TOPIC:

One of the more unusual casualties recorded in Mike's concise list of one off entries, pertains to a soldier whose demise was recorded as death from lacerated brain. On further research the medical term for a brain laceration consists of the following:-

Cerebral contusions are bruises of the brain, usually caused by a direct, strong blow to the head. Cerebral lacerations are tears in brain tissue, caused by a foreign object or pushed-in bone fragment from a skull fracture.

The poor soul who befell this injury was Sergeant 6891 J Egan / Eagan who served with the 3rd Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
He died of his injury on the 27th December 1901 at Springfontein.

It is believed that Sergeant Eagan served in the 17th Mounted Infantry troop. If this is correct? This may have contributed to the injury, a fall in combat, accidental injury or a serious altercation could have occurred. Either way, an exceptionally heavy head trauma contributed to cause his catastrophic injury.

If any forum members have additional information regarding Sergeant Eagan? Please add accordingly.

Information to date.

He was born in Salford Lancashire.

His wife was called Harriet.

He is remembered on the Preston war memorial. Serving in the 3rd Milita Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
 
His QSA clasp entitlement was Cape Colony, Orange Free State  plus 1901 date clasp.

He was interred at Springfontein,  monument 5.


Preston memorial courtesy of BereniceUK.




Medal rolls.


Personal effects

Trooper 1043 Samuel Smart.
 Steinackers Horse.

Samuel  was one of 2 recorded deaths as being killed by lions.

Trooper Smart was killed at Sabie River on Thursday the 4th October.
Interred at Barberton Cemetery.

I would be very grateful if any fellow forum members could help in anyway to ascertain the date of birth or any other information regarding Samuel Smart.

 Steinackers corps was raised in June 1900 by Major F Von Steinaecker to operate in Zululand and on the Swaziland border of the Transvaal. They operated from Komati Poort as a centre, gradually extended their raids to the north and south for great distances, denying the Boers the use of the eastern lowlands for rest and recuperation.

October 1900:-

It was decided to send a force after Coetzee's waggons and von Steinaecker was ordered to take a party of 40 horsemen along the Selati railway line to the Sabi River, whilst a detachment of mounted infantry was to pursue the Boer convoy along the road across the lowveld. The mounted infantry comprised fifty men from the Yorkshire (Green Howards) and Shropshire companies of the 4th Mounted Infantry, with contingents from the Australian and Tasmanian Rifles, two guns from 'J' Battery RHA and a pom-pom. The column was commanded by Maj HB Walker. Von Steinaecker's unit was accompanied by Capt ADG Gardyne of the 1st Bn the Gordon Highlanders serving under Maj-Gen H L Smith-Dorrien; Gardyne, an experienced Indian shikari went for the hunting and the experience. Steinaecker's force was accompanied by Swazi and Shangane, the former used mainly as trackers and scouts and the latter as ammunition carriers. They came upon part of the Boer convoy beyond the Sabi River, but the Boers were too strong for a sustained attack and von Steinaecker had to wait for the mounted infantry. In the skirmish, Trooper H Hobbs was wounded. Unfortunately, the horses of the regular British unit were already in a bad condition and had been unable to stand the lowveld conditions; Walker was forced to turn back to Komatipoort with the loss of at least 50 horses from sheer starvation. Steinaecker was thus also forced to turn back and, on the way, lions attacked his camps, killing first a horse, then an African, before injuring a trooper, Samuel Smart, who was rushed back to Komatipoort, but died of his injuries on 4 October.


There is a slight anomaly pertaining to the Find a Grave record. It has Trooper Smart's demise as being killed by lightning??
I think the additional information I have provided goes to prove that Trooper Smart was indeed killed by a lion.

Trooper Smart's QSA was awarded with the Rhodesia clasp.(Ref Steineackers Horse medal roll)

The other casualty recorded as being killed by a lioness is 915 Private Theobald Fenton of the British South African Police who was killed on the 11th November 1899, near Fort Tuli.




Section of the Sabie River

Nominal Roll

Personal Effects


Memorial / Barberton

Hi Dave,
A nasty way to go for Trooper Smart!!

I have had a look at the biographical information in Bill Woolmore's book on Steinaeckers Horse for Trooper Samuel Smart and drawn a blank.i suspect that you may have done the same?

However,he did serve with the Commander-in-Chiefs Bodyguard with service number 22639. If the Attestation/Short Service document is still extant for the bodyguard, there may be a few bits of information thereon that could lead you somewhere.

As you may have seen on the thread "Medals to the Commander-in-Chiefs Bodyguard" on the forum, David very kindly took the time to search for and post a number of these papers which we would not have access to.
David's input has certainly helped me with research, and Very grateful I am too!!
Cheers Steve

Hello Steve
Many thanks for the information.
I did see the roll for the Commander in Chief's reference.
Wasn't sure if it was the same man, no additional remarks present.But,well worth a follow up, very much appreciated.

Dave.....
PS....There are 2 rolls to S Smart ref Commander in Chiefs bodyguard.
Clasp entitlement :- Orange Free State, Cape Colony, Transvaal and 1901 date clasp?

Dear Forum Members

Help required, regarding 46 Trooper Walter Meyers D Squadron New South Wales Citizen Bushmen.

On researching self inflicted deaths, I came across Walter. I found his medal rolls and personal effects. However I cannot find him in Watts memorial register (2000) His demise I believe was on 24th / 25th April 1900 at Umtali. I found a record which states he joined as a Sergeant and has him residing in Otago New Zealand. His medal rolls state he was a private.
As always, any additional information will be most appreciated and invaluable.


Dave.......

Hi Dave,

I might be able to help you with the above enquiry and shed some light on 46 Sgt. Thomas Walter Myers. It appears that the medal roll has spelt his surname differently to the information that I was able to locate. Don't even bother looking on the Australian War Memorial (AWM) website, as it appears that they didn't even cross reference their material which they used for the Roll of Honour which was from Murray (which has the correct spelling) as they have also spelt his name wrong. Quite disappointing to see that they have his surname as 'Myles'. Like you Dave, I have also read his date of death as both the 24 & 25 April 1900.

Below is an extract from a letter -


"....At Umtali, betweeen Bamboo Creek and Marandellas, we lost one of our troopers, named MEYERS. Passing from one carriage to another, he fell between the trucks, having his feet and ankles mangled. He lay alongside the line all night, until picked up by a water-train and brought to Umtali dying. He had shown great pluck and endurance, having removed his bandolier, coat, and shirt, and, tearing the latter in strips, had bandaged the mutilated limbs. His leg was amputated at Umtali, but he died in a few hours from loss of blood and exposure. He must have spent a fearful night, as the spot where he fell was in the midst of a jungle. A sum was raised to erect a monument over his grave, he being the first of the Australian Bush Contingent to find a resting place in South Africa. The British residents undertook the erection, etc. He was a splendid fellow, 6ft high, and only 27 years of age....'