TOPIC:

HIS NAME ALSO APPEARS ON THE LIST OF NAMES ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN BRASS IN LUPTON’S CHAPEL

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/17-memorials-...2-lupton-chapel-eton

The Sidney Carter mentioned in the newspaper article , thewitness to the demise of Lt RF Flower was my great grandfather Sidney William Carter.

In Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.
.
. , .



. .
. . . .

.

. .
. ....In a letter just received from Lieutenant Flower, written in a train nearing Beaufort West on the 10th of March, he says:—
....We have now been in the train thirty hours, but may be bundled out any time, as we hear the Prieska rebels are coming down. All our horses are aboard, huddled into cattle trucks. Our Warwickshire Company occupies the whole of this long train, and we have our luggage wagon (made by Glover, of Warwick), and eight mules and two ponies to draw it, also a little dog we found. I never saw such a desolate country from Cape Town. So far endless veldt and kopjes. What are we going to feed our horses on? There is nothing but mud and scrubby little sort of gooseberry bushes. The morning we left Maitland the Master of the Cape Hounds brought the pack over for us to see. I was in my tent, and heard a Tommy say, "Look sharp, Bill, and fill my flask and sandwich case, 'ere com the 'ounds." It was very cheery to see them—all English-bred ones.
....De Aar Junction Camp, March 12.—As I intimated as likely we were turned out here, and as I was watering my horses in the railway siding a solitary figure was standing by, taking stock of them. This was no less than Lord Kitchener himself. He said our horses were the best which had come up. He and his A.D.C., Walter Cowan, are here, there, and everywhere. They have left Bloemfontein for a few days to come down and attend to the rebels, who are daily increasing. To-morrow morning at three o'clock we are to start, together with one or two more companies of Yeomanry, the 7th Dragoon Guards, the 17th Lancers, and eighteen guns to meet this force, and Kitchener comes with us. We are to form a flying column, with nothing but what is in our saddles. The rebels have collected 42 miles from here, so that we shall have a good march. I intend to ride my Basuto pony, and keep old "Snap" as my war horse. If I can't write next week it will be because we are out of reach of any train. Kitchener says we shan't come back here, and we wonder if we shall see our baggage again.
Stratford-upon-Avon Herald, Friday 13th April 1900
.
. .... It is not too much to say that when the sad intelligence reached Stratford-on-Avon—flashed across the wires from Birmingham, we believe, in the first instance—soon after noon on Wednesday that Lieutenant Richard Fordham Flower, of the 8th troop (Major Frank Digdale's), Warwickshire Yeomanry, was killed, the greatest consternation was expressed in the town and district, although at first doubts were expressed as to the correctness of the rumour. But the arrival of the evening papers confirmed the mournful tidings, as the particulars were briefly chronicled in an official dispatch from the Commander-in-Chief. Deceased was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Flower, formerly of the Hill, Stratford, and now in residence at Middle Hill, Broadway, and was connected with the well-known brewery firm of Flower and Sons. Mr. Fordham Flower, who was about 28 years of age, joined the Stratford detachment of Warwickshire Rifle Volunteers several years ago as lieutenant under Captain T. Hutchings, and upon the latter's resignation he assumed command and was gazetted captain. His kindly consideration for the welfare of the volunteers was shown in many ways, and while he held the command he brought the corps to a very high state of efficiency, and the membership roll steadily increased. Colonel Loyd, of the 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was then in residence at Charlcote, and, on his promotion to Brigadier-General, Captain Flower was selected by him as his aide-de-camp. This caused him to sever his connection with the Stratford Volunteers, but he continued to evince a lively interest in the detachment, and usually attended the Volunteer dinners. Mr. Flower took a keen and intelligent interest in agricultural affairs, and was a whole-hearted friend of the farmers, with whom he was a great favourite. Local matters he also observed with a discerning eye. About a year and a half ago, after repeated invitations, he joined the Warwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry under Major F. Dugdale, and to qualify himself for the position of Lieutenant he went down to Aldershot for a month's drill, and he was successful in passing and obtaining his commission. At a meeting of the 8th Troop held at the Golden Lion Hotel on the afternoon of Friday, December 22nd, Major Dugdale called for volunteers for active service, remarking that "as soon as he received instructions he volunteered, and his good friend, Lieut. Flower, did the same. Mr. Flower was accepted, and sailed from Liverpool on Wednesday, January 31st, in the Lake Erie, with the Yeomanry, having embarked the previous day. There were four sections, led by Lieutenants Charteris, Forbes, Paulet, and Flower, the whole being under the command of the ill-fated Major Orr-Ewing. Lieutenant Flower's section included members of the 8th Troop, with a few others specially picked, including the sons of Lord Ernest Seymour, Captain Peach, and Dr. Bullock. Soon after his arrival in South Africa the deceased was seized with enteric fever, but recovered, and was discharged for duty. Several letters we have seen remark on how warmly the Lieutenant was welcomed back by his troop. An extract from one of these communications provides an instance of his generosity. A yeoman, writing home, says, "When we marched back from Branboon (our camp close to Kheise) we met Mr. Flower at Droghoender with our tents and an extra blanket, also other clothing. No doubt you heard that he had been very ill at Deelfontein Hospital, and went from there to Cape Town. He was told not to come back up country, but when he heard of the Major's death he insisted on rerturning to his troop. I can assure you the clothing came as a God-send to us, for nearly all of our garments were tumbling off us." He was serving with General Paget, who was engaged in worrying the wily De Wet, when he met his death as a man and a soldier. The greatest sympathy is felt in Stratford and district with Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Flower and family in their terrible bereavement. It had been arranged that on his return from the war he should reside with his parents at Broadway, and the Knapp farm buildings, near the house, were being converted into stabling for his hunters. Lieutenant Flower was secretary of the North Cotswold Hunt, and a keen follower of the pack, and at the last annual meeting of the Hunt on January 16th, Lord Lifford, on behalf of the members, presented Mr. Flower with a pair of handsome field glasses in recognition of his services. Yesterday at Stratford the flag was flying half-mast from the Municipal buildings.
