TOPIC:

Brierfield is a former cotton mill and coal mining town situated in East Lancashire, between Burnley and Nelson. The war memorial has the name of one man from Brierfield who died in South Africa during the ABW - J. W. Slater.






However, there's another name which should be on the memorial, that of 5664 Private Henry Bowman, of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who was killed at Modder River on 28th November 1899, aged 24.


....President Kruger's threat, before the commencement of the Boer war, that England would have to pay a price that should stagger humanity is to a certain extent being realised, and of the toll of British life which is at present being levied by Boer Commandoes. Brierfield has paid its share, in the person of Private H. Bowman, of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Private Bowman was the eldest of a numerous family living in Brierfield, and his father will be well remembered as a member of the county police force. His son, Henry, who has found a soldier's honourable grave in far-off Cape Colony, was born about 24 years ago, and was, when he met his death from a casual Boer's bullet, in the very flower of a very vigorous manhood. Until his twentieth year, Bowman followed the occupation of a weaver and was exceedingly well-known in this district. He was a steady youth, with a taste for quiet study, not unmingled with a leaning to athletic sports, shooting, &c. Before entering the regular army, he joined the Burnley Volunteers, and became rather distinguished for his abilities as a shot, to which his excellent sight, judgment, and steady mode of life contributed not a little. So smart a shot was he that he was one of the first four sent from Burnley to Aldershot to compete for the Army Cup, and in that competition he added to his high reputation. After spending some time as a volunteer, he determined to try his fortune further afield, and joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in February, 1896. Since then he had lived his life apart from his old comrades in Brierfield and Burnley. Occasionally his friends heard from him, and the tidings which reached them from him was that he was doing well with the army, was respected by his comrades, and esteemed as a steady young soldier, possibly marked out for distinction, by his superiors. Eventually he was selected by one of the officers of the regiment as a private servant, a position which is coveted as a rule by the ordinary private, but can only be filled by one who leads an exemplary life. During his four years' service with the Highlanders, the deceased soldier was stationed at Dublin for some time. About seven weeks ago, he came home on furlough, and when the present war broke out he was recalled in haste to rejoin his comrades.
....A sad feature of the leave taking, and perhaps - in the light of later events - a remark he made to his mother was that if she saw the name of Bowman among the list of killed in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders she was to take no notice of it, as there were others named Bowman in the same regiment, unless his number accompanied the name. The thoughtfulness in the remark was characteristic of the young private, and this trait was exemplified in dozens of other ways. Little wonder then, when the tidings of the battle of Modder River reached Brierfield last week and that his anxious parents should make haste to scan the list of killed and wounded. His name was conspicuously prominent in the list of those who had fallen to rise no more, and this accompanied by his number 5,664 made assurance doubly sure. True friends came forward in trouble, and the true sympathy of fellow townspeople and of friends has done much to lighten the sad blow. The only news they have received from their son since he went to the front was one posted at St. Vincent, in which he stated that he was "well and hearty, and hoped to come off all right." We believe, however, that since then and before the battle of Modder River, the young soldier wrote another letter to his parents, and the bereaved father and mother now await in pathetic suspense the last letter that the fingers of their dead son penned.
Burnley Express, Wednesday 6th December 1899



....As we regretfully announced on Wednesday, Private H. Bowman, of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was killed at the battle of Modder River on November 28. Private Henry Bowman was the eldest of a numerous family living in Brierfield, and his father will be well remembered as a member of the county police force. The deceased soldier was born about 24 years ago. Until his twentieth year, Bowman followed the occupation of a weaver and was exceedingly well-known in this district. He was a steady youth, with a taste for quiet study, not unmingled with a leaning to athletic sports, shooting, &c. Before entering the regular army, he joined the Burnley Volunteers, and became rather distinguished for his abilities as a shot, to which his excellent sight, judgment, and steady mode of life contributed not a little. So smart a shot was he that he was one of the first four sent from Burnley to Aldershot to compete for the Army Cup, and in that competition he added to his high reputation. He joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in February, 1896.
Burnley Express, Saturday 9th December 1899


....At St. Luke's Church, on Sunday evening, in the course of his sermon, the Rev. E. Jobson (vicar) made sympathetic allusion to the death of the late Private Bowman, who was formerly a member of his choir, and also to the demise during the week of the late Mr. Thomas Berry, a parishioner.
Burnley Express, Wednesday 13th December 1899


