal
+ = Other medals
Yes = image of medal/group

Please let me know of you can add any names to the list or provide any images.

cheers

QSAs with clasp Talana - by: djb

March 16, 2013, 5:33 am

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The two other threads on clasps for Elandslaagte and Wepener have been really enjoyable so I thought I ought to start a new thread for the Talana clasp, another favourite of mine.

For my Talana book, I calculated the number of clasps issued at 4,932.

There are only 12 Talana clasps to the Indian Subordinate Medical Department. I have tracked two on the market. Here is one of these two, coming up for auction later this month at Bonhams. My thanks to Bonhams for permission to reproduce this image.

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Assistant Surgeon John Moore was born on the 17th March 1852, he passed Hospital Apprentice for Indian Subordinate Medical Department (Madras) 1st July 1871, serving with 107th Foot. Assistant Apothecary 2nd Class 31 Aug 1876; Assistant Apothecary 1st Class 31 Aug 1881, serving with 1st Battn Essex Regt; Assistant Surgeon 1st Class 1 July 1890; Served with Wunthu Field Force, 1891-92, present at the taking and occupation of Mansai. Serving in subordinate medical charge of No 1 Section Hospital Secunderabad; Senior Assistant Surgeon 15 Apr 1901, serving with No18 British Field Hospital in South Africa; Senior Assistant Surgeon, Supernumary 21 Mar 1902, serving in subordinate medical charge of Station Hospital, Wellington. Retired 17 Mar 1907.

Cape Colony - by: djb

June 6, 2013, 12:13 am

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A clasp inscribed "Cape Colony" will be granted to all troops in Cape Colony at any time between October 11th, 1899, and a date to be hereafter fixed, who received no clasp for an action already specified in the Cape Colony nor Natal clasps.

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South Africa 1902 - by: djb

June 6, 2013, 12:31 am

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Issued for service in 1902.

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Medals to the Durham Light Infantry - by: QSAMIKE

August 10, 2014, 5:24 pm

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Good Evening Everyone......

There have been a number of questions re the Durham Light Infantry..... I thought that I might throw the following into the pot, the diary of a Sergeant in the 1st Battalion from my collection which contains a number of names.....

Mike

P.S. After recovering from his wounds he became a teacher at Wormwood Scrubs Prison...


1091

FLOWERS, C. H. (Charles Henry)

REG. NO.: 3282
RANK: SERGEANT

REGT: DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY, 1st BATTALION
BARS: CAPE COLONY, RELIEF OF LADYSMITH, TRANSVAAL

REMARKS / HISTORY:

1. WOUNDED AT BATTLE OF COLENSO, DECEMBER 15th, 1899.
2. SERVICE DOCUMENTS ON MAIN FILE.
3. COMPLETE WITH DIARY, PHOTO, CHRISTMAS CARD, CAP AND COLLAR BADGE AND BUTTON.

CHARLES HENRY FLOWERS

Enlisted: Durham Light Infantry, Colcester, October 1888
Parish of St, Mary’s, Warwick, Warwickshire
Age: 20 years, 6 months, Trade: Clerk
Previous Service: 2nd Vol. Bn. Royal Warwick Regt.
Height: 5 Foot, 11 ½ Inches
Weight: 140 Lbs.
Chest: 35 ¼ inches
Complexion: Pale
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Religious Denomination: C. of E.
Attested: Private 5th Oct. 1888
Appointed: Lance Corporal, 15th July 1889 (Orderly Room Clerk)
Appointed: Lance Sergeant, 22nd September 1889
Promoted: Sergeant, 1st August, 1893
Discharged to Army Reserve: 5th Oct. 1895
Recalled to Active Service: 9th Oct. 1899
Discharged on Termination of 1st Period of Engagement: 4th Oct. 1901
Received War Gratuity of 10.0.0 Pounds (Sergeant)
HOME: 5 Oct. 1888 to 4 Oct. 1895
ARMY RESERVE: 5 Oct. 1895 to 8 Oct. 1899
HOME: 9 Oct. 1899 to 23 Oct. 1899
SOUTH AFRICA: 24 Oct. 1899 to 25 April 1901
HOME: 26 April 1901 to 4 Oct. 1901
　
(Note: Spelling as shown in Diary)

DIARY OF SGT. C. H. FLOWERS, 1st. BATTN. DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY, CAPE TOWN 11-18-1899

Under the command of 3282 Sgt. Charles Henry Flowers, DLI while enroute to South Africa.

