TOPIC:

The Buxton roll of honour is in the Town Hall, on a first floor landing, and not in a public space. Private C. W. Perkins, the son of Buxton's only ABW fatality, was serving in South Africa at the time of his father's death.

"In 1985 the board was discovered on a waste skip by a market trader who insisted that it be re-erected in the Town Hall."
www.buxtonwarmemorials.co.uk/town_hall.html

I've found it very difficult to distinguish between C and G, and E and F in the initials of some men's first names.





From left to right -
A. B. M. BROWN, CHAIRMAN
JOSIAH TAYLOR, CLERK
W. H. GRIEVES, TOWN SURVEYOR





Mr. Arthur Chappell, of Buxton, signaller, 7403, C Company, 4th Derbys, writing from Graaffreinet, under date May 19th, to a friend in Buxton, says: - "………...Have been going on all right up to date, have done a lot of stiff work here in the way of keeping down the rebellious Dutch. This place is a veritable hotbed. To-day the news has arrived of the relief of Mafeking, and it has given great satisfaction, for they must have been in terrible straits, and it is nothing short of wonderful that they have stuck to it so long.

We leave here in the morning at 4.30 a.m., for somewhere beyond Bethulie; it is not known definitely, the Commander thinks we go on the line of march, so if we do there may be just a chance of our coming in at the finish I hope, so as we are all anxious to see a bit of fighting, but then, all can't do the banging, so I suppose we must be satisfied. I am sending you a card about Cronje's disposal...……...Remember me to all, will write you a longer letter in a week or two."

The funeral card of Cronje, which was printed in Grahamstown, bears the lines on page 2: -
Buxton Advertiser, Wednesday 13th June 1900
The War Office report of casualties in the 4th Battalion Derbyshire Regiment, published yesterday, includes the name of Sergt. Wm. Henry Perkins.

Sergt. Perkins and three other signallers of the 2nd V.B. Sherwood Foresters early volunteered for service at the front, and were attached to the 4th or Militia Battalion at Salford Barracks. Manchester gave the men a hearty send-off, and letters from Perkins have from time to time appeared in the local press.

Sergeant Perkins was a native of Buxton, being the youngest son of William Perkins, so well and widely known as verger of St. John's Church, and as filling many other public offices. The man was an enthusiastic Volunteer, indeed, whatever he took up he ever thoroughly mastered. For many years he has been verger of St. James' Church. His only son is also in South Africa, attached to the telegraph staff. General sympathy is felt for the widow in her sad bereavement.

Buxton Advertiser, Wednesday 20th June 1900
A letter was received on Monday by Mrs. Ball, of Fairfield, from her son, Lance Corporal Perkin, who was one of those in the action at the Rhenoster River when Sergeant W. H. Perkins fell. Lance Corporal Perkin states that Sergeant Perkins was the first to be mortally wounded, and the writer of the letter was so shocked by what he saw that he fell back and was taken prisoner, but tended the wounded. He however approached De Wet, the Boer Commandant, and told him that "Sergeant Perkins was his father, and he would like him buried respectably." De Wet then asked Corporal Perkin if he would be satisfied if he was interred with the colonel and the other officers, to which he replied in the affirmative. This was done, and Sergeant W. H. Perkins was laid side by side with these who, like himself, had fallen in the combat. He concludes his letter by stating that the wounded were taken a distance of five miles to a field hospital. The writer of the letter states that Lance Corporals Brindley and Chappell were not with him, but were taken prisoners with the rest of the 4th Derby. In four weeks after this they were released and made their way to Ladysmith, where they are believed to be doing very well and expected to sail in about a month's time. Each of the Buxton signallers is very much upset at the loss they have sustained in the death of Sergeant W. H. Perkins.

Buxton Advertiser, Saturday 18th July 1900

Excellent photos of a lovely, hand carved monument, Berenice.

A cracking memorial.

The last article your trasncribed Berenice contains some important information regarding the POWs at Rhenoster River/Roodewal. The Times reported the POWs were at Ladysmith on July 18 - the publication date of the article. However, I had not known how long they were kept POW for - the article says four weeks, which means they took about 10 days to reach Ladysmith. One wonders where they were kept for four weeks - no doubt on the move and how the Boers managed to hang on to about 580 British POWs, and why?

There may be further published letters from Buxton men captured at Rhenoster River; I only had a couple of hours in Buxton Library, so I concentrated on searching for items relating to Sergeant Perkins.

Rhenoster River Military Cemetery, South Africa

List of recipients of the Buxton Tribute Medal

1st Distribution, 21st June 1901
Presentation made by Alderman Hubbersty, in the Town Hall, Buxton.

South African Light Horse –
Lieutenant Reginald TURNER, D.S.O.

8th (Derbyshire) Company, 4th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry –
5121 Sergeant Sydney BOUGHAN [Boughen]
5130 Trooper George BENTLEY

4th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Militia) –
7408 Sergeant Frank BRINDLEY
7409 [7410] Lance-Corporal William Chamberlain PERKIN (conflicting numbers)

1st Volunteer Active Service Company, 1st Bn. Derbyshire Regiment –
7335 Lance-Corporal Edwin Arthur BLACKNEY
7382 Private E. NORTON

1st Telegraph Division, Royal Engineers –
4622 Sapper William Clifford PERKINS

Unknown Regiment –
???? Sergeant W.J. TURNER


2nd Distribution, 10th November 1902
Presentation made by Captain Partington, M.P.

2nd Volunteer Active Service Company, Derbyshire Regiment –
Captain G.D. GOODMAN

4th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Militia) –
7407 [7408] [7409] Sergeant William Henry PERKINS (K.I.A., Roodeval, 07/06/1900 - medal handed to his son, Sapper Perkins; conflicting numbers)
7410 [7408] Lance-Corporal A.C. CHAPPELL (conflicting numbers)

Note conflicting numbers for Sergeant Perkins, Lance-Corporal Perkin & Lance-Corporal Chappell.
Numbers for W.H. Perkins:
WO97 – 7407
WO100 – 7409
Casualty List - 7408