....Private Matthew Riley, whose parents reside in Brierfield, has written from Modder River on December 1st (or three days after the great battle), He says: "Just a line to let you know I am all right so far. You will have seen in the paper that we have been fighting, but I came through all of them safe - thank God. My first experience was very terrible. I was under fire four hours, and the bullets whistled round me. But I came out without a scratch. The battle was at Belmont, and we drove them off. They are very bad shots, or we would have lost more than we did. The next fight was three days after. I did not come under fire much, only I had the honour to capture a Boer prisoner. We had to fight our way here, and this was the worst of all, as we got ambushed by them, and they nearly blew us off the face of the earth with their quick-firing guns. I went to find out Bowman's lad, as the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders are with us, and they told me he was shot through the head, but not killed. Send my sympathy to Mr. Henry Bowman. We expect to march in a week to Kimberley, and we have some more fighting yet."
Burnley Express, Wednesday 27th December 1899

Watt only lists a single JW Slater, a certain number 5705 Private in the Border Regiment, killed on the 20th of January 1900.
The events that took place on the 28th of November 1899 by that wretched river, used to interest me a great deal as a boy, in particular as far as the Guards Brigade went, so many parents and siblings received one of those awful blue letters from Horse Guards, often containing the worst possible news.

Nice to see the Lion still looks as handsome as ever!

The Register has two "JW Slater", the other is

Sergeant 7179 John W Slater
1 Northumberland Volunteers Royal Garrison Artillery - Died: Enteric on 22/01/1901 at Rustenburg

He was in the Elswick Battery, so possibly unlikely.

Another three "J Slater" died - these may well have a middle initial of 'W'.

Surprised that contemporary papers don't report this man. As it is a recent addition to the memorial I would hope the council have correspondence that would state exactly who he is.

Regards
Meurig

I've come across two or three Burnley men who served in the Border Regiment during the ABW, so I suspect Frank has got the right man. I went through the Burnley Express for December 1899, next visit to Burnley Library I'll search through January 1900 for ABW reports and hopefully find J. W. Slater.

....It has been discovered within the last few days that in the fight at Spion Kop, another local soldier lost his life in the person of Pte. J. W. Slater (5,707), who was in the 1st Batt. Border Regiment. Slater was very well-known in Brierfield, and got married about seven months ago to a young lady who is employed at Mr. Pratt's works, Hollin Bank. Slater did not, however, enjoy wedded bliss long, as one short week after the ceremony he was called upon to rejoin his regiment, which had been ordered out to South Africa with the Fifth Division. Slater had taken part in most of the fighting, and after the engagement at Spion Kop he was reported to be wounded in the list of casualties supplied from the front. His wife was alarmed at the news, but her dismay may be better imagined than described when a day or two after a corrected list was published, in which it was stated that Slater was killed. Much sympathy is expressed on all hands for the bereaved widow.
Burnley Express, Wednesday 7th February 1900

There was an abbreviated version of the above report in the Saturday (10/2) issue, but with the addition of a sketch of J. W. Slater.



What were his forenames?

A third soldier with a Brierfield home address was killed, but should he be considered to be a Brierfield or an Oldham casualty?

....Private W. Booth (2,762), 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers, is amongst those reported killed. He was a reservist, married, with one child, and only having resided a short time in Brierfield, he was not very well-known there. Since his departure his wife and child have lived in Shed-street with her parents. Booth was a weaver, and previous to coming to Brierfield resided at Oldham, to which town he really belonged, we believe.
Burnley Express, Saturday 3rd February 1900

....Private William Booth, 2,762, of the Lancashire Fusiliers, is another Oldham man killed at Spion Kop. His address is given in the lists as Shed-street, Brierfield, Nelson, but prior to being called up with the reserve he lived at 57, Orme-street, Oldham. His widow is now amongst her friends at Brierfield. Deceased is the grandson of Henry Booth, for many years lodge keeper at the Glodwick entrance to the Park.
Oldham Chronicle, Saturday 10th February 1900

His wife and his in-laws were Brierfield residents, so if he'd been a Great War casualty he would surely have merited inclusion on the town's roll of honour.