FLOWERS, C. H., Sgt., 3282
HARDWICK, W., Sgt., 3413
McCARTHY, C., Cpl., 5455
THRUPP, H., Cpl., 5496
CANT, J., L/Cpl., 4007
BACKLER, R., Bugler, 6254
CARTWRIGHT, H. Pte., 4220
CHATTERTON, J., Pte., 3220
CLARKSON, M., Pte., 4856
COULTHARD, J., Pte., 6271
CRITCHLEY, J., Pte., 3099
FOUNTAIN, H., Pte., 3155
FRANKLIN, T., Pte., 5185
GILBANK, J., Pte., 3686
GREY, J., Pte., 6249
HOWARD, W., Pte., 2888
KILLERN, B., Pte., 4209
LAMBERT, C., Pte., 5633
McKAY, J., Pte., 3314
MILLIGAN, B., Pte., 4011
SELLARS, H., Pte., 6261
SPEARS, R., Pte., 6144
STRANGER, J. Pte., 3161
TALBOT, H., Pte., 3962
THIRKILL, J., Pte., 6300
WELCH, T., Pte., 3965
WOODIER, F., Pte., 3169
WOOLMAN, A., Pte., 4204,
YOUNG, C., Pte., 5534
　
The men of Number 3 Section, H Company under command of Sgt. C. H. Flowers

FLOWERS, C. H., Sgt., 3282
SHILLCOCK, F., Sgt., 4885
SLATER, R., Cpl., 3535
ACRES, J., Pte., 4156
ALCOCK, W., Pte., 5840
BELMONT, C., Pte., 4056
BROWN, W., Pte., 6362
CAMPBELL, R., Pte., 6181
CARPENTER, J., Pte., 3799
CLARKE. R., Pte., 6712
COLTERCILL(?), J., Pte., 3666
DEVONPORT, J., Pte., 6714
EDWARDS, B., Pte., 6435, (Pioneer)
FIDDLER, J., Pte., 3104
FISHER, A., Pte., 4064, (Hospital Aid)
FROSTICK, J., Pte., 4163
HARWOOD, F., Pte., 2991
HATFIELD., W., Pte., 6467
HUSSON, W., Pte., 3340
ISMAY, W., Pte., 6124, (Canteen)
KIMBER, M., Pte., 7004
MARSHALL, G., Pte., 2284
McCLUSKY, M., Pte., 2494
McENTEE(?), P., Pte., 6262
MICKEE, W., Pte., 3004
MULRONEY, N., Pte. 2929
OLSHAM, F., Pte., 3421, (Groom)
PEAT, F., Pte., 5077
PEDDER, H., Pte., 1727
PORTER, F., Pte., 5279, (Signalman)
POTTS, W., Pte., 6421
SESSFORD, D., Pte., 2223
SMITH, G., Pte., 3468, (Pioneer)
SMITH, J., Pte., 2051
WATSON, J., Pte., 3454
WINTER, J., Pte., 2800
WOOLEY, J., Pte., 3441
　
ORDER MOOI RIVER CAMP

1. No one is to go over bridge without permission.
2. No one is to wash or bathe above sentry.
3. All men are to be in the lines by 6 pm Tuesday for any emergency.
　
REJOINED D.L.I. FROM RESERVE 17th OCT. 1899, LEFT N/CL ON TYNE FOR ALDERSHOT 18 OCT. 1899 LEFT ASHOT. & EMBARKED AT SOUTHAMPTON ON STEAM SHIP CEPHALONIA 24th OCT. 1899. ARRIVED AT CAPE ST. VINCENT, CAPE VERDE ISLANDS 2nd NOVEMBER 99, COALED AND SAILED ON MORNING OF 3rd ARRIVED IN TABLE BAY CAPE TOWN ON 18th NOV 1899 COALED ON 19th. HAD LEAVE WENT ON SHORE AND HAD A WALK AROUND. SAILED FOR CAPE TOWN MIDNIGHT 19th SUNDAY. S.S. DRONNATTAR ARRIVED AT CAPE TOWN 5p.m., 19th WITH REFUGEES FROM DURBAN. PASSED PORT ELIZABETH ABOUT 10.30 AM TUESDAY 21st AND EAST LONDON AT 8pm. TOWN LIGHTED UP BY ELECTRICITY AND LOOKED WELL FROM THE SHIP. ARRIVED AT DURBAN 4.30 ON WEDNESDAY 22nd NOV. 1899. 2 MEN OF WAR AND 5 TROOPERS AT ANCHOR. DISEMBARKED ON THURSDAY 24th AND LEFT BY 3 SPECIAL TRAINS FOR NOTTINGHAM ROAD WHERE WE INCOMMODE WITH THE SCOTTISH RIFLES.

