Small collection of POW groups. ** REGIONAL ADMIN. AWARD & CERT. OF MERIT. *A RECOMMENDED POST

[azyeoman]

Here's a very interesting addition.  It's a MMWM to a Fireman & Trimmer from West Africa.  Although it's Great War medal, Iddo was a PoW in WWII.

 

John Iddo, (3222211) Born 17 March 1895 in Cape Rehaus, Sierra Leon, West Africa. He was the husband of Annie Iddo, of North Shields.  In WWI, Iddo was a trimmer on the SS Ethiopia in 1915.  It was captured by the UB-41 and then torpedoed and sunk.  Iddo survived and went on to serve the remainder of the war and in WWII.

At 21.03 hours on 17 March 1942 the unescorted Allende (Master Thomas James Williamson) was hit on the starboard side amidships by one torpedo from U-68 about 18 miles south of Cape Palmas, Liberia. Five crew members on watch below were lost. The master, 30 crew members and seven gunners abandoned ship in two lifeboats and were questioned by the Germans before the U-boat fired a coup de grâce at 22.28 hours. The G7a torpedo hit aft and caused her to sink by the stern within five minutes. The survivors with Iddo made landfall at Tabou, French Ivory Coast and were interned for four months by the Vichy French authorities at Bobo Dioulasso and Bamako. Two crew members died of illness during the internment and another shortly after being released.  He returned to Bathurst on 16 July 1942.

 

John Iddo was awarded a BWM named J. Iddo.  If anyone know its location, please contact me as I'd like to reunite the group.

 

He was also entitled to the 1939 Star for his WWII service.  Interestingly, the '39 Star is his only medal for WWII per the BT 395/1/47/468 document at the National Archives.

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by azyeoman

[azyeoman]

A very nice Imperial Yeomanry addition for Boshof and with the unusual clasp "Rhodesia".  

 

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Rhodesia, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901; There are unofficial rivets between state and date clasps - Officially named to 4779 Tpr: G. W. Suter. 50th. Coy. 17th. Impl: Yeo: 

George William Suter was born in Gosport, Hampshire, in 1877 and attested for the Imperial Yeomanry at Winchester on 14 February 1900, having previously served in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. He served with the 50th (Hampshire) Company, 17th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa during the Boer War from 7 April 1900 to 9 June 1901, and was captured and taken Prisoner of War at Boshof on 16 January 1901.

The column was subjected to a fierce attack from the enemy, who were strongly posted on a long range of kopjes which commanded the road. The fight continued for over three hours before the enemy were dislodged from their position by a frontal advance on foot of the Hampshires and other troops, and at 2 p.m. the Boer position was in our hands. During the engagement the 50th had no casualties except five horses shot in the early part of the fight, and one man, Trooper Suter was captured and was carried to the ruins of the Viljoens Kloof (which had been burned by the Squadron upon its former visit).  He was told he would be shot in the morning, but during the night he effected his escape and rejoined his comrades in Boshof.  (Noted in Rhodesia - and After, by Sharrad H. Gilbert.)

 

Suter was discharged on 15 June 1901, after 1 year and 122 days service.
 

[azyeoman]

Another new Imperial Yeomanry-PoW, QSA sadly missing its accompanying '14 Star Trio. 

QSA: CC, OFS, TR, SA01, SA02 officially named to:  34261 PTE. F. W. WALL. 53RD COY IMP. YEO:

Frederick William Wall was born in Brighton, Sussex, in 1874. He died in Brighton in 1926. The 1881 Census shows Frederick and Percy Wall lived with their parents and other siblings in New England Road, Brighton, Sussex.

 

The 53 Company Imperial Yeomanry Royal East Kent Regiment
Frederick Wall was captured and taken prisoner of war in the action at Groenkop, also known as Christmas Kop. He was released on 25/12/1901 at Tweefontein. Details of the event are on FMP and are as follows. At Groenkop, a farm in the Orange Free State (Harrismith district; Free State, 35 km east of Bethlehem). A force of some 500 men of the Imperial Yeomanry with a gun and maxim all under the command of Major F.A. Williams, 1st South Staffordshire Regiment, was in camp on the farm protecting the head of a blockhouse line under construction from Harrismith to Bethlehem. The detachment was camped on a hill, Groenkop, with precipitous sides to the west and south and a gentle, well entrenched slope to the east. On the night of 24/25 December 1901, detachments from eight commandos comprising some 500 burghers under the command of Chief-Cmdt C.R. de Wet silently scaled the steep west face in stockinged feet taking the defenses completely by surprise. Led by Cmdt W. Mears and Cmdt G.A. Brand, the burghers completely overran the camp within an hour. De Wet left at dawn with some 240 prisoners as well as two guns, 20 wagons, supplies of ammunition and tents, and 500 horses and mules. British casualties were 57 killed (including Williams) and 88 wounded; the Boers lost 14 killed and 30 wounded; among those killed were Cmdt G.J. Olivier of the Bethlehem commando. This action is known to Afrikaner historians as Groenkop, Tweefontein or Krismiskop, Groenkop having become known as Christmas Kop. (HM & MGM Jones).

 

First World War Service

L/5595 F W Wall served in the First World War. He entered France 7th September 1914 and is entitled to a 1914 Mons Star Trio with Clasp and Roses as per his Medal Index Card. He was promoted to Warrant Officer First Class, 1st East Kent Regiment, The Buffs.  He died in Brighton 1926 aged 52 years.

 

If anyone knows the location of Wall's '14 Star Trio, please contact me as I would like very much to reunite Wall's medal group.  Thank you in advance.

 

More on the Battle of Groenkop

In the Battle of Groenkop (Battle of Tweefontein) on 25 December 1901, Head Commandant Christiaan de Wet's Boer commando surprised and defeated a force of Imperial Yeomanry under the command of Major Williams.

Background
By late 1901, de Wet's guerilla force based itself near the settlements of Lindley, Bethlehem and Reitz in the northeast part of the Orange Free State. On 28 November, de Wet called a krijgsraad (war council) of the still-active Boer leaders near Reitz. They determined to strike back at their British tormentors, who numbered 20,000 men.

As part of Lord Kitchener's strategy, the British constructed lines of blockhouses and barbed wire across the veld. The blockhouse lines were designed to restrict the movements of the Boer guerrillas so they could be trapped by British mobile columns. One line of blockhouses reached from Harrismith to the Tradoux farm, 25 miles (40 km) east of Bethlehem. To protect the construction, Major General Sir Leslie Rundle deployed four dispersed forces. Rundle with 330 men and one gun guarded the wagon road; the end of the blockhouse line was held by 150 infantry; a 400-man regiment of the Imperial Light Horse lay 13 miles (21 km) to the east at Elands River Bridge; Major Williams with 550 men, mostly of the 11th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, a 15-pounder gun and a pom-pom held the 200-foot (61 m) high Groenkop.

 

The battle
De Wet carefully scouted the Groenkop position for three days. He noted that the British posted their sentries atop the sheer west side of the kop, instead of at the bottom where they could give timely warning of an attack. The Boer leader determined to scale the west side using the trace of a gully.

 

At 2:00 am on Christmas morning, de Wet's commando clambered up the steep slope in single file with their boots removed so as to minimize any noise. The surprise was nearly total. Challenged by a single sentry when they were over halfway to the top with a few scattered shots, the Boers, who were ordered into battle by de Wet shouting "Stormt Burgers" swarmed up and over the crest. They began firing downhill into the British tents, inflicting a "massacre." Savage fighting lasted about 40 minutes before the British gave up.

 

The aftermath
The next morning, one of the 206 British prisoners of the Boers noted that his foes were so short of clothing that some wore women's attire. The 250 unwounded British prisoners of war were stripped literally naked before they were turned loose the next day. Kitchener wrote, "It is very sad and depressing that the boers are able to strike such blows, but I fear ... we shall always be liable to something of the sort from the unchecked rush of desperate men at night."

Edited October 14, 2022 by azyeoman

[azyeoman]

I wish all dealers would make there lots immediately go off their lists when they’ve sold. I had entered a fine addition here, but alas… it had already been sold despite being listed as in stock and available, and so edited this to read this paragraph.  My sincerest apologies.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by azyeoman

[azyeoman]

Queens South Africa Medal 1899-1902. Silver issue, with 3 x clasps 'Natal', 'Orange Free State' & 'Transvaal' (3996 Pte. W. Lewis Gloucestershire)

 

Private Walter Lewis, is confirmed being a Prisoner of War when he was captured by the Boer enemy on, 30 October 1899, at Nicholson's Nek (Farquhar's Farm), South Africa.  Lewis’  QSA medal & all 3 x clasps are verified per the campaign medal roll of 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment (ref WO 100/183), which was compiled and signed at Colombo, Ceylon Colony, on, 7 June 1901.

