TOPIC:

Folks, has anyone further details on an alleged shooting of two Privates serving with the 1st Connaught Rangers. Was provided info that John Rooney and Mitchell Connan were both captured in November 1901 in Dordrecht and shot. It is said that Fouche said they were killed in action and the story was fabricated. Was it just a propaganda story or is there any truth behind it ?

AARAN
SAFF casualty list shows Ptes 6399 Rooney, J and 6538 Cunnane, J of the Connaughts are both shown as "Killed" at Zuurvlakte on 16/11/1901. No other notation. CR had a lot of activity in/around that location.
Regards
IL.

Blockhouse Cemetery Aliwal North

Battalion Orders simply state that the two men were "killed near Zuurvlakte on 16.11.01".

Rooney had joined as part of a draft just a month before his death (taken on strength of Battalion 4 Oct 1901). Both men were members of "F" Company.


Battalion Orders, 1st Connaught Rangers, 2 November 1901




Battalion Orders, 1st Connaught Rangers, 24 January 1902



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Below are the Battalion Orders covering the period 15 to 18 November.

These show that the column moved from Lieuwfontein [Leeuwenfontein] to Zuurvlakte on 16 November, with the battalion bivouacking at Zuurvlakte on the night of the 17 November.

Oddly, there is no mention of a burial party, as one would normally expect to find in orders published on the day of, or the day after an action.







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The following extract from "Regimental Records, The Connaught Rangers, Boer War, 1899-1902" (pp. 115 & 116), suggests there is some truth in the story. A message from Kommandant Fouché, Rouxville Commando, to Lt.-Colonel Moore, O.C. 1st Connaught Rangers, states that the two soldiers had been shot as spies. Given the contents of this message it is difficult to understand why the author (Lt.-Col. H.F.N. Jourdain?) states "we should rather believe it to be untrue".

The account also explains why no burial party was organised. The two men were buried where they fell by a farmer named Becker.







November 16th.

We were still at Lemoenfontein, and a small patrol of ours in search of a horse were cut off by Boers, when returning.
Two of the men managed to get clear, and gallop back to camp, but the other two, being badly mounted, were captured, and, to judge by the accompanying letter, were apparently shot in cold blood.
It is hard to believe that any body of men could be guilty of such cruel murder, and we should certainly rather believe it to be untrue.
Nevertheless, when the bodies of our two poor fellows were afterwards discovered, and buried by farmer Becker, he stated that several empty cartridge cases were found close to them, and that he entertained the gravest suspicions.
These the subjoined letter certainly appears to confirm.

Casualties November 16th, 1901.

Killed.
F. Co., No. 6,399, Pte. ROONEY.
F. Co., No. 6,538, Pte. CONNANE.



Original letter from Commandant Fouché to Lt.-Col. Moore.

Ten Velde,
16de November 1901.

Aan Bevelvoerende Officier,

Hooged Heir,
Hiermede wensch ik Ued te informeeren dat 2 ued spioen door mij doodgeschoten werden juist onder het kopje, en verhoek Ued hem verbegraven.

Uwed D. W. D.
(Signed) W. D. FOUCHÉ,
Kommandant
Rouxville Commando.


Translation.

Herewith I beg to inform you that two of your spies were shot by my order just under the kopje, and I beg of you to have them buried.

The above Translation was supplied by the C.S.O. General Hart, Aliwal North.


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