HAD A MOST ENTHUSIASTIC SEND OFF PEOPLE GIVING BREAD, TOBACCO, CIGARS AND FRUIT ALL ALONG THE LINE.

TERRIBLE THUNDER STORM NEARLY ALL NIGHT. THE WILD FLOWERS ON THE RAILSIDE WERE LOVELY, THOUSANDS OF ANSON LILLIES GROWING WILD.

ON SATURDAY LEFT NOTTINGHAM ROAD CAMP BY TRAIN FOR A CAMP AT MODI RIVER WHERE THE FIRST BDE WAS ENCAMPED WITH ARTILLERY AND THORNEYCROFTS LIGHT HORSE. A LARGE FORCE LEFT ON SATURDAY NIGHT FOR ESCORDT (?) AND THE REMAINDER LEFT ON MONDAY MORNING. 3KRR ARRIVED FROM KILKENNY ON WEDNESDAY 29th NOVEMBER. THE BRIGADE CONSISTING OF D.L.I., K.R.R., SCOTTISH RIFLES AND RIFLE BRIGADE. LEFT MOOI RIVER ON THE 6th DEC. UNDER COMMAND OF GENERAL LITTLETON AND MARCHED ABOUT 15 MILES TO THE WILLOW GROVE WHERE THE BRIGADE WAS ENCAMPED. THE BRIGADE WAS PARADED AT 7am LEFT BY MARCH ROUTE TO ESCOURT. THE BRIGADE LEFT ESCOURT AT 6am ON FRIDAY DECEMBER 8th 1899 AND MARCHED TO FRERE AND THE HEAT BEING TERRIFIC A LOT OF MEN FALLING OUT. THE GARRISON AT FRERE BEING NEARLY 20,000 STRONG. GENERAL BUTLER BEING IN CAMP. MONDAY 11th DEC. ON OUTPOST DUTY/WE WERE SHOT AT BUT DID NOT KNOW WHO AND FROM WHERE, OFFICER RETURNED TO CAMP INTOXICATED/ FROM 3pm TO 3pm ON TUESDAY. A LARGE FORCE MOVED OUT TOWARD COLENSO BEFORE DAYBREAK 12th DEC. NEARLY ALL TROOPS IN FRERE PARADED AT 130pm AND MARCHED TO A CAMP 2 MILES PAST CHIEVERLEY ON WEDNESDAY 13-13-99. ON FRIDAY 15th THE WHOLE OF THE TROOPS IN CAMP MARCHED OFF TO ATTACK THE BOERS POSITION CLOSE TO COLENSO AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TUGELA RIVER. THE NAVAL GUNS SHELLED THE BOER POSITION WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE. DURING THE FIGHT ON FRIDAY OUR SIDE LOST 1149 KILLED WOUNDED AND PRISONER.

I WAS WOUNDED BY A SHELL IN THE LOWER JAW, CHEEK AND ARM WHILE IN RESERVES ON SUNDAY.

LEFT CHIEVELEY CAMP HOSPITAL FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL AT MARITZBURG.