 

Lewis was also tried & convicted for 'Striking his Superior Officer' and received 84 days imprisonment with 'Hard Labor' on 16 September 1893.

 

Walter Lewis, son of, George Lewis (Postman) & Ann Lewis (nee Pincott) was a native of, Chalford, Gloucestershire, England, where he was born circa 1873. He enlisted in the British Army, at, Cirencester, England, on 13 June 1893, when he was 20 years & 8 months old.  His next of kin was his mother, Ann Kirby (she had re-married), who was residing at, Chalford Hill near Duke of York Inn, near Stroud, Gloucestershire. Prior to enlisting, he was employed as a 'Laborer', and had served in the, 4th (Militia) Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment. Lewis was posted to his local infantry regiment, to serve with 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment. Lewis was contracted to serve seven (7) x years with 'The Colors', and five (5) x years on the Army Reserve. Lewis' overseas service was as follows:
- Malta: 01/11/1893 - 20/11/1895
- Egypt: 21/11/1895 - 05/02/1897
- India: 06/11/1897 - 23/09/1899
- South Africa: 24/09/1899 - 23/08/1900
- Ceylon: 24/08/1900 - 29/12/1902

Lewis took his discharge from the British Army on 12 June 1906; his Regular Army service papers of are accessible at The National Archives.

 

Photos to follow.
 

[azyeoman]

As promised, the photos of Pte. Walter Lewis’ QSA.

[azyeoman]

Another PoW for Sannah's Post.

QSA: CC, Drif, TR (entitled to SA01) Officially named to 4135 Pte. W. ROWLANDS. W. RIDING REGT

Rowlands is NOT entitled to a KSA.  Regimental rolls show this combination of clasps is unique to the regiment and that Rowlands was the sole soldier in the West Riding Regt. to receive them.

 

ROWLANDS is shown on the South African War Casualty Roll as missing Sannah’s Post 31 March with the words released. Some research from Ancestry confirms he was part of the Mounted Infantry at Sannah’s Post.

 

[azyeoman]

Here is an unusual and emotive group that isn't often encountered.  It's to a Merchant Navy Seaman who was captured and then unfortunately died while a PoW on the German Raider Pinguin when she was sunk by HMS Cornwall.  The medal bar is a colorful one and the first two medals are officially named to John M Dodds.

BWM

MMWM

1939 Star

Atlantic Star

War Medal

 

 

John Mathieson Dodds was born in Ardrossan, Scotland 11 November 1889.  He was the son of George and Margaret Mathieson Dodds and the husband of Janet Dodds. Most of his Merchant Navy service was with the Clan Shipping Line Company, and in 1941, he was Ship’s Carpenter aboard the SS Clan Buchanan. The ship was on en route carrying war supples from the USA to the Middle East. On 28 April she was in the Indian Ocean, 1,200 miles east of Mogadishu, when she was intercepted by the German Armed Merchant Raider Pinguin (formerly the Kandelfels). The Raider was armed with five 5.9-inch guns, had a crew of 420 and two seaplanes. The crew of the Clan Buchanan were taken prisoner (joining others aboard from previous captures) and the ship was sunk with high explosive charges, but not before a signal had been sent and received by the Royal Navy. She was the Pinguin’s last victim.

 

Pinguin was the most successful German Raider of the Second World War, and had already sunk 15 allied ships, not including the Norwegian Whaling Fleet. On 8 May 1941 Pinguin was located by the Cruiser HMS Cornwall, the German claimed to be a Norwegian Merchant ship and kept her guns concealed. The bluff failed and she opened fire on Cornwall causing some damage; the action lasted 27 minutes. The Pinguin was sunk, of the German crew of 420 only 60 were rescued by Cornwall’s Boats. Of the 238 Merchant Seamen prisoners aboard only 24 survived; Carpenter John Mathieson Dodds was not among them. He was 52 years old and he has been commemorated on the Tower Memorial, London.

 

l

SS Clan Buchanan

 

German Raider Pinguin

 

HMS Cornwall

 

[azyeoman]

A very nice addition, but sadly missing his QSA, BWM, Victory and TFWM.

 

Kings South Africa Medal (1902), with 2 clasps SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902, correctly hand engraved naming to:  Lieut. C. E. JENKINS. 13/ Hrs.

Major Charles Edward Jenkins was born on 6/3/1875 in Umbelea, India. His father was serving at the time in the Bengal Staff Corps, his grandfather was Major General Jenkins. He attended Harrow. 

He was gazetted into the 3rd Battalion Kings Shropshire Light Infantry (Militia) 23/12/1896 as a 2nd Lieutenant, he was gazetted with a regular commission into the 13th Hussars in December 1899. The regiment arrived in South Africa in the beginning of December 1899 in time to be present at the battle of Colenso.

He was initially reported as ‘missing’ and released on the 21st August 1900 near Newcastle and then was classified as PoW on 22/08/1900 near Newcastle.  He was hospitalized with enteric fever (Typhoid) in late 1900. He survived and returned with the regiment to Southampton in October 1902 where he resigned his commission on 17/12/1902.

He inherited Cruckton estate, near Shrewsbury about this time, and married Muriel Taylor daughter of Major General Taylor R.A. in 1904. He also re-joined the Militia about this time serving with the Shropshire Yeomanry, with whom he served with as a Major during the great war. The regiment sailed to Egypt on 4/3/1916. On arrival the brigade merged with South Wales Mounted Brigade and formed the 4th Dismounted Brigade. 2/3/1917 it merged with 1/1st Cheshire Yeomanry to form the 10th (Shropshire & Cheshire Yeomanry) Battalion, the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry and came under orders of 231st Brigade in 74th (Yeomanry) Division and was deployed to France in May 1918.

He survived the war and received his pilot’s license in 1934 with his occupation listed as retired Major. He died on 25/1/1949 at Hampshire, England.

He was entitled to the Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Orange Free State, Transvaal. The British War and Victory Medals (1914 – 18) and the Territorial Forces War Medal.  Please contact if you know the location of his medals as I would like to reunite them.
 

[azyeoman]

Here's another fine addition and goes along with the other three Lindley PoWs that have been posted above in this thread.

 

QSA with CC, OFS, - 14240 TPR. R.M.B. NEEDHAM, 47th Coy, 13th IY. PoW Lindley. MID and DSO M.I.D. 23 June 1902. M.I.D. Gazetted 6 Dec 1916. Distinguished Service Order Gazetted 2 Jan 1918.

 

Roderick Macaulay Bernard Needham was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad on 28 Dec 1879 and first served with the 47th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Company 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. He was taken Prisoner of War on 31 May 1900 at Lindley and released on 5 Sep 1900 at Nooitgedacht, then commissioned 2nd Lieutenant into the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and promoted to Lieutenant with Bethune's Mounted Infantry, later Mentioned in Dispatches on 23 June 1902, when Colonel Bethune was made C.B.

 

Before WWI Needham served as an officer with the West African Regiment, rejoining the Suffolk Regiment as a Captain during WWI and attached to the Royal West Surrey Regiment. Disembarking on 5 Nov 1914, Needham is further entitled to the 1914 Trio and Distinguished Service Order George V. Needham reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel before the end of WWI.

 

If you know the locations of his DSO and '14 Star Trio, please contact me as I'd like to reunite the group. Thank you.
 

[azyeoman]

It's been a long while since I added a WWII PoW medal recipient to the collection.  I've always wanted one to someone who was captured in the Normandy campaign and Private Earnest Reynolds medal does indeed fit that.

 

Earnest Reynolds was born on 06/12/1907.  He was a member of the Church of England.  He served as private 6006992 with the 2nd Bn. Essex in India and was awarded the IGS 1908 with North West Frontier 1930-31 clasp.  He returned to England and was a painter and decorator.   He was 5’6.25”, weighed 130.5 Lbs, and had black hair and blue grey eyes. 