Stratford-upon-Avon Herald, Friday 24th August 1900
.
. ....Later telegrams from Pretoria show that it was on Monday, August 20th, when Lieutenant Fordham Flower, of the Warwickshire Imperial Yeomanry, was killed. He was serving with General Paget, and fighting a rear-guard action with De Wet's forces, presumably a minor engagement, as there were but few casualties. On Sunday, at morning service at the Parish Church, the hymn, "When our heads are bowed in woe" was sung, and after the service the "Dead March" in Saul was played. The Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Cashel and Waterford (Dr. O'Hara) occupied the pulpit, and preached on behalf of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, which is this year observing the bi-centenary of its foundation. He made a brief but touching reference to the devotion and self-sacrifice of Lieut. Flower, who had nobly volunteered for duty in South Africa, and died a soldier's death in defence of his country's flag. A young and promising life had been cut short, and they mourned his untimely death.
....The Vicar (the Rev. G. Arbuthnot) preached in the evening to a large congregation, taking for his text 1 Corinthians xv., 6, "Some are fallen asleep." Concluding a powerful discourse, he said: We are meeting under the shadow of a great grief. When the news reached the town on Wednesday that Richard Fordham Flower had given his life for his Queen and country in that far-off African land last Monday I don't believe there was a single inhabitant of Stratford who did not feel that he had suffered a personal loss. His bright, cheery presence, his simple, frank manners, his generous, hearty disposition had endeared him to everyone. We said good-bye to him with regret—we knew that it was no bloodthirsty love of fighting but a high sense of Christian duty that took him from us—but we thought cheerfully of his return, and of the long years which we hoped would be spent in this neighbourhood amid the friends of his boyhood. But God has willed otherwise, and to-day we associate him in tender memory with those "that are fallen asleep." We know nothing yet of the circumstances of his fall—we only feel sure that he was at the post of duty and with his face to the foe. Whether death found him, as we hope, suddenly, instantaneously, or whether the fatal wound took time to work its end, we cannot say. But we may believe that like those 500 of old, he did see visions of his risen Lord, and that as his soul passed through the dark valley it found Christ's rod to lead and his staff to support it. And further, we are sure, because we accept God's word, that his body is only sleeping, and that it will rise again some day to rejoin those whom he loved, when he shall see his king in His beauty in the land of far distances. Such are the thoughts which must console us in our sorrow, which we hope may bring some ray of comfort into that once happy home, which is now darkened by the first sense of its desolation. But the loss of that brave young soldier must do more than send a transient pang of grief though our hearts. It must brace them, kindle them, encourage them to live as he lived, to serve as he served, to do as he dared. Young men of Stratford, I have no hesitation in saying that he who was once the Captain of your Volunteers has left you an example which you may well seek to follow. His life was pure and manly; see to it that yours is the same. His heart was tender and true; strive to keep yours like it. His ear was quick to catch the call of duty because it had been wont to listen to the "still small voice" of God. Oh strive to make yours the same, and so in the words of the poet
..........................................................His memory's light
....While it shines through our hearts shall improve them;
....When we think how he lived but to love them.
....For faith shall look fairer and truth more bright
....When we think how he lived but to love them.
Some are fallen asleep. When we are searching out our proofs of the resurrection of the last day—testing, as it were, the grounds on which our faith rests, it is not only the evidence of the living who have seen Jesus Christ, with the spirit's eye, and are serving him on earth, that rests with us; but it is the thought of some who, having seen Him, have fallen asleep, of some whom we greatly long to see once more—it is the thought of them that enables us to say with firm assurance "I believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come."—Mr. Cox presided at the organ, and played "O, Rest in the Lord" as a voluntary, also rendering "The Dead March" at the conclusion of the service. ....The news of the death of Lieutenant Flower was received with quite as deep feelings of regret in Broadway as in Stratford. He infused so much brightness into the lives of the people there that his presence was always looked forward to with pleasure, and a longer stay in the little town was keenly anticipated. It was natural, then, that a memorial service should be held there, this taking place in the old church on Sunday afternoon. A large congregation assembled, each inhabitant being desirous of showing his or her respect for the deceased, and of exhibiting the sympathy they felt for the family in their great bereavement. The service was conducted by the Right Rev. the Bishop of Coventry, who happened to be staying at Broadway. Mr. Edgar Flower and most of the members of his family were present, and several well-known friends of the late deeply-lamented Yeoman also testified their sorrow by attending, and showing outward signs of mourning. The service was a very impressive one, the hymns being in every way appropriate. The Bishop, in the course of his sermon, very feelingly referred to the loss the family and friends of the deceased had sustained. Lieutenant Flower had voluntarily given up his life on behalf of his Queen and country, and he observed that the country which did not remember such self-sacrifice was not deserving of it. The life laid down on the battlefield for Queen and country was not lost. But the lost life was the selfish, pleasure-seeking, self-seeking, self-indulgent life.
Stratford-upon-Avon Herald, Friday 31st August 1900