ON TUESDAY 19th DEC. LEFT MARITZBURG FOR HOSPITAL SHIP SPARTAN AT DURBAN ON THURSDAY 21st. LEFT DURBAN EN ROUTE TO CAPE TOWN AND ARRIVED TABLE BAY 8 pm 23rd DECEMBER

DISEMBARKED 4pm 24th DECEMBER (XMAS LEAVE) AND PROCEEDED BY TRAIN FOR RODENBOSCH HOSPITAL. HAD A DECENT XMAS DAY. DURING OUR STAY AT RODEBOSCH (?) I WAS VISITED BY SIR. A. MILNER, SIR. WM. McCORMACK, FIELD MARSHALL LORD ROBERTS AND VARIOUS OTHER OFFICERS WHO ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

JANUARY 13th DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL AND PROCEEDED GREEN POINT. APPOINTED TEMPORARY CLERK IN C BRANCH STATION PAY OFFICE CAPE TOWN FEB. 3rd 00 TILL 14th SEPT. 1900. EMBARKED ON ENGLISHMAN 15th SEPT. AND PROCEEDED TO NATAL ARRIVED AT DURBAN ABOUT MIDDAY TUES 16th SEPT. AND DISEMBARKED AND

PROCEEDED TO P M P. ARRIVING THERE (?) LEFT P M P TO JOIN H Q ON WEDNESDAY 26th AT 6 pm ARRIVING AT STANDERTON ABOUT 5 PM ON THURSDAY 28th SEPTEMBER

TWO PAGES MISSING

MOUNTED ON GUARD 29th SEPTEMBER.

GOAL GUARD 1 OCTOBER.
GOAL GUARD 3 OCTOBER.
TREASURY GUARD 6

OCTOBER

MOVED TO RAILWAY HILL TO RELIEVE VOL. SERVICE CORP WHO LEFT ENROUTE FOR P M B,

TUESDAY 9th OCTOBER OUTPOST DUTY AND MOVED TO ABATOINE HILL (?) ON FRIDAY

12th OCTOBER, TREASURY GUARD FRIDAY NIGHT AND OFTEN AFTER......
NO FURTHER FORMAL ENTRIES IN DIARY A NUMBER OF NAMES AND

FIGURES AS TO WHO IS ISSUED PICKS AND SHOVELS.

Verheem, Jacobus Stephanus. Lt - by: djb

April 25, 2015, 2:37 am

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Served: Artillerie.

Boer War DSOs - by: djb

September 18, 2016, 6:52 am

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There were some 1,160 DSOs awarded for the Boer War. At the time of the Boer War it was given to officers with senior command responsibilities, typically upwards of Major, however it was bestowed upon junior officers, usually in cases of conspicuous valour. The majority of awards have no citation but, because the officer had to be mentioned in despatched, an idea of the cause of the award can sometimes be gleaned.

The list of DSO recipients is available here: angloboerwar.com/medals-and-awards/briti...uished-service-order

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DSO VR
QSA (3) CC OFS Tr (Lt. D. L. Campbell, D.S.O., Welsh R.)

DSO LG 5 July 1901: ‘For the defence of a train near Alkmaar on 20 May 1901, with four men against 50 Boers at close quarters.’

Duncan Lorn Campbell was near Murree in India in June 1881, the son of Brigadier-General L. R. H. D. Campbell, C.B., and was educated at the United Service College, Westward Ho! Gazetted to the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Welsh Regiment in November 1900, he was embarked for South Africa, where he served on attachment to the 1st Battalion in operations in Cape Colony, Orange Free State and the Transvaal during 1901 (Queen’s Medal & 3 clasps).

His immediate award of the DSO stemmed from a “mention” in Lord Kitchener’s despatch, dated in July 1901: ‘2nd Lieutenant D. L. Campbell, 1st Battalion, Welsh Regiment: near Alkmaar on 20 May 1901, he most gallantly held an armoured truck for more than hour with only three men. The Boers had possession of the rest of the train and were firing into the truck from the roof of the next carriage and from the sides of the cutting. He was repeatedly called on to surrender but refused.’

Campbell and his small party held out for nearly two hours, when a mounted patrol of the Royal Welsh arrived on the scene and drove off the enemy. In Wilson’s After Pretoria: The Guerilla War, it is said the Boer Commander has just issued orders for the truck to be blown up with dynamite.

Having been seconded to the Indian Staff Corps following the Boer War, Campbell resigned his commission in November 1904 and was placed on the Special Reserve of Officers. Recalled as a Captain in August 1914, he served in the 3rd Battalion, Welsh Regiment in Gibraltar until 1917, when, it would appear, he deserted. Certainly he faced a Court Martial there in April 1919, and was dismissed the service. As a consequence he was not awarded any campaign medals for the Great War and he died in February 1923.

