TOPIC:

Hi forum members,
My latest aquisition is a QSA with clasps RoL and TH to a 2nd battalion West Yorkshire.
Casualty details show on his papers wounded 17/02/1900 but the Natal field force show 24/02/1900
Leach J 2422 Private 2nd Btn. Wounded at Natal. 24 Feb 1900.
Source: Natal Field Force Casualty Roll, page 68 line 17
Am I correct in thinking 24 Feb 1900 was Colenso and the West Yorkshire's were involved.
I will post more details of the man and the medal soon.

Cheers
Paul

Paul

On 24 February 1900, the Battle of Tugela Heights was in full swing. The Battle of Hart's Hill (also known as Inniskilling Hill) took place. Hart's Irish Brigade took the lead, and it was reinforced by the West Yorks, East Surrey and Scottish Rifles. British casualties totalled about 450.

The West Yorks were also in action on 17 February, when they took part in the attacks on Cingolo and Monte Cristo, two of the hills south of the Tugela River that were held by the Boers.

Perhaps your man was wounded on 17 February, but his name was mistakenly added to the longer list of the 24 February battle.

There may be a published history of the West Yorks that gives more precise details of these actions and their casualties.

Regards
Brett

Hello Brett,

Thank you for a concise answer, that would explain a lot.
I suppose we can forgive administrative errors at that particuliar time.
I assume the fights at Cingolo and Monte Cristo were described as "skirmishes" then?

Cheers
Paul

Brett Hendey wrote: Paul

On 24 February 1900, the Battle of Tugela Heights was in full swing. The Battle of Hart's Hill (also known as Inniskilling Hill) took place. Hart's Irish Brigade took the lead, and it was reinforced by the West Yorks, East Surrey and Scottish Rifles. British casualties totalled about 450.

The West Yorks were also in action on 17 February, when they took part in the attacks on Cingolo and Monte Cristo, two of the hills south of the Tugela River that were held by the Boers.

Perhaps your man was wounded on 17 February, but his name was mistakenly added to the longer list of the 24 February battle.

There may be a published history of the West Yorks that gives more precise details of these actions and their casualties.

Regards
Brett

LOL Gentlemen, neither a "skirmish" you would like to be involved in really though!

coldstream wrote: Hello Brett,

Thank you for a concise answer, that would explain a lot.
I suppose we can forgive administrative errors at that particuliar time.
I assume the fights at Cingolo and Monte Cristo were described as "skirmishes" then?

Cheers
Paul

Brett Hendey wrote: Paul

On 24 February 1900, the Battle of Tugela Heights was in full swing. The Battle of Hart's Hill (also known as Inniskilling Hill) took place. Hart's Irish Brigade took the lead, and it was reinforced by the West Yorks, East Surrey and Scottish Rifles. British casualties totalled about 450.

The West Yorks were also in action on 17 February, when they took part in the attacks on Cingolo and Monte Cristo, two of the hills south of the Tugela River that were held by the Boers.

Perhaps your man was wounded on 17 February, but his name was mistakenly added to the longer list of the 24 February battle.

There may be a published history of the West Yorks that gives more precise details of these actions and their casualties.

Regards
Brett

Hello Paul

The West Yorks history has been re-printed by NMP.

Only fatal casualties are named.

For the 17th it shows 2 men killed and 10 wounded and for the 24th the only figure is 11 men wounded from the 22nd - 26th.

The NFF agrees with the regimental history for the 17th but for the 22nd-26th the NFF shows 22 wounded!

But the NFF is full of errors; looking at the 27th (final and major battle on Tugela Heights) the regimental history shows 4 killed and 30 wounded. NFF shows 3 killed and 13 wounded. So some of the men shown for the 22nd-26th in NFF were probably wounded on the 27th.

Would be interesting to cross ref with the casualty list in the papers to if the NFF can be corrected.

Regards
Meurig

Hello Meurig,
And thank you for your reply, lots of conflicting figures!
Its a shame the NFF only states "wounded at Natal" and not a more precise area, that would probably help distinguish the correct date.

Cheers
Paul