TOPIC:

This post is regarding 1 of 3 casualties shot by a comrade.
Plus a suicide. Which  took place on Thursday 20th March 1902.
This tragic event involves 2 soldiers of the Imperial Yeomanry 25th Battalion (118th Company)

Private 18020 Albert John Henry Houslop.
Private 18027 Richard  John Hodges.

Albert Houslop was born in 1873 at Tottenham, Middlesex,
He was of fair complexion, with blue eyes and brown hair, approximately 5ft 7 inches tall and 11.14 stone in weight.
His trade was recorded as a Seaman. Before joining the Imperial Yeomanry, Albert had already served with the Imperial Light Horse and Dennisons Scouts. Imperial Yeomanry papers record he was posted on October 31st 1901. Aged 30.

Richard Hodges was born in 1874 at Maker / Antony Cornwall
He was also of fair complexion with blue/ grey eyes,  light brown hair, approximately 5ft 10 inches tall and weighed around 10.5 stone.
It appears that as a boy he served with the Royal Navy as a ships steward up until 1892. Richard also served before he joined the Imperial Yeomanry, with Kitcheners Horse. Imperial Yeomanry papers record he was posted on the 6th November 1901. Aged 29.

The following account of their demise is recorded below

An account of the incident is told in a letter from Trooper Tom Price, Rhosymadre, Ruabon, who joined Sir Watkin Wynn's Welsh Yeomanry, and then joined the 18th Company. It happened on March 19th at Picquetburg ( SAFF records the 20th March)
. Price says: - "I and five others were allowed to ride into Picquetburg to buy some stores. When we got there we separated and agreed to meet in the evening to return together. This we did. It happened that three - Hodges, Houslopps, and Phillips - had been larking about in a merry mood. We went on together half the way, and then we three cantered on and left Hodges, Houslopps, and Phillips to come on by themselves. We had just arrived in camp when Phillips came galloping in and said that Hodges had killed Houslopps. A troop of men were at once despatched to the spot, and found both men dead. Hodges had blown his own brains out as well. It appears that Hodges said he could hit Houslopp's hat off at a distance of twenty yards. He tried, with fatal result. Both were brought into camp and buried next day. I was bearer for each of them."

It is possible this tragic hijinx may have been fuelled by alcohol as was the merry mood but that is only supposition again on my part. However, I believe that the 2 casualties were probably the best of friends, with very much in common. Ironically the 118th Company were Sharpshooters, on this occasion the bravado of rifleman Private Hodge went catastrophically wrong. The shame of his actions regarding his tragic error with Houslop and the consequences of what was to happen to him after the event was obviously too much to bear.

Both soldiers were entitled to their QSA with Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal. Their personal effects were returned to their mothers , Sarah Houslop & Mary Hodges.

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/7-genealogy-a...y-iy-19-3-1902#67147

Thanks for the link Berenice
Looking at the dates on the personal effects paper work, it looks like Private Hodges could have held on until the 20th March, so there is some truth that he was alive when returned to camp.

Hodges might never have regained consciousness after (probably) shooting himself, which might explain why some in camp may have thought he was dead when found.

Sergeant  34352 Sydney Augustus Galloway
Duke of Cambridge's Own 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry.
Died of Sunstroke on the 12th April 1901, at Port Elizabeth.
He is interred at Port Elizabeth (Southend)

Sydney was born in 1880 at Dulwich Surrey.
He was one of eight children born to Thomas and Mary Galloway.
In 1881 they resided at Camberwell. The 1891 census has the family living in Brighton.  When Sydney attested  on February the 25th 1901 he was living 41 Porthall Street Brighton. He had worked for the Southern Pub Company for 6 years and he was now employed as a bookbinder.

Sergeant Galloway was of fair complexion with blue eyes and black hair. He was 5ft 4in tall weighing in at 9 stone. To say Sydney's foray into South Africa was a short one is an understatement,  he was only there for 25 days before he died. Total time in the Imperial Yeomanry was 44 days.

His QSA entitlement was for Cape Colony and a 1901 date clasp.
His Personal effects were returned to his Father Thomas Frederick Galloway.

Below is a brief description of the dangers of Sun / Heat stroke.
Looking back through some of the military archives. This cause of death was recorded during the Crimea and the Indian Mutiny.


Sunstroke signs and symptoms include:

High body temperature. A core body temperature of 104 F (40 C)
 
Altered mental state or behavior. Confusion, agitation, slurred speech, irritability, delirium, seizures and coma can all result from heatstroke.

 Alteration in sweating. In heatstroke brought on by hot weather, your skin will feel hot and dry to the touch. However, in heatstroke brought on by strenuous exercise, your skin may feel dry or slightly moist.

 Nausea and vomiting. You may feel sick to your stomach or vomit.

 Flushed skin. Your skin may turn red as your body temperature increases.   Rapid breathing. Your breathing may become rapid and shallow.  

     Racing heart rate. Your pulse may significantly increase because heat stress places a tremendous burden on your heart to help cool your body.        

Headache. Your head may throb.


Complications of Sunstroke

Heatstroke / Sunstroke can result in a number of complications, depending on how long the body temperature is high. Severe complications include:

Vital organ damage. Without a quick response to lower body temperature, heatstroke can cause your brain or other vital organs to swell, possibly resulting in permanent damage and death,without prompt and adequate treatment, sunstroke can be fatal. Which proved to be the case for Sergeant Galloway who spent only a very short time in the Imperial Yeomanry and died aged 21.

Trev,
That date of 10th November 1901, the worst day for lightning casualties, rang bells for me somehow!
Further investigation into my only lightning casualty in my collection found:

From The Times 1900
"CASUALTIES
The following were slightly injured by lightning, Commando Nek to November 10:-
2nd Worcestershire Regiment--Lieut. W. B. Gibbs, 3163 Sgt. A. Powell, 3456 Pte. H. Pestridge, 1632 Pte. Hollingsworth, 3548 Pte. Fennerty, 3767 Pte. W. McNally, 4669 Pte. G. Green"



Luckily for these men their injuries were slight.
Sgt. Powell went on to win the Military Medal in World War One with the Royal Engineers. His MM, QSA, WW1 trio are in my collection.

So 10th November 1900 was another bad day for lightning casualties, though not as bad as 1901! I think when I eventually get to visit South Africa I will avoid November 10th!!
Cheers Steve