Medals to the Rifle Brigade - by: djb

July 16, 2017, 3:41 am

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He was wounded at Blood River Poort on 17 September 1900, whilst attached to Gough's Mounted Infantry: Lieutenant L. A. E. Price-Davies won the Victoria Cross on the same occasion.

Queen’s Sudan (1899 Pte. A. Jones. 2/R. Bde:);
QSA (6) CC TH OFS RoL Tr LN (1899 Pte. A. Jones, Rifle Brigade);
KSA (2) (1899 Pte. A. Jones, Rifle Brigade.);
Khedive’s Sudan (1) Khartoum

Albert Jones was born at Stowmarket, Suffolk in March 1868. Having served in India, Hong Kong and Singapore, he saw active service in the 2nd Battalion in the Sudan.

Transferred to the 1st Battalion, Jones was one of five casualties of 'D' Company, 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade on 17 September 1900, when Major Gough's 24th Mounted Infantry fought a lively engaement at Blood River Poort, near Dundee.

QSA naming styles to South African officers - by: djb

October 21, 2017, 1:48 pm

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This thread is intended to give examples of QSA naming styles to South African officers.

Summary of findings:

Engraved

Cape Town Highlanders
BSAP
Bethume's MI
CMR
Damant's Horse
EPH *
FLH *
FMR
ILI
Kaffrarian Rifles
Kitchener's FS
PAVG
PAGMI
Natal Carbineers
Natal Vol Forces
RPR
Roberts' Horse
SAC *
SRV
Warren's MI
WPMR

Impressed:

Adelaide DMT
Albany DMT
Cradock TG
Durban LI
Driscoll's Scouts
EGMR
EPH *
FLH *
Grahamstown TG
Humansdorp DMT
ILH
Namaqualand BS
PE TG
Petrusville TG
Natal MR
Nesbitt's Horse
Natal Police
Natal Medical Corps
Paarl DMT
Queenstown DMT
Rhodesia Regt
SAC *
Tembuland MRC
Umvoti MR
TMI

* indicates the unit appears in both categories.


The middle QSA is a Captain, Port Elizabeth TG.

The bottom QSA was awarded to Captain Friedlander of Kitchener's Fighting Scouts

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Medals to Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry - by: djb

November 21, 2017, 2:22 am

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From the next Spink auction.

QSA (5) CC OFS RoL Ts SA01 (Lieut. W. Otto, Thorney: M.I.),

William Otto was severely wounded at the battle of Colenso on 15 December 1899. He resigned his appointment on 31 October 1901, and also saw service during the war with the Intelligence Department. His Medal was issued to him care of the Victoria Club, Pietermaritzburg.

Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantrymen were heavily engaged at Colenso on 15 December 1899, in common with the rest of Lord Dundonald’s Brigade of Irregulars. In particular they won high praise for their gallant attempt to capture Hlangwane. Casualties were consequently high, one officer and three men being killed and three officers - including Otto - and 27 men being wounded.

Medals to the West Riding Regiment - by: djb

June 11, 2019, 11:15 pm

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E&W West 1887 (1) 1897-98 (2499 C. S. Major G. Farrell, 2nd W. India Regt), engraved
correction to initial, remainder impressed;
QSA (5) CC OFS Tr 01 02 (2/ Lieut: G. C. B. Farrell. W. Rid: Rgt:), officially engraved in upright capitals;

Lieutenant George Clement Baillie Farrell was born on 5 March 1876, and he served as a Company Sergeant Major in the 2nd Battalion West India Regiment in 1897-98. He served with the 1st Battalion West Riding Regiment in the Second Anglo-Boer War, and was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant on 6 July 1901. In February 1902 he served with the West Africa Frontier Force as local Lieutenant on 7 February 1903, and appears to have served as Lieutenant in the Gold Coast Regiment in 1904-5, where he died on 6 March 1905 at Kintampo.

---

Medals to the Army Ordnance Corps - by: djb

June 11, 2019, 11:29 pm

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A shame they did not photograph the reverse of the MSM.