 

He reenlisted as private 6030423 on 31/03/1941 in the 2nd Bn. Essex.  The battalion received large drafts of men to bring it up to strength and began training intensively for the Allied invasion of France.  The battalion and brigade landed as part of the second wave on Gold Beach on D-Day, Gold Beach from roughly 1:00 pm and immediately set off inland.  For his WWII service, Reynolds in entitled to the 1939 and France & Germany Stars, the Defence Medal and the War Medal.

 

Gold Beach, was the central beach of the Normandy invasion on 6 June 1944. It was located between Port-en-Bessin on the west and the Lieu-dit La Rivière in Ver-sur-Mer on the east. High cliffs at the western end of the zone meant that the landings took place on the flat section, code-named Jig and King, between Le Hamel and La Rivière. The British Army was responsible for taking Gold with the Royal Navy providing sea transport, mine sweeping, and a naval bombardment.  Dutch, Polish and other Allied ships participated as well.

The objectives were to secure a beachhead, capture Arromanches to the West, establish contact with the American forces at Omaha Beach, capture Bayeux and the port at Port-en-Bessin, and then link up with the Canadian forces at Juno Beach to the east. The British on Gold faced elements of the German 352nd and 716th Infantry Division consisting of about 2,000 men were in improved fortifications under the leadership of Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel.

On D-Day at Gold, naval bombardment started at 05:30, and amphibious landings launched at 07:25. High winds made conditions difficult for the landing craft, and the amphibious DD tanks were released close to shore or directly on the beach instead of further out as planned. Three of the four guns in a large emplacement at the Longues-sur Mer battery were disabled by direct hits from the cruisers Ajax and Argonaut at 06:20. The fourth gun fired sporadically in the afternoon; its garrison surrendered on 7 June. Aerial attacks had failed to hit the Le Hamel strongpoint, which had an embrasure facing east to provide enfilade fire along the beach. Its 75 mm gun continued to do damage until 16:00, when an Armored Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE) tank fired a large petard bomb into its rear entrance. A second casemated emplacement at La Rivière containing an 88 mm gun was neutralized by a tank at 07:30.

Infantry began clearing the heavily fortified houses along the shore and advanced on targets further inland. The British 47th Royal Marine Commandos captured Port-en-Bessin on 7 June. On the western flank, the 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment captured Arromanches, and 69th Infantry Brigade made contact with the Canadian forces at Juno on the eastern flank. Stiff resistance from the German 352nd Infantry Division, meant Bayeux was not captured until the next day. British casualties at Gold are estimated at 1,000–1,100. German casualties are unknown.
Pockets of German resistance remained throughout the beachhead area and the British were stopped about 3.7 miles (6.0 km) short of their D-Day objectives. Bayeux, a primary D-Day objective for 50th Division, was captured on 7 June. By the end of D-Day, the 50th Division had lost around 700 men. Total casualties, from all units involved in operations at Gold, were in the region of 1,000–1,100 casualties, of which 350 were killed. German losses are unknown; at least 1,000 were captured.  By the end of D-Day, 24,970 men had been landed at Gold, along with 2,100 vehicles and 1,000 tons of supplies.

The 56th Independent Infantry Brigade, in which the 2nd Battalion Essex was part and where Pte. Earnest Reynolds was serving, was reformed in the United Kingdom on 15 February 1944. The brigade consisted of three Regular Army infantry battalions that had all seen service overseas: the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borders (SWB), which had fought in the Norwegian Campaign in 1940, and the 2nd Battalions of the Essex and Gloucestershire Regiments, which had both fought at Dunkirk in 1940.

The 56th Brigade took part in the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, where it formed the right flank of the 50th Northumbrian Division on Gold Beach. It remained attached to the 50th Division until 10 June, after which it was attached to the 7th Armored Division 12 June, then reverting to the 50th Division and came under command of the 59th Staffordshire Infantry Division in early August 1944.  Pte. Reynolds would only serve in the 50th Division as he was captured on 11 June along with at least 16 other rankers and one officer of Company B.

One member of the 2nd Battalion Essex described the landings as such:

As midday approached the craft nosed their way into the land and we could see plainly the coast line. Something akin to consternation was caused when we found that we could not reconcile the appearance of the land with the models we had memorized in Camp B3. LE HAMEL, where we were due to land, was still not free and it was thus necessary to go ashore some mile and a quarter to the East. The sea held much evidence of tragedies already enacted, wrecked landing craft and vehicles, disabled tanks, floating compo boxes and items of equipment. At 1225 hours the leading craft grounded the ramps went down and the men streamed ashore. Some into water only knee deep, others up to their necks but all made dry land, crossed the short stretch of shingle and clambered over the low sea wall. A quarter of a mile to the left our transport, including all "S" Company vehicles was having a much more difficult time. Mines were encountered by the score and the few clear lanes were blocked by bogged or "drowned" lorries and tanks. The sea wall, low though it was, increased the problems but somehow all were overcome. According to plan, we formed up in boat-loads and moved off to the prearranged assembly area near RYES, some 2 1/2 miles inland. On the rising ground to our left we could see a long line of Shermans forming up and we gasped as we saw that they were parked almost head to tail. As we marched along we saw and heard German beach defenses still holding out but our orders were to get inland and we pushed on. Past small batches of prisoners we went, through minefields already gapped. Numbers of dead and wounded from both sides littered the roads, some hurriedly but efficiently dressed by the SBs but others as yet untouched and we could not help them. The roads along which we marched were now being shelled by 75s at short range but casualties were few and soon we came to the assembly area, quickly deployed and dug in for the first this. The area was in a small wood not entirely clear and the odd sniper was still operating. A row of large poplars caused us same trouble until a Sherman come up and one by one picked off the two tops where the snipers were concealed. In the early afternoon we checked up and found that apart from a Signals 15 cwt., "A" Company's No. 1 15 cwt. and the Pioneer's Jeep which had been drowned, we were all present. The initial stage in the de-waterproofing of vehicles was carried out; Mae Wests discarded and we were ready for the first Job - the capture of BAYEUX, a large and important road and rail Cathedral City, some 6 miles from the coast and almost due South of ARROMANCHES

On 11 June, when Reynold’s was captured, the battalion was sent to occupy Berniers Bocage at 0900. At noon, the battalion was order to secure the woods north of Lingeveres.  The wood was subjected to concentrated artillery fire and companies A & C moved on the objective under a lifting barrage.  The Essex held the wood, which was on a forward slope and was an awful defensive position.  There were two Mk V tanks engaging A Co. and the Germans quickly counter attacked with mortar fire, infantry and a flame-throwing half-track causing heavy casualties.  The Essex beat of several of them, but the battalion was ordered back on the night of the 12th.  Lt. Smith and 16 other ranks of Company B were reported missing on 11 June.

Here is a good detailed account from the book Tilly sur Seulles by Stéphane Jacquet. 

On 10 June 1944, the British launched a naval artillery fire by the light cruiser HMS Orion. Despite this deluge of fire and steel, the Germans hold fast. The next day, June 11, 22nd Armored Brigade of Brigadier W. R. N. Hinde belonging to the 7th Armored Division approached Lingèvres by the north. Squadron A of the 5th Royal Tank Regiment supports the infantry of Company I of the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade in the Lingèvres Forest: the tanks are taken to task by German tanks while an ambush is stretched to the English soldiers in the forest. These elements fell and the order was given at noon to the 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment (56th Infantry Brigade), then located in the village of Bernières about 2 kilometers north-west, to seize the forest of Lingèvres Era located near the farm of the Verrières). Guided by the corps commander of 2nd Battalion Essex, Lieutenant-Colonel J. F. Higson, companies A (left) and C (right) are in the first step, companies B and D in second step.
While the British were engaged in the discovery north of Lingèvres, the Germans opened fire with their machine guns, artillery and tanks (including two Panther tanks); The wounded and the dead litter the battlefield and the soldiers rush to the shelter in the forest. Two Messerschmit BF 109 fighter ships flying low and strafing the Company A sector. Lieutenant-Colonel Higson ordered his men to cover and dig battle holes to spend the night; SdKfz 251 with flamethrowers attacked the English positions but when one of the vehicles was destroyed, the others fell back. During the night, General E. C. Pepper (commander of the 56th Infantry Brigade) set up several artillery supports in support of the withdrawal of the 2nd Essex which begins at the first light of 12 June and lasts all day. The regiment lost 150 soldiers during this engagement (killed, wounded, or taken prisoner), and on command, the Lieutenant-Colonel was relieved of his duties and replaced by his deputy, Major Elliott.

