TOPIC:

The story of Major Childe, SALH, KIA soon after the capture of Bastion Hill on 20th Jan 1900, is well documented - by Churchill and others.
Local knowledge is that Maj Childe was originally buried near the SALH camp, and was later re-interred at Rangeworthy Military Cemetery.
I am seeking any information which forummers can access about his original burial, esp. its location.
I'd also be keen to read any accounts of his burial, and who was present.
The attached photos show the memorial on Bastion Hill, and the Major himself.
Thanks in anticipation
Rob

Hi Rob
I am still looking for information regarding the burial and the S.A burial site. In the meantime enclosed is a memorial located in his home town church in Kinlet. Plus a little bit of info on him.

Charles was born in 1853. He was the son of Charles Childe (later Childe-Pemberton) of Kinlet and Millichope, in the county of Salop, and Augusta Shakespear. His ancestors had been, from time immemorial, the " Childes of Kinlet," near Bewdley.
He lived with his parents, siblings and numerous servants in Millichope Hall, Munslow, Shropshire, England.
He went to Harrow in September, 1866. Charles was in the School Football Eleven of 1870 and 1871, and the Cricket Eleven of 1872. At Lord's he made 10 in the first innings and 44 in the second, which The Harrovian thus described:
"Childe-Pemberton, who had a narrow escape of carrying his bat, saw the fall of eight wickets ; he gave no chances during his innings of 44, his fault being a want of freedom in hitting the looser balls. Two leg hits, however, for four from two consecutive balls caused great excitement, and, at the close of the innings, both Harrovians and Etonians combined in giving him their hearty and well-deserved applause."
He left Harrow at the end of the Summer Quarter of 1872, and in the following October matriculated at Christ Church. In 1876 he joined the Blues.
Charles served in the Egyptian War of 1882, was present at Tel-el-Kebir, and received the medal, clasp, and Khedive's star. He became Captain in 1884, and soon afterwards discarded the name of Pemberton, which his father had assumed, becoming like his forefathers Childe of Kinlet. In the regiment he was always called "The Child," or else " Monsieur L'Enfant " his racing name.
He married widow Amalia Montgomery in 1884 in Kensington, London, England.[1]
Not long after his marriage he left the Blues and settled down to the quiet life of a country gentleman on his hereditary acres.
UK Census Date 1891: Living with his wife, sister-in-law Signe Montgomery, a relative, a visitor and 12 servants in Woodgate, Kinlet, Shropshire, England. Aged 37.
Occupation: Magistrate Late Capt Of The Royal Horse Capt Of The Shropshire ?
He was a magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant of Shropshire, and captain in the Shropshire Yeomanry Cavalry. He did exactly what a squire ought to do; developing his property, improving his cottages, restoring his churches, working for his political party.
Always the soldier, he had been near volunteering for the Graco-Turkish War; and the outbreak of hostilities in South Africa brought matters to a crisis. The composite regiment of Household Cavalry was formed under the command of another Old Harrovian, Audley Neeld ; and Charlie could restrain himself no longer. "All my friends are going," he said, "I must go too." He applied at the War Office for employment, and the War Office, true to itself, said it had no use for his services. Nothing daunted, he put himself and his Yeomanry chargers on board ship, and made straight for Cape Town, where he volunteered for any duty which might turn up. "If I can do nothing else," he said, "I can drive mules." His services were promptly accepted. He was commissioned to raise a troop of Light Horse; and, that task accomplished, his friends knew no more of his movements till they learned from the newspaper that he had fallen gloriously at Potgieter's Drift.

Hello Rob

Taken from My Army Life by Lieut.-Gen. The Earl of Dundonald

Regards

Death of Major Childe as mentioned in the Flag to Pretoria Vol 1 (Page 274 /275)

Bastion Hill- After private Tobin scaled the summit and turning round, he waved his helmet on his rifle, and the Light Horse rushed up and occupied the hill. There was something ominous in the case with which it had been taken, and the Boer reason for leaving it unfortified was soon manifest. Behind it rose a crescent -shaped ridge, hardly visible from below, but which was now seen to command it. The top of Bastion Hill itself was bare of shelter, and upon it from further crest was poured a murderous fire – shrapnel and rifle. Towards evening Major Childe was struck and killed by a well-timed shrapnel, which laid low six of his brave troopers. Upon him, in the days before the battle, the presentiment of death had sat heavily. Grey though he was, this was his first action, and he had asked the night before that on his grave should be placed this epitaph, with words of eternal hope and consolation: “Is it well with the child? And she answered: “It is well”. His wish was fulfilled. Beneath Bastion Hill he lies today, and on his cross, which marks his grave these simple words are carved. Around him, on the solemn hills, within sight of his resting -place sleep the valiant comrade who in these sorrowful days of defeat laid down their lives for their country. And his epitaph is theirs.

Here is a picture of his grave at Rangeworthy Cemetery.



This is one I took in 2009

Hello there,

I am curious about your enquiry re the burial site of Major Childe.

In the 1990's I worked in the area of the battle site. I discovered the site with the gravestone. I was doing fieldwork for the Boer War Museum in Bloemfontein at the time, after I finished my work for the day I was dropped in the area and soon found the site. The gravestone was broken up and stil in a depression in the ground which I assumed was the grave. After carefully placing the broken pieces together I took pictures of it and presented it in a report to the museum.

Some time later I found a series of books on the Boer War printed in 1900. It contains the whole story of Major Childe's death on page 101 in volume 3.

During June this year (2022) I again flew over the site. In telling my passengers the story of Major Childe I pointed down at the site and noticed a little memorial built a few meters away form the grave. I have no knowledge of this memorial.

That evening I googled his name and discovered this article.

I will look for my original report I wrote to the museum in the 90's at the end of this month once I am home again. I will have it ready for you in case you require a copy of it. Let me know.

If you interested I could but try and visit the site again and take you with me.

Kind regards,

Fred