QSA (3) C OFS SA02 (4420 S. Conductor S. Tingey. A.O.C.);
Army LS&GC Ed VII (4420 Sub. Condr. S. Tingey. A.O.C.);
Commonwealth Of Australia MSM GV (W.O. (1) Tingey 5. Home Service Details. 72/1918), engraved in upright
capitals;

Sub-Conductor Samuel Tingey was born in 1863 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, and enlisted for service in the Royal Artillery on 13 January 1883, at the age of 19. He transferred to the Army Ordnance Corps in April 1900, and served during the Boer War in South Africa. He retired on 1 April 1905 with 20 years and 80 days of service, and was awarded a L.S.&.G.C. medal. After retirement he emigrated with his family to Australia, and on 20 August 1915 he re-enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and was appointed W.O. 1st Class, serving at Liverpool, New South Wales, on Staff. He received the Commonwealth of Australia M.S.M. (Commonwealth Gazette: No. 109, 25 July 1918) for his service in the Great War, and was discharged on 24 May 1920.

He died on 12 September 1947.

Medals to the Army Hospital Corps - by: djb

June 11, 2019, 11:50 pm

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OBE mil, HM 1918;
SAGS (0) (3795. Pte H. J. Audus. A.H.C.);
Egypt (3) El-Teb_Tamaai, Suakin 1884, Tel-El-Kebir (3795 2nd Cpl H. Audus. A.H.C.), naming somewhat worn in parts;
1914 Star (Hon: Capt: & Q.M. H.J.F. Audus. R.A.M.C.);
BWM and VM with bronze MID (Q.M. &. Major. H. J. F. Audus.);
Coronation 1911;
Army LS&GC VR (3795. 1 Cl: S: Sgt: H.J.F. Audus. M.S.C.);
Khedive’s Star, 1882, unnamed as issued;

OBE LG 7. June 1918 – ‘for services with the British Expeditionary Force in France’
MID LG 25 May 1918

Major Henry Joseph Francis Audus was born on 1 June 1860, the son of Francis Audus of London. He enlisted into the Army Hospital Corps in 1878, and served in South Africa during the Zulu War. He was promoted to Corporal in 1882, during his service in Egypt, and was promoted to 1st Class Sergeant in the 1890s. He served between 1896 and 1900 in Malta, and his daughter Daisy Kathleen Audus was born on 28 December 1899, at Cottonera, Malta. He was commissioned as Quartermaster and Lieutenant on 3 February 1900, and was promoted to Q.M. and Captain on 3 February 1910.

Serving with the RAMC as part of the ‘Old Contemptibles’ in 1914, he would later be mentioned in despatches and awarded the OBE (in 1918) for his work in France. He was promoted to QM and Major on 3 February 1915, and retired to half pay on 1 September 1919.

He died at Bromley, Kent, on 31 January 1937, aged 76.

POW at Paulpietersberg on 20.6.1901 - help please! - by: Rory

June 12, 2019, 10:28 am

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I require the collective brainpower of Forum members to help me with this one.

I have an ABO medal to Lieutenant J.S. Verheem of the Z.A.R. Staats Artillerie - having fought at Colenso, Spioenkop and other places he was taken POW "near" Paulpietersberg on 20 June 1901.

Can anyone shed light on what the Staats Artillerie were doing there on that date?

Regards

Rory

Kilmington memorial in St Giles' Church, Devon - by: djb

June 13, 2019, 11:59 pm

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From St Gile's, Church, Kilmington.

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To the glory of God,
And in pious memory
of
Lieut Ernest William Gardner,
2nd Brabant Horse
Pte Walter Sidney Underdown
19th Hussars
Benjamin Smith
Devon Regt
Who gave their lives for England
In the Boer War, 1899 - 1902

E W Gardner died of enteric 5 April 1901 at Graaf Reinet aged 22. He was the third son of Major S H Gardner, Broomfield, Tiverton, Devon, was born 15 May 1878 in Galway and educated at Blundell's School, Tiverton, 1890-1895. He joined the 2nd BrH in December 1899, and saw service at Wepener, Dordrecht, Stormberg Senekal, Belfast and Wittebergen. He was buried in Graaff Reinet cemetery. His commanding officer wrote of him as 'a gallant and fearless officer and a true British gentleman'.

Medals to the Shropshire Light Infantry - by: djb

June 14, 2019, 12:29 am

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QSA (4) CC Paard Drie Joh (3193. Pte. A. F. Whelan, 2nd. Shropshire Lt. Infy.);
Visit to Ireland 1903 (C. A. Whelan. R.I.C.) with integral top shamrock suspension bar;
Visit to Ireland 1911, unnamed as issued,