TOPIC:

….Extract from a letter by Sapper Joe Bergan, Royal Engineers, dated Vryburg, June 29th, 1902: -

…."I regret much to say that one of my company was murdered in the tent next to me the Sunday before peace was proclaimed. It was very hard lines, seeing that the murdered man had been all through the war right from the commencement. The murderer has been found insane, and that is no doubt a proper verdict. The men were as nice a couple as you could wish to meet up to the time of the affair, and neither had ever had a wrong word with anyone in the company. The man who did the deed is going home to-morrow under escort, and I expect he will be lodged in some asylum in England for the remainder of his life."
…."10th Royal Engineers. - Accidentally killed: 297 Second-corporal C. Jackson, Vryburg, May 25."

….Is it known who the other man was, presumably "invalided home," and where the two men came from in the UK?

Hi Berenice

Another interesting, though tragic, case that you've unearthed.

I've had a scour through the medal rolls and the men involved were in 11th Field Co. not 10th as in the casualty reference. The likeliest suspect is 27854 Spr. R. Roe whose medal roll entries note "Lunatic to Prov. Co. R.E. 22/8/02" and "Discharged". His QSA and KSA are shown as returned.

Jackson is shown in 'In Memoriam' as "Shot by comrade" and buried at Vryburg Cemetery although he has no grave maker.

As a sad postscript the letter writer Joe Bergan died (presumably of disease) at Wynberg 22/8/1902 and is buried at Maitland Cemetery Cape Town likewise with no grave marker.

Regards

David

2nd Corporal C. Jackson's name appears also on :

CHATHAM, ROYAL ENGINEERS BROMPTON BARRACKS SOUTH AFRICAN MEMORIAL ARCH (BOER WAR)
www.roll-of-honour.com/Kent/ChathamSA.html

Seeing as he died less than two months later, here's the full transcription of the letter sent by Joe Bergan.

….A LETTER HOME. - Sapper Joe Bergan, of the Royal Engineers, in a letter to his brother, Mr. Harry Bergan, King's Arms Hotel [Accrington], dated Vryburg, June 29th, says the proclamation of peace came to the men on the field as a great surprise. "We are expecting to be moved homeward now at any moment," he says, "and I fancy any sound-minded person would think it nearly time for men who have been in the field the length of time we have. If God spares our health I would lay big odds that we shall be in England before Accrington Fair starts - anyway, I will say as I said once before that I shall be home for Preston Guild. "I regret much to say that one of my company was murdered in the tent next to me the Sunday before peace was proclaimed. It was very hard lines, seeing that the murdered man had been all through the war right from the commencement. The murderer has been found insane, and that is no doubt a proper verdict. The men were as nice a couple as you could wish to meet up to the time of the affair, and neither had ever had a wrong word with anyone in the company. The man who did the deed is going home to-morrow under escort, and I expect he will be lodged in some asylum in England for the remainder of his life." Sapper Bergan mentions that only one letter from home had reached him in 14 months. "Don't be surprised," he goes on, "to see me walking mysteriously into the kitchen some night - take my tip, the time is not far distant."

The Haslingden Gazette, Saturday 26th July 1902

While we're on the subject of Accrington, here's some film footage of General Baden-Powell opening the Drill Hall there in 1904.

Not related to this topic - except for the place and the unit. Yesterday I found a commemoration on a family grave in Southport's Duke Street Cemetery to Sapper Thomas Williams Tweddell, RE. "Died at Vyburg SA" - which I presume is Vyrburg - "June 7th 1902, aged 22". Am entering it as IWM War Memorials Register ref. 94099.
Does anyone have any information about this man?

Hi David

The medal roll shows 4200 Pte. T. Tweddle served in the 11th Field Company RE and was awarded the QSA with clasps Cape Colony and South Africa 1902 so he wasn't in SA long before his death. 'In Memoriam' shows him as originally buried at Vryburg Old Cemetery but subsequently reinterred at Vryburg Cemetery (presumably a newer cemetery). No grave marker survives but his name is on the main cemetery memorial.

David