 

Pte. Reynolds was PoW No. 82176 and he was held in Stalag VIIA in Görlitz; today it's the Polish town of Zgorzelec.  It was originally set up as a Hitler Youth camp, converted in October 1939 to house both Polish soldiers and civilians. Later held up to 30,000 Allied prisoner PoWs, including Americans, Australians, Belgians, Britons, Canadians, French, Italians, New Zealanders, Slovaks, South Africans and Yugoslavs before its evacuation in February 1945. Its most famous inmate was French composer Olivier Messiaen.  On 14 February 1945 the Americans and British, along with Pte. Reynolds, were forced on a death march out of the camp westward in advance of the Soviet offensive into Germany. The evacuation process was gradually carried out until May 1945. The evacuation took place on foot, with all means of transport driving in front of the people for military purposes. The Death March claimed many victims. Some of the prisoners were taken to Bavaria, and others to Thuringia, where they were freed by the Allies. The last evacuation of the camp took place on 7 May 1945, when the Soviet army freed the prisoners.

[azyeoman]

Another very nice Boer War PoW additionn. consisting of a QSA with RoK, Paard, Drie, Joburg, DH, and a KSA with SA01, SA02 named to 26646 Dvr. A. G. Willis RHA

 

Alfred George Willis a 19-year-old laborer from Islington who enlisted into the Royal Horse Artillery at Dalston in 1898. He served in south Africa from October 1899 until November 1902, and was discharged in 1910. He was taken prisoner of war at Uitval's Nek on the 11th of July 1900. While in South Africa, Willis took part in the expedition to Koodosberg Drift in beginning of February 1900, and in the relief of Kimberley, and in the subsequent advances to Bloemfontein and Pretoria. A section was with a squadron of the Scots Greys and the Lincolns in the disaster at Nitral's or Uitval Nek, 11th July 1900 when the guns were lost.

 

It was dawn on 11th July 1900, that the troops were fired upon from two unoccupied peaks above the pass. The Boer Burghers, under Assistant Commandant-General J.H. de la Rey then charged the guns and captured them in their position at Uitval Nek, another name for Silkaats Nek, it being named after a farm located just to the south of the pass. The by late afternoon the entire pass had been taken by the Boers.

 
The squadron of Scots Greys together with the commanding officer, adjutant and 84 men of the Lincolnshire Regiment, along with all the surviving men of the artillery, were taken prisoner, and British losses numbered 24 killed and 44 wounded, and 198 taken prisoner, with Willis among the latter number.

 

This action was one of the first successful actions which marked the beginning of the guerrilla warfare aspect of the Boer War. De le Rey’s force, had launched a three pronged attack which eventually surrounded the British force, and despite a gallant defence, the British and Colonial troops were forced to surrender. 

 

For more information, see the above post in this thread to 72665 Gnr. E.W. Pearcy, O Batt. RHA who was captured with Willis at Uitsval's Nek also known as Nitral's Nek, Silkaatsnek, or Zilikat's Nek.

Edited December 21, 2022 by azyeoman

[azyeoman]

 

A First World War South African Forces German South West Africa and Battle of the Somme Prisoner of War trio with a happy ending. 

 

1914-1915 Star; (SJT. A.W.R. SHAW 4TH INFANTRY)

British War Medal

South African issue bi-lingual Victory Medal; (SJT. A.W. REAY-SHAW. 1ST. S.A.I.)

 

 

Allan Wilson Reay-Shaw, known as Allen Shaw, was born in 1894 in Grahamstown, Cape Province, SA. He was the son of John Reay-Shaw.  He worked at the National Bank as a bank clerk, and enlisted on 14 August 1915 in Potchefstroom as 991 Private with D Company, 4th Infantry, the 1st Eastern Rifles. He was 6' tall, with dark hair  and grey eyes, and had a scar on his right leg.  He  was promoted Sergeant on 10 September 1915. He served as a Sergeant with ‘D’ Company, 1st Eastern Rifles during the campaign in German South West Africa in 1914 and 1915, and was discharged in June 1915. He then re-enlisted into the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force in August 1915, and served as a 1079 Sergeant with ‘B’ Company (recruited from the Eastern Province), 1st South African Infantry Regiment. He sailed for Europe on the SS Durham Castle from 20 September to 11 October 1915 when he landed in England.  He went to France on 27 July 1916 where his regiment was attached to the 9th (Scottish) Division.   He joined his regiment at Delville Wood, and was on the Western Front from 25 July 1916.  He fought in the Battle of the Somme at Delville Wood, but not in the famous battle where the SA Infantry fought off the Germans. He was taken prisoner of war during the attack on the Butte de Warlencourt position (see below)  on 18th October 1916.  He was initially listed as killed in action; however, his parents received a cablegram from London stating he was  "quite well...love",,, He was a PoW in Germany from 18 October 1916 to 17 December 1918. He repatriated on the SS Huntsgreen and landed in Hull on 31 January 1919. He as given a furlough from 2 February to 21 February 1919 and then sailed to South Africa on the SS Orita and was struck "off strength" on 16 March 1919.  discharged on 7th May 1919.

 

Interestingly, his "Proceedings on Discharge" form signed by Reay-Shaw and dated 7 May 1919 at Maitland, Cape, states that he refused dental treatment, but also has typed the following: " I have retained my uniform, greatcoat and blankets on condition that these articles are neither sold nor possession of same transferred to any other person without the sanction of the Discharging Officer, or nearest District Staff Officer.  I have been warned not to wear my uniform after the expiration of my 28 days furlough, and have received a cash payment with which to purchase a suit of civilian clothing."  

 

Butte de Warlencourt  in 1918

 

 

Butte de Warlencourt today.

 

The attacks on the Butte de Warlencourt (7 October – 16 November 1916) describe a tactical incident during the Battle of the Somme.  The Butte de Warlencourt is an ancient burial mound off the Albert-Bapaume road, north-east of Le Sars in the Somme Department in northern France.  It is located on the territory of the commune of Warlencourt-Eaucourt and slightly north of a minor road to Gueudecourt and Eaucourt l'Abbaye. During the First World War, German troops constructed deep dugouts in the Butte and surrounded it by several belts of barbed wire, making it a formidable defensive position in advance of Gallwitz Riegel (Gird Trenches to the British). After the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (15–22 September 1916), the view from the Butte dominated the new British front line and was used by the Germans for artillery observation.  During the Battle of Le Transloy (1–20 October 1916), the Butte de Warlencourt was the subject of several attacks by the British Fourth Army, which were costly failures; attacks in November were also defeated.

 

18 October
On 17 October, as two companies of Infantry Regiment 104 counter-attacked, they were confronted by a "gigantic iron dragon" (a tank) which fired on German positions with machine-guns and light guns. Most of the 9th Company was annihilated before the tank retired. The capture of the Butte by the 9th (Scottish) Division was postponed and Snag Trench was made the objective of an attack at 3:40 a.m. on 18 October. On the right flank an attack was to be made by the 30th Division. The 26th Brigade was to attack with a battalion in line, the four companies moving on platoon fronts with a supporting company and a machine-gun company; Stokes mortars were to add to the bombardment of the German front line. On the left flank, the South African Brigade was to attack with the 1st Regiment, with three companies in line, also on platoon fronts, one company in support and one in reserve. The weather broke again and the attack took place in a deluge. 

 

On the right, the battalion advanced close to the creeping barrage and rushed Snag Trench as the standing barrage lifted; the garrison ran back to the Gird trenches. A counter-attack began after fifteen minutes, bombed back into the trench on the right and was repulsed soon after. On the left, the South African left flank was repulsed and contact was lost with the right flank units until 9:30 a.m., when a Lewis gun crew made contact with the 26th Brigade battalion, which had also met troops of the 30th Division. In the afternoon, a party of German troops were seen massing for a counter-attack and were dispersed by artillery and small arms fire. At 5:30 p.m. a counter-attack on the left was also repulsed. During the night a British pioneer company arrived and dug a communication trench back to the old front line. 

