TOPIC:

Gunner John Williams Royal Field Artillery
Private Thomas Bayliss South Wales Borderers
Private William Morgan South Wales Borderers
Trooper Osmond H. Haggett Bethune's Mounted Infantry












MR and MRS J. HAGGETT wish to sincerely THANK their Friends in Usk and the district for the kind enquiries made and the sympathy shown them in their great trouble of losing their son, Osmond, of the Cattle Rangers, who was mortally wounded in South Africa on October 1st.
Bridge Street, Usk, October 8th, 1901.
County Observer and Monmouthshire Advertiser, Saturday 12th October 1901


THE WAR MEMORIAL FUND . - Mr J Maitland Watkins, Chairman of the War Memorial Fund Committee, presided over a smoking concert, held at the "Castle," Usk, on Monday evening, and was supported by members of the committee and others. While the attendance was not large, an enjoyable time was spent, and the sum of 16s. was collected in the room. During the evening the Chairman referred to the cause as one claiming the support of townspeople generally. They ought to remember those of the town and district who had served their country, and had laid down their lives in South Africa. It was not yet known what form the memorial would take; that all depended upon the inhabitants themselves. He believed that everyone wished the movement well. - At the conclusion of the concert Mrs D. H. Lewis was specially thanked for her assistance at the pianoforte, and the services of all who had assisted were recognized.
County Observer and Monmouthshire Advertiser, Saturday 18th May 1907


The memorial was eventually unveiled, reportedly, on 1st January 1908.

Berenice
A very impressive memorial. Thanks for showing it.
According to Palmer, there are two entries for "Gunner John Williams, RFA". Could be "74514 of 19RFA" died of enteric fever, Ladysmith, 26/3/00; another possibility is "75936 of 4RFA" missing Klipdrift 7/3/02 (CofE says "dead").
Palmer has an entry for "1765 Pte T.Baylis of 2SWB", died of disease, Vereeniging, 23/6/00. Note slightly different spelling of surname. Palmer has an entry for "6910 Pte. W.Morgan of SWB/15th MI", accidentally drowned, Leibenberg Vlei 25/3/02.
For Tpr. Osmond H.Hagget of Bethunes MI and Corps of Cattle Rangers, I was able to discern from the Smith booklet (BMI) that his BMI number was "26" and that he indeed hailed from
Monmouthshire and according to Palmer was Wounded in action for the first time at Groenvlei 10/9/00. The Smith roll for the CofCR shows him as "D25 Ranger Osborne Henry Haggett" from Durban, Natal and Wounded in action for the second time at Pietpotgeitersrust, 1/10/01 and died of wounds the next day. Buried at Pietersburg. The Palmer roll shows his initials as "H.O."
Best regards
IL.

LinneyI wrote: Palmer has an entry for "6910 Pte. W.Morgan of SWB/15th MI", accidentally drowned, Leibenberg Vlei 25/3/02.

Thanks, IL, and I've been able to find W. Morgan through the above info.

DROWNED IN SOUTH AFRICA . - By a communication from the Officer commanding the 24th Regimental District, Mrs Maddocks, wife of Mr Charles Maddocks, of Llanllowell, has this (Friday) morning learned the sad intelligence that her son, Pte. W. Morgan, of the 2nd S.W.B., M.I., was drowned while on duty at Liebenberg Vlei, on the 25th March. It was only on the previous day that Mrs Maddocks posted a parcel containing tobacco, &c., for her son, and the letter containing the information of his death was awaiting her on her return home from her usual morning's duties. All will join in their sympathy conveyed to Mrs Maddocks in the official announcement.
County Observer and Monmouthshire Advertiser, Saturday 12th April 1902

LinneyI wrote: Palmer has an entry for "1765 Pte T.Baylis of 2SWB", died of disease, Vereeniging, 23/6/00. Note slightly different spelling of surname.

The news received in Usk, on Monday last, of the death of Private Thomas Baylis, S.W.B., caused profound sorrow, and has excited widespread sympathy for his widow and child.

As will probably be remembered Private Baylis was amongst the reservists ordered out to South Africa in December last, when he left us midst the heartfelt hopes for a prosperous career and safe return of all who knew him.