The Lewis gun team was the only South African party to reach the objective; the center and right-hand companies disappeared, apart from the Lewis gunners and a few wounded. It was thought that the South Africans overran Snag Trench, which was unrecognizable and were cut down by the machine-guns at the Butte; a few stragglers returned later in the day with 19 prisoners. The left flank company was stopped by uncut wire and then caught by machine-gun fire, which inflicted many casualties; the remaining troops retired to the British front line. Furse ordered another attack for 5:45 p.m. and for the main German strong point the Nose to be bombarded, before the South Africans captured it and formed a trench block 500 yd (457 m) up Tail Trench. The rainstorm had turned the ground into a sea of mud so deep that moving 1,000 yd (914 m) took four hours. A company was to attack from the Pimple and another was to get into Snag Trench east of the Nose and attack westwards. The attack from the Pimple entered a hollow, full of German machine-gun nests which stopped the advance. The South African party got into Snag Trench and advanced to within 25 yd (23 m) of the Nose and were then repulsed by the fire of three machine-guns, reoccupying Snag Trench a few hours later. 
 

Edited January 16, 2023 by azyeoman

[azyeoman]

I am exceptionally pleased to have acquired this medal to Holt Waring, who was captured at Lindley.  Now I have at least one medal to each of the companies present when the 13th Battalion surrendered to De Wet on 31 May 1900.

 

 

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (9604 Pte. H. Waring, 45th. Coy. Imp: Yeo:)

 

Holt Waring served with the 45th (Dublin Hunt) Company, 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa during the Boer War and was taken Prisoner of War at well known surrender of the 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry at Lindley on 31 May 1900. The 45th, otherwise known as the Irish Hunt Company, comprising five officers and 116 other ranks, departed from Dublin for Holyhead on Monday 13 March 1900 on board the steamer Hibernia. There they entrained for Liverpool, where they sailed for Cape Town on board the SS Montrose.

 

Holt Waring, of Waringstown, Co. Down, was born on 26 May 1877, the son of Colonel Thomas Waring and Fanny Waring (nee Tucker). He was husband of Margaret Waring of Waringstown, County Down, and brother-in-law of Lieutenant Samuel Barbour 'Barrie' Combe, also of the North Irish Horse. Having served in the Boer War, Waring was commissioned as a lieutenant on 17 July 1903 and joined the North of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry. In July 1908 he joined the newly-formed North Irish Horse. He was promoted to captain on 6 February 1909 and major on 12 December 1914. Waring had joined the newly formed D Squadron of the North Irish Horse, which arrived in France on 2 May 1915, attached to the 51st (Highland) Division. Later that month he took command of C Squadron of the North Irish Horse, which had been in France since the beginning of the war. On 4 August 1916 Major Waring was attached to the 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles. Major Waring led his men when the 36th Ulster Division and the 16th Irish Division attacked at the Battle of Messines in June 1917. Two months later he took command of the 13th Rifles when Colonel Maxwell was wounded at the Battle of Passchendaele. In November 1917 the 11th and 13th Royal Irish Rifles were amalgamated to form the 11/13th Battalion. When it was disbanded in February 1918 Waring was moved to the 12th Royal Irish Rifles. On 21 March 1918, the Germans launched a massive offensive. The 36th Division, and the 12th Royal Irish Rifles in particular, sustained heavy casualties. The survivors were then sent into the lines in the Ypres Salient in the area around Kemmel Hill, just as the Germans commenced an offensive in that sector. On the night of 12/13 April, Waring led a company of 12th Rifles in a counter attack, along with a company of the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers led by the Lieutenant Colonel Philip Kelly. Their position restored, dawn brought more determined attacks by the Germans on the trenches held by the 12th Rifles. That attack, and others during the day, were repulsed. At dawn on 15 April, the Germans launched an artillery and infantry attack and broke through on the left flank. Waring led a combined force of the remnants of the 12th Rifles and 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers, and though they failed to win back the ground lost, they stopped the German advance. Holt Waring died of wounds sustained during this action.

 

Waring was buried at Lindenhoek, east of Mount Kemmel (map reference 28.N.27.c.9.5). His comrades placed a cross over his grave which read: "In loving memory of Major Holt Waring. 13th Royal Irish Rifles. Attd 12th Royal Irish Rifles. Died of wounds, 15.4.18." After the war his body was exhumed and re-buried at Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, grave II.E.7. The gravestone inscription reads:
MAJOR
H. WARING
ROYAL IRISH RIFLES
15TH APRIL 1918

Major Holt Waring's 1914-15 Star Trio are on display at the regimental museum. The victory lacks the MID emblem and the death plaque is either not with the Museum or not on display.

 

 

[azyeoman]

A fine 19th Hussars WIA and PoW pair.

QSA with Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Lanig's Nek and Belfast clasps.

KSA with SA01 and SA02 clasps.

Officially named to: 3893 Pte. R Childs, 19th Hrs.

 

Childs was dangerously wounded at Lombard's Kop on 30/10/99, and later taken PoW at Helvetia on 29/12/1900. 

 

Robert Childs was a labourer who was born in Chelmsford, Essex in 1873.  He enlisted in Canterbury on 14/11/1892.  He was 5'7" and weighed 129 lbs.  He had dark brown hair and brown eyes.  He was C of E.  He served from 1892 to 1909.  Home 1892 to 1894; India 1894 to 1899; S. Africa 1899 to 1902; Home 1902 to 1903 and then Army Reserve from 1903 to 1904. 

 

Information from the Anglo Boer War Site.

Surname      Forename/inits      Regimental no      Rank      Notes 
Childs    R    3893    Private    Wounded at Farquhar's Farm. 30 Oct 1899.
Source: Natal Field Force Casualty Roll, page 15 line 9

Childs    R    3893    Private    QSA (4). Wounded, Farquhar's Farm, 30 Oct 99. Prisoner, Helvetia, 29 Dec 00. Released.
Source: QSA medal rolls

Childs    R    3893    Private    Prisoner. Helvetia, 29 December 1900
Released
Source: South African Field Force Casualty Roll

Childs    R    3893    Private    QSA (4) DoL OFS LN Belf
Provisional list of recipients
Source: Ladysmith Siege Account and Medal Roll

 

Edited April 20, 2023 by azyeoman

[azyeoman]

A new QSA to a trooper from the South African Constabulary for a very late action in the war.

 

Queens South Africa Medal to Trooper Kewell South African Constabulary
Officially named to: 608 TPR. E.J. KEWELL S.A.C. Five clasps for Transvaal, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 and 1902.
Edward James Kewell was taken Prisoner of War on February 23rd 1902 at Bothaville, Orange Free State.

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by azyeoman

[azyeoman]

On 28/08/2022 at 10:57, azyeoman said:

Royal Navy groups are not common and this is a most interesting one to JX141865 AB H.W. Deer, RN

NGS with Palestine 1936-39 Palestine Clasp

1939 Star

Atlantic Star

War Medal

 

Deer was serving on board HMS Voltaire, which was sunk by the Kriegsmarine auxiliary cruiser Thor on 4 April 1941.

The Action of 4 April 1941 was a naval battle fought during the Atlantic Campaign of the Second World War. A German commerce raider encountered a British auxiliary cruiser and sank her with heavy losses after an hour of fighting. Background The Kriegsmarine auxiliary cruiser Thor was raiding in the mid Atlantic in early 1941. On that cruise, the Germans engaged two other British merchant ships in surface battles but they ended indecisively. So when Thor encountered HMS Voltaire, her crew were already battle tested and anxious to sink an enemy combatant. Thor was 122 m (400 ft 3 in) long and weighed 9,200 long tons (9,300 t), she was armed with six 150 mm (5.9 in), two 37 mm (1.46 in) and four 20 mm (0.79 in) naval guns along with four 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes. The raider also carried an Arado Ar 196A-1 floatplane for reconnaissance and had a complement of 349 officers and crewmen. HMS Voltaire was larger than the raider—displacing 13,245 long tons (13,458 t)—but with a smaller crew of 269 men and officers. She had eight 152 mm (6.0 in) and two 76 mm (2.99 in) naval guns, including at least one anti-aircraft mount. Thor was returning to Germany when she found Voltaire heading to Freetown about 900 mi (780 nmi; 1,400 km) southwest of the Cape Verde Islands Action It was about 06:15 on 4 April when crewmen of Thor spotted smoke on the horizon. Captain Otto Kaehler assumed the vessel to be a coal burning ship so he altered course into the direction of the smoke. When the Germans were able to make visual contact with HMS Voltaire, they suspected she was a neutral ocean liner as she did not attempt to escape. The British—under Captain J.A. Blackburn—sighted the approaching Germans coming head on, so they fired a burst of anti-aircraft fire as signal for identification. A signal from Thor was not returned, but the British soon discovered the identity of the approaching ship at about 06:45, when it replaced the flag of Greece with a German naval ensign and fired a shot across Voltaire's bow. The British responded by manning their guns and firing a broadside with their mixed armament, but to no avail; they were outgunned and outranged. After only four minutes of dueling at around 9,000 m (9,800 yd) away, the Germans began striking Voltaire with their 150 mm (5.9 in) guns. The first shots entered the radio room and the generator room of Voltaire, heavily damaging the vessel, knocking out communications and steering gear and putting her into a list. Heavy fires also broke out and nearly covered the entire deck of the British ship. Despite the fire the Royal Navy gunners continued fighting for nearly an hour. For the next several minutes, the two sides fired; only one British shot managed to hit Thor, and it caused no casualties, the shot tearing off some radio equipment attached to the main mast. By 07:15, only two of the British 152 mm (6.0 in) guns were in action, while Thor circled around Voltaire, firing rapidly. At 08:00, the German's 150 mm (5.9 in) guns overheated so Captain Kaehler decided on a torpedo attack to end the engagement. But just as Thor was lining up to fire a spread, a white flag was observed aboard Voltaire and so the firing ceased. Captain Blackburn—having lost 72 men killed in action—gave the order to abandon ship and for the next five hours the Germans rescued 197 survivors, two of whom died later on and the rest became prisoners of war. Koehler also recorded that half of the rescued sailors were wounded. After the battle, Thor continued on to Germany to refit for a second raiding voyage. She had fired 724 rounds in a 55 minute battle, more than 50 percent of her ammunition

 

Most of the PoWs were sent to Marlag und Milag Nord, but some such as AB Deer ended up in Stalag VIII-B (Lamsdorf), later numbered Stalag 344.  The hospital facilities at Stalag VIII-B were among the best in all Stalags. The so-called Lazarett was set up on a separate site with eleven concrete buildings. Six of them were self-contained wards, each with space for about 100 patients. The others served as treatment blocks with operating theaters, X-ray and laboratory facilities, as well as kitchens, a morgue, and accommodations for the medical staff.

The lazarett was headed by a German officer with the title Oberst Arzt ("Colonel Doctor"), but the staff was made up entirely of prisoners. They included general physicians and surgeons, even a neurosurgeon, psychiatrist, anesthesiologist and radiologist.

 

In January 1945, as the Soviet armies resumed their offensive and advanced into Germany, many of the prisoners were marched westward in groups of 200 to 300 on Death Marches. Some died from the bitter cold and exhaustion. The lucky ones got far enough to the west to be liberated by the American army. The unlucky ones got liberated by the Soviets, who instead of turning them over quickly to the western allies, held them as virtual hostages for several more months. Many of them were finally repatriated towards the end of 1945 through the port of Odessa on the Black Sea.

  Here are some original German files for Deer who was incarcerated in Lamdorf.  One card is particularly nice as it has his photograph and as such puts a face to a name.  I thank Rob P', another PoW collector, very much for his help in finding these and forwarding them on to me.  

[azyeoman]

Another Boer War PoW group to a sergeant and later colour sergeant of the 1st Bn. Suffolk Regiment for the night attack at Colesberg on 6 January 1900. 

 

QSA: CC, OFS, TR – 3361 Sjt. H. Britton, 1 Suffolk Regt.
KSA: SA01, SA02 – 3361 Sjt. H. Britton, 1 Suffolk Regt.
LSGC EVII – 3361 C Sjt. H. Britton, Suffolk Regt.
PoW Colesberg 06/01/1901

 

Three: Colour Sergeant H. Britton, 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, who was taken prisoner of war at Colesberg, 6 January 1900

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (3361 Sgt H. Britton, 1st Suffolk Regt); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (3361 Serjt: H. Britton. Suffolk Regt); Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (3361 C. Sjt: H. Britton. Suffolk Regt)

Harry James Britton was born in Sudbury, Suffolk, and attested for the Suffolk Regiment at Colchester in October 1892. He advanced to Corporal in December 1895, and to Sergeant in November 1899. Britton served with the 1st Battalion in South Africa from November 1899 to September 1902, and was taken prisoner of war at Colesberg on 6 January 1900. He rejoined his Battalion on 30 September later that same year, and advanced to Colour Sergeant in May 1904 (awarded L.S. & G.C. in 1911).  Britton was discharged in October 1913, after 21 years’ service with the Colors. He re-enlisted in the 5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment on 1 June 1915, only to be invalided out of service as medically unfit on 2 October 1916.

 

Britton    H    3361    Colour Sergeant    Prisoner. Colesberg, 6 January 1900
1st Battalion.
Source: South African Field Force Casualty Roll

 

The 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment sailed on the Scot in November 1899, and arrived at the Cape on the 28th of that month.  They were sent to assist General French in the Colesberg district.  After the battalion had been about a month in the colony they entered on an enterprise which was to prove most disastrous.  In the early morning of the 1st January the Berkshires had successfully assaulted a hill forming part of the Colesberg defences.  On the 4th the Boers had been driven from other hills, but there was still another hill—Grassey or Suffolk Hill—on the north-west portion of the defenses which General French considered to be the key to the position.

On the 5th it was carefully reconnoitered, and the possibility of its capture was discussed with Colonel Watson.  General French says: "I gave him a free hand to rush the position at night if he saw a favorable chance, but he was to inform me and all the troops in his neighborhood of his intention to do so.  I heard no more, but left Rensburg at 2 am and reached the Colesberg position shortly before dawn.  At dawn we heard sharp musketry-fire in the direction of Grassey Hill.  I directed Colonel Eustace to get his guns into position to assist the attack which I thought Colonel Watson must be making.  The artillery got into action at once against the Grassey Hill defenses, but in a few minutes I received news that nearly 300 men of the Suffolk Regiment had returned to camp, having received an order from 'some one' to retire".  General French "considered that Colonel Watson and his four companies would have attained success had the majority of his men not been seized with panic and retired".  The colonel and other 3 officers and 25 men were killed, and 1 officer and 23 men were wounded; 5 officers and over 100 men were taken prisoners.  Night attacks are proverbially dangerous.  Here the enemy had been found on the alert, and a murderous fire had been poured into the troops before they could get in with the bayonet or take cover.

Courts of inquiry were held, the evidence before which is printed in the proceedings of the War Commission.  Captain Brett said that their orders were to charge without firing.  They advanced up the hill, but were met by a heavy fire; the enemy appeared to be quite close.  After a short interval the colonel gave the order to retire; confusion arose owing to the darkness and roughness of the ground.  The colonel then ordered him to take the crest of the hill, where it seems the leading company still held its ground.  Witness advanced as ordered, but appears to have done so with only a portion of his company.  He was then wounded, and lay unconscious.  On recovering he found himself among a number of killed and wounded.  Shells from the British guns then commenced to fall among them.  Eventually Captain Brett surrendered.  The courts exonerated the officers and men, and it is noted that "no evidence, however, appears to have been given before any court of inquiry showing the circumstances of the panic in the rear of the force", as referred to by Lieutenant General French.

This affair was a very unfortunate beginning to the battalion's campaigning career, and it was a long time before it was again permitted to go into the fighting line—but the time did come.

After some service in the Orange River Colony the battalion moved to the Transvaal.  In the beginning of July 1900 they were with General French, whose force was distributed about thirty miles south-east of Pretoria, and shortly advanced eastwards, occupying Middelburg on the 26th.

In August Lord Roberts made another great stride towards Koomati Poort.  At Wonderfontein the Suffolks were placed under Mahon, the reliever of Mafeking, and with that officer joined French at Carolina on 6th September.  Before that general could reach Barberton he had to cross mountains of great height, and one of the feats of the war was the taking of the guns and transport over these mountains.  The infantry had to haul wagons up the one side and to hold on behind at the other side until the soles were knocked off their boots.

On 2nd and 3rd October French left Barberton for Machadodorp, and started thence for Heidelberg with three brigades of cavalry, three batteries of Horse Artillery, and one-half of the Suffolks.  Almost every day the force was opposed, and there was much stiff fighting.

In the beginning of November Smith-Dorrien operated near Belfast, where there was a strong force of Boers.

Part of the Suffolks were with him, and on the 6th drove the enemy from a strong position.