Letters were received from him regularly up to about the middle of May, describing his life, and the several engagements he had fought in. His health he always spoke of as good, and no disquieting news reached his family until the 28th June last, when anxiety had already arisen owing to the usual letter being overdue. In that day's papers appeared the announcement of the death from enteric on 23rd June, of a "Private T. Bells, S.W.B., 1765," as Baylis' number was 1756, the similarity in it, and in the name, caused alarm, but no correction followed, and though the longed for letters did not come, hope was not lost. The War Office on being communicated with, replied that Baylis had not been reported as ill, and promised to make inquiries, with the result that Mrs. Baylis, who had been writing to her husband weekly letters, received a letter on Monday from Brecon which gave her the sad news of her husband's death at Vereeniging on 23rd June. The announcement on 28th June should have been indeed more carefully prepared, as the mistakes made in it have served to encourage false hopes and to generate a constantly increasing agony of suspense which, by a little care, might have been spared to the poor widow.

That Usk appreciates its brave sons was shown by the public meeting called for Monday evening at the Three Salmon's Hotel, and in spite of the short notice, most fully attended. A circular had set forth the object of the meeting to be to determine what steps could be taken to assist Baylis' widow and child.

Amongst those present were : - General Mignon (voted to the chair). The Rev. J. R. Hurley, Dr. Boulton, Messrs. H. Humphreys, J. Maitland Watkins, F. Jennings, G. Mundy, T. Day. Leslie R. Lucas, A. F. Lucas, H. G. Powell, J. Chilton, Wm. Thomas, Wm. Williams, C. Davies, W. J. Nicholas, R. A. Rogers, G. Gilbert, J. J. Edwards, J. Lewis, A. J. Jones, C. N. Doubleday, F. Hill, and many others.

The Chairman in opening the meeting said : -
"Gentlemen, this meeting has been convened to determine if any, and what steps can be taken to assist the widow and child of poor Tom Baylis, a reservist, news of whose death at the war was received this morning. We have met here for a practical purpose. This young fellow, known to very many in this town, was the bread-winner of his family, and we can best express our sympathy with the widow in her great loss by placing her in a position to support herself and her child - a committee being appointed to raise subscriptions and arrange details."

Mr. G. Mundy then spoke of Baylis as having been in his employment, and Mr. J. Maitland Watkins, who mentioned that Baylis had been 5 years in his service, also spoke in the highest terms of the deceased's excellent and exceptional qualities. Other speeches followed and after the fullest expressions of sympathy for the family in their bereavement a Committee was appointed to receive subscriptions for their benefit, and the following gentlemen were elected to serve on it : Dr. Boulton, Messrs. J. Maitland Watkins, H. Humphreys, Rev J. Hurley, and G. Mundy. Mr A. F. Lucas was appointed hon. secretary.

The meeting was ended by a vote of thanks to the chairman, proposed by Mr. J. Maitland Watkins, and heartily carried.

A solemn Requiem Mass is to be sung at St. Francis Xavier's, Usk, on Monday next, at 10 a.m., when it is hoped as many as possible will attend to show their respect for the deceased.
County Observer and Monmouthshire Advertiser, Saturday 18th August 1900


A notice in the same newspaper, of 15th December 1900, stated that ultimately £34 15s. 3d. had been collected, £2 had been given in cash to Mrs. Baylis, leaving a balance of £32 15s. 3d. (£2 in 1900 was worth the equivalent of £231 in 2017, and £32 15s. 3d. is equivalent to £3780)

The spelling of his surname in all the local newspaper reports was Baylis.

Berenice
Should "75936 Gunner J.Williams, 4RFA" missing at Klipdrift on 7/3/02 indeed be the "Gunner J.Williams" on the Usk Memorial, it will have a faint echo in my own collection. I have a QSA to "39664 Sgt. G.R.Downey" of Ashburner's LH who was similarly posted "missing" after the debacle at Klipdrift 7/3/02 - and who was later also found to be "Dead" by a Court of Enquiry. We all know that every man on active service faces the risk and it does not help the relatives if he has no known grave.
Best regards
IL.

Lovely memorial, thanks for showing Berenice and with the extra itesm from the newspapers.

The Register can resolve 'J Williams RFA'.

Happily there are just two fatal casualties for the RFA with the name 'J Williams'.

Williams - De Klip Drift was 'James' according to the medal rolls
Williams - Ladysmith was 'John' according to Soldier's Effects (unfortunately it does not show for this man as it does for others his place of birth which may have helped.