Nine officers and 12 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in Lord Roberts' final dispatches.

In November 1900 the Suffolks were railed down to the Bethulie-Aliwal North district to assist General Knox in the pursuit of De Wet, and also in keeping the enemy out of Cape Colony, and when the pressure there had relaxed they were sent north again.  In the first quarter of 1901 part of the battalion accompanied Smith-Dorrien from Belfast district to Piet Retief and then northwards again.  The battalion was later taken to assist in the erecting and garrisoning of blockhouses in the Western Transvaal (Letter from Lieutenant Brooke, published in 'The Oxfordshire Light Infantry in South Africa'.  He said: "Here on the left flank we had a desperate hot fight ...  Two hundred of them got within 70 yards of one of our guns, and would have captured it but for a magnificent man in the Suffolk Mounted Infantry who was escorting the gun with only six men.  He held his ground, gave the order to fix bayonets, then looking round saw a maxim strapped on the back of a mule.  He got up, calmly walked back, and brought the maxim into action, driving off the Boers at once". Major Taylor in his official report specially mentioned the Suffolk Mounted Infantry).

It is satisfactory that after its unfortunate start the battalion purchased its redemption by consistently good work during a period of nearly two years.

The Mounted Infantry of the battalion saw much stiff fighting, and were in the brilliant action at Bothaville, 6th November 1900.  (See Oxford Light Infantry.)

In Lord Kitchener's final despatch 3 officers and 5 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned.

 

Background and an account of the battle from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Great Boer War, London, Smith, Elder and Co, 1902

 

Arundel was weakly held, and French advanced up to it, and established his camp there towards the end of December, within ten kilometres of the Boer lines at Rensburg, to the south of Colesberg. His mission - with his present forces - was to prevent the further advance of the Boers into Cape Colony, but he was not strong enough yet to make a serious attempt to drive them out.
Before the move to Arundel on 13 December his detachment had increased in size, and consisted largely of mounted men, so that it attained a mobility very unusual for a British force. On 13 December there was an attempt upon the part of the Boers to advance south, which was easily held by the British Cavalry and Horse Artillery. The country over which French was operating is dotted with those singular kopjes which the Boer loves - kopjes which are often so grotesque in shape that one feels as if they must be due to some error of refraction when one looks at them. But, on the other hand, between these hills there lie wide stretches of the green or russet savanna, the noblest field that a horseman or a horse gunner could wish. The riflemen clung to the hills, French's troopers circled warily upon the plain, gradually contracting the Boer position by threatening to cut off this or that outlying kopje, and so the Boers was slowly herded into Colesberg. The small but mobile British force covered a very large area, and hardly a day passed that one or other part of it did not come in contact with the Boers. With one regiment of infantry (the Berkshires) to hold the center, his hard-riding Australians and New Zealanders, with the Scots Greys, the Inniskillings, and the Carabineers, formed an elastic but impenetrable screen to cover the Boer advance into the Cape Colony. They were aided by two batteries, 0 and R, of Horse Artillery. Every day General French rode out and made a close personal examination of the Boers' position, while his scouts and outposts were instructed to maintain the closest possible touch.
On 30 December the Boers abandoned Rensburg, which had been their advanced post, and concentrated at Colesberg, upon which French moved his force up and seized Rensburg. The very next day, December 31st, he began a vigorous and long-continued series of operations. At five o'clock on Sunday evening he moved out of Rensburg camp, with R and half of 0 batteries RHA, the 10th Hussars, the Inniskillings, and the Berkshires, to take up a position on the west of Colesberg. At the same time Colonel Porter, with the half-battery of 0, his own regiment (the Carabineers), and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles, left camp at two on the Monday morning and took a position on the Boers' left flank. The Berkshires under Major McCracken seized hill, driving a Boer picket off it, and the Horse enfiladed the Boers' right flank, and after a risk artillery duel succeeded in silencing his guns. Next morning (2 January 1900), however, it was found that the Boers, strongly reinforced, were back near their old positions, and French had to be content to hold them and to wait for more troops.

These were not long in coming, for the Suffolk Regiment had arrived, followed by the Composite Regiment (chosen from the Household Cavalry) and the 4th Battery RFA. The Boers, however, had also been reinforced, and showed great energy in their effort to break the cordon which was being drawn round them. Upon the 4th a determined effort was made by about a thousand of them under General Shoemann to turn the left flank of the British, and at dawn it was actually found that they had eluded the vigilance of the outposts and had established themselves upon a hill to the rear of the position. They were shelled off of it, however, by the guns of 0 Battery, and in their retreat across the plain they were pursued by the 10th Hussars and by one squadron of the Inniskillings, who cut off some of the fugitives. At the same time, De Lisle with his mounted infantry carried the position which they had originally held. In this successful and well-managed action, the Boer loss was ninety, and we took in addition twenty-one prisoners. Our own casualties amounted only to six killed, including Major Harvey of the 10th, and to fifteen wounded.

Encouraged by this success an attempt was made by the Suffolk Regiment to carry a hill which formed the key of the Boers' position. The town of Colesberg lies in a basin surrounded by a ring of kopjes, and the possession by us of any one of them would have made the place untenable. The plan has been ascribed to Colonel Watson of the Suffolks, but it is time that some protest should be raised against this devolution of responsibility upon subordinates in the event of failure. When success has crowned our arms, we have been delighted to honor our general; but when our efforts end in failure our attention is called to Colonel Watson, Colonel Long, or Colonel Thorneycroft. It is fairer to state that in this instance General French ordered Colonel Watson to make a night attack upon the hill.

The result was disastrous. At midnight four companies in canvas shoes or in their stocking feet set forth upon their venture, and just before dawn they found themselves upon the slope of the hill. They were in a formation of quarter column with files extended to two paces; H Company was leading. When half-way up a warm fire was opened upon them in the darkness. Colonel Watson gave the order to retire, intending, as it is believed, that the men should get under the shelter of the dead ground which they had just quitted, but his death immediately afterwards left matters in a confused condition. The night was black, the ground broken, a hail of bullets whizzing through the ranks. Companies got mixed in the darkness and contradictory orders were issued. The leading company held its ground, though each of the officers, Brett, Carey, and Butler, was struck down. The other companies had retired, however, and the dawn found this fringe of men, most of them wounded, lying under the very rifles of the Boers. Even then they held out for some time, but they could neither advance, retire, or stay where they were without losing lives to no purpose, so the survivors were compelled to surrender. There is better evidence here than at Magersfontein that the Boers were warned and ready. Every one of the officers engaged, from the Colonel to the boy subaltern, was killed, wounded, or taken. Eleven officers and one hundred and fifty men were our losses in this unfortunate but not discreditable affair, which proves once more how much accuracy and how much secrecy is necessary for a successful night attack. Four companies of the regiment were sent down to Port Elizabeth to re-officer, and the arrival of the 1st Essex enabled French to fill the gap which had been made in his force.
 

Edited July 30, 2023 by azyeoman

[POWCollector]

Nice group and interesting story; I like that the LSGC is an Edward VII issue! Looking forward to the next addition😀

[azyeoman]

Am exceptionally fine Boer War ‘Casualty’ pair awarded to Private A. MacKay, Imperial Yeomanry, who was captured at Zwartskopjefontein on 20 April 1900, released, and then witnessed extensive action at De La Reys Farm in December 1900 - which he documented in a fascinating letter to his nephew soon thereafter.

 

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, unofficial rivets (and glue) between state and date clasps (535 Pte. A. MacKay, 9th. Coy. 3rd. Imp: Yeo:); Yorkshire Tribute Medal 1900-1901(Type 1), 3rd Battalion, South Africa 1900-1901 (535 A. Mackay) mounted for wear, good very fine (2)

Andrew MacKay was born in Skipton, Yorkshire, in 1866. A draper employed by the firm Baxter & MacKay, he attested at Sheffield for the Imperial Yeomanry on 8 January 1900 and served in South Africa from 28 January 1900 to 9 June 1901. Serving with the 9th (Yorkshire Hussars) Company, 3rd Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, MacKay was captured by the Boers on 20 April 1900. His Army Service Record adds that he was wounded on 21 April 1900, with a contemporary newspaper report stating: ‘he was shot through the arm’. Sent to hospital in Waterval, MacKay was one of three thousand prisoners released on 6 June 1900 by a squadron of the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) commanded by Captain F. S. Maude.

Recovered from his wound, MacKay returned to the fight as part of a column tasked with reinforcing Colonel Money at Ottoshoop. A copied letter dated 12 December 1900, from the recipient to his nephew, George, describes what happened:
‘We were the advance guard and that day I was Orderly for Captain Wombwell who was leading us. We didn’t get very far before we were into action and had to retire as the fire was too hot for us and we had no cover... Eventually we moved them out [from a very strong entrenched position on a high Kopje] but they cleared out into another Kopje about a mile in front of us and gave us a right royal salute from their Mausers. We got our guns, Pom Poms and Maxims into action which cleared them out over two hours shelling and rifle fire. They must have lost heavy as our Gunners had got the range to a few yards...

Next day we started at 4 a.m. and had not proceeded far before we were in action again and fought all the way within a couple of miles from here. We managed to kill General Lerner that day which I think will have a great effect on the Boers. 16 came in today and gave up their arms. The Boers fought well and came right out into the open, it is the first time that I have seen them do it but I think they are hungry and intended having the convoy but we kept them at bay.’

Proceeding to Litchenburg, MacKay faced peril once again - but not in consequence of bullet or shell, rather the burrowing habits of the native fauna. Tasked with an opportunist pursuit of the ‘wily Boer’, he was fortunate not to come to harm:

‘We got the order to gallop and we kept it up for about ten miles, many a poor fellow come a cropper as the ground was so very uneven and full of holes made by a small animal about the size of a squirrel (meerkat) but they burrow a hole much larger than a rabbit. I was one of the lucky ones as I managed to keep my horse on his feet but I have had many a nasty fall out here. When we got within 2 miles of the Laager, we could see them flying all over the veldt so we had to use the spurs to try and cut them off. When we got within about a thousand of them they gave us a right royal salute from their mausers...’

Returned to England with his Squadron, MacKay re-enlisted with the 120th Company, Imperial Yeomanry, and returned to South Africa from 8 February 1902 to 10 July 1902. He later married and lived in Skipton, and it was here in his home town that he died in June 1926 after purposefully drinking a mug of tea laced with prussic acid.

Edited December 7, 2023 by azyeoman

[POWCollector]

Great addition to your collection! I love the Yorkshire Tribute medal! Well done 😃

[azyeoman]

Morton & Eden will be auctioning the majority of these PoW medals, groups, badges and ephemera on 29 February 2024. The catalogue is online now and you can see all the lots via the Morton & Eden website. It’s an opportunity to add some excellent PoW medals to your collections. All the best, and good luck!

 

Here's the link:  https://www.mortonandeden.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/125web.pdf

 

Edited February 6 by azyeoman

[azyeoman]

Although I'm auctioning my PoW collection via Morton & Eden (See above post), I am NOT auctioning my collection of 2nd Anglo-Boer War PoW medals and groups.

 

I have recently acquired one of the most desirable medals for the 2nd Boer War, and not only does it finish my quest for acquiring one of each of the clasps for the war, but it also is to a PoW.  Of course it's a QSA with a Defence of Mafeking clasp.  The research, with the help of some fellows at the Anglo-Boer War Forum is most interesting and brings more to life the man behind the medal.  I hope you'll find it as interesting as I do.

 

This QSA is a superb Defense of Mafeking Prisoner of War Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 3 Clasps: Orange Free State, Defence of Mafeking, Transvaal awarded to Trooper A.F. Wood, Protectorate Regiment Frontier Force who is confirmed as having taken part in the defense of Mafeking which lasted from 13th October 1899 through to 17th May 1900 as well as on operations in the Transvaal and Orange Free State, he was taken Prisoner of War after going out into the open to tend and guard his wounded brother, Trooper A J Wood, Protectorate Regiment, he would later be released on 26th December 1899.

 

Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 3 Clasps: Orange Free State, Defence of Mafeking, Transvaal; (102 TPR. A.F. WOOD. PROTECT: REGT F.F.)

 

A.F. Wood saw service as a Trooper (No. 102) with the Protectorate Regiment – Frontier Force and is confirmed as having taken part in the defense of Mafeking which lasted from 13th October 1899 through to 17th May 1900 as well as on operations in the Transvaal and Orange Free State.  He joined the regiment on 18/08/1899 and was discharged on 31/10/1900.  His brother, 103 Trooper A.J. Wood (Alfred Joseph) joined on the same day and was KIA on 26/12/1899 in the attack on Game Tree Hill.  Arthur Frederick Wood was captured trying to guard and help his wounded brother, and was later released on 26 December 1899.

 

Arthur Frederick Wood was born in Bethnal Green, London on 5 July 1871.  He was the son of Thomas C and Hannah A Wood. He was the older brother of Alfred Wood. They both enlisted in the PRFF on 18 August 1899 and were posted to C Squadron. He as age 29. Nationality: English. Trade: Chemist. NOK: Mother, 29 Trelawney Road, Hackney, London. He was taken prisone on 26 December 1899; the day his brother (Alfred Joseph Wood) was killed. 'Two brothers named Wood ran away from home to seek glory on the field. They were both in the fight. One of them was wounded: the other returned when the fight was over and stood guard over him until arrested by the Boers and dragged away from his injured brother, who subsequently died.' (Neilly, Chapter 12). Served PTC 12 June to 11 October 1900. Discharged 31 October 1900. Character very good. Address after discharge: c/o P J Peterson & Co, Barrack Street, Cape Town. He married to Lilian Isabel Parrett on 25 March 1903 in Wynberg. He worked as a commercial traveler based at 'Mafeking', 20 Abinger Road, Pokesdown, Bournemouth, c 1911. In 1921 he was still living at "Mafeking" and working as a "Commercial Traveler for Tea Merchants". The Tea Merchants in question being R R MacLeod of 42 Upper Thames St, London. The family moved back to England between 1905 & 1910 based on the ages of his children as the eldest was born In SA and the youngest in England. He was a tea dealer in Christchurch, Hampshire in 1939. His death was registered in the Christchurch district in the first quarter of 1960 when he was aged 88.

 

Charles Christopher Wood was killed on 26 December 1899 but he was NOT the brother of Arthur. Arthur's brother was Alfred Joseph Wood.

 Alfred Joseph Wood was born in Bethnal Green in 1878. He was the son of Thomas C and Hannah A Wood. He was the younger brother of Arthur Frederick Wood. They both ran away from home and enlisted in the PRFF 18 August 1899.  They were posted to C Squadron.  Alfred was age 22. Nationality: English. Trade: Bookkeeper. NOK: Mother, 29 Trelawney Road, Hackney, London. Killed in action, 26 December 1899. He was shot through the body and died in the Mafeking Hospital after four hours.

 

The action at Game Tree Hill, 26th December 1899. "Two squadrons Protectorate Regiment, supported by armored train and Bechuanaland Rifles, were ordered to attack enemy's works from left flank under Major Godley, while three guns and a maxim prepared the way from the right front of the work. On pressing home, the attack a heavy fire killed or wounded most of the officers and leading troops. These succeeded in gaming the parapet, but the work was found to have been strongly roofed in and so closed as to be impregnable". The British losses were this time very serious. Captain R J Vernon, Captain H C Sandford, Lieutenant H P Paton, and 21 non-commissioned officers and men were killed, Captain FitzClarence and 22 men wounded, and 3 missing. Colonel Baden-Powell said "If blame for this reverse falls on any one it should fall on myself, as everybody concerned did their part of the work thoroughly well and exactly in accordance with the orders I had issued. Both officers and men worked with splendid courage and spirit".

Wood    A F        Trooper    Prisoner. Mafeking siege, 26 December 1899
Source: South African Field Force Casualty Roll

Wood    Arthur Frederick    102    Trooper    Source: Nominal roll in WO127    Protectorate Regiment

Edited February 7 by azyeoman

[TracA]

Azyeoman,

 

Congratulations on your most recent acquisition. A beautiful specimen coupled with great research that you've done. It's always nice to nab that very desirable piece.

 

I looked at your lots in the Morton and Eden catalog. What a wonderful collection and such amazing research that you've accomplished.

 

A question, if you don't mind: what's it like seeing part of your collection in an auction catalog? I know that someday I too will want to or have to sell my collections, and I've tried to imagine what that would feel like.

 

All the best,

 

Tracy

[azyeoman]

It’s great and it’s good to know that others will enjoy them as much as I have and hopefully find new information on the medal recipients and the events they were involved in.