TOPIC:

A roll of honour in Congleton Town Hall.


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Q.M.S. J. Needham..................R.F.A.
Sgt. George Buckley.................R.H.A.
S. S. William Banks...................R.F.A.
Cpl. John H. Ray.......................2nd Royal Rifles.
Sgt. H. Berisford........................Seaforth Highlanders.
Pte. Geo. Stanier.......................4th The Kings.
.."....Geo. Carney.......................Brabant's Horse.
.."....Geo. Wynne.......................2nd Cheshire
.."....Jno. Pedley.................................do.
Cpl. Ar. Gallimore.......................5th V.B. Cheshire.
Pte. Jas. Carney.................................do.
.."....Albert Chell.................................do.
.."....Chas. Gallimore..........................do.
Sgt. Alfred Brett.......................3rd Cheshire.
Pte. Thos. Cadwallader......................do.
.."....Jas. Chaddock............................do.
.."....Ar. Charlesworth.........................do.
.."....Jno. W. Minshull..........................do.
Sgt. Jas. Dixon.......................4th Cheshire.
Pte. Wm. Andrew.................................do.
.."....Matthew Burn...............................do.
.."....Robt. Cartlidge.............................do.
.."....Wm. J. Chell.................................do.
Cpl. Herbert Dale.................................do.
Pte. Geo. Harkin..................................do.
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Cpl. Frank Stubbs.......................4th Cheshire.
Pte. Saml. Dimilar................................do.
.."....David J. Gee.................................do.
.."....Henry Henshall.............................do.
.."....Albert Hough.................................do.
.."....John Jones...................................do.
.."....Isaac Kettle...................................do.
.."....Wm. Limeburner............................do.
.."....Jas. McCormick.............................do.
.."....Henry Moores..... ..........................do.
.."....William Moss.................................do.
.."....Geo. Mottershead..........................do.
.."....Samuel Parr...................................do.
.."....Jno. Pemberton............... ..............do.
.."....Richard Pickford.............................do.
.."....Joseph Proctor...............................do.
.."....Thos. Proctor.................. ...............do.
.."....Thos. Slater....................................do.
.."....Arthur Sproson...............................do.
.."....Arthur Smart...................................do.
.."....Jas. Stockton.................... .............do.
Cpl. Daniel Thomas...............................do.
Pte. Thos. McCormick..................4th North Staffs.
.."....Joseph Foster.......................3rd Cheshire. November 1902................................................................................................................................................MAYOR..

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. ....In the list of wounded in the taking of Jacobsdal by Lord Roberts' forces, published last Monday, was the name of J. Pedley. Pedley went from Congleton along with Wynn and others. His friends will hope with us that his wound is not a serious one. On his arrival at Cape Town he sent the following letter to Congleton:— ...."Dear Sir,— I write these few lines just to let you know that my regiment arrived at Cape Town about 4 o'clock on Saturday, 27th, after a pretty fair voyage. We started from Southampton in the s.s. Britannic on the 7th of January, and had a pretty good send-off by the crowd that was assembled at the docks. We passed a good many places of interest on the route, and we also stopped to coal at the Isle of St. Vincent. We lived mostly on salt pork and hard biscuits, and now and again we got bread. Water was very scarce. We passed one of the transport vessels on the route, which had lost 27 horses. We also met a transport bringing invalids from East London to take them to Netley Hospital. George Wynn, Ben Brown, and myself had pretty good health. We dropped on a man named Cassidy out of Canal-street on the boat. The biggest part of the men on board were inoculated as a precaution against fever. The mounted infantry, of which I am one, expect to join General French's force. Give my respects to all.— Your sincere friend, ....January 27th, 1900.
Congleton Chronicle, Saturday 24th February 1900
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....Letters from the Front are interesting reading, and, although Cape Town can scarcely be called the Front now, there is pleasure to be had from perusing a letter from Mr. Will Banks to his father and mother at Congleton, announcing his arrival, and his preparations for joining Lord Roberts' force at the Modder River. He tells of the loss of several horses at sea, and the death and impressive burial of one of the men en voyage. Gratifying reading is his account of the reception of the troops by the Cape Town people, who threw at them things more substantial than cheers in the shape of cigarettes, tobacco, and cigars. Corporal George Buckley, writing to his wife in Congleton from the Modder River, announces his promotion to the rank of Sergeant, and talks of the position as being a "hot shop." The troops, he says, live on biscuits and tinned meat. He adds: "Roberts is proud of his division, and thinks we can settle affairs by the end of April." Of a narrow shave he writes coolly as follows: "I have been hit on the side of my jack-boot, but it only cut the leather and went its way, and did not hurt me in the least."
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....Why the Congleton Town Hall flag was not hoisted immediately on the receipt of Cronje's surrender was explained at the meeting of the General Purposes Committee, when Mr. Pedley said on giving instructions for the flag to be hoisted he ascertained that a new one was required. A worse, if somewhat amusing, predicament was found at the Arclid Workhouse, if report be true. Rumour hath it that the only flag that could be hoisted was the Boer flag, and this was run up. A Sandbach gentleman on hearing of it went to get his gun, and vowed he would riddle it with shot. But we understand that a British flag has been obtained, and so the bombardment of the Workhouse is postponed.
Congleton Chronicle, Saturday 10th March 1900
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....Probably our readers wondered what was the nature of the wound received by Private J. Pedley at Jacobsdal. It is pleasing to find that the injury was not of a serious nature. Writing to his wife under date 25th February he says: "The regiment of mounted infantry formed up on the 10th of February, and left for the front, and after we had gone two days' march we were attacked by the Boers at a place called Waterfall Drift. the next day we went on to Jacobsdal and fought there about six hours. I had been Despatch Orderly all the time, and was very lucky until the last half-hour when I got shot on the left thigh. But it is only a little now, for all the wounds are healed up. I was bandaged up shortly after I was shot, and sent down to Modder River until I was fit to come to Orange River, where there is a proper hospital. Now I am out of hospital, and knocking about a bit, and expect to be fit for anything in another few days; and you will see by this that I am all right." Later in his letter Pedley says, "People in England say what fine shots the Boers are, but I don't think they are, for they get their guns and load them, and fire them off anywhere without looking at the 'sights' or anything. As soon as they see you fix your bayonets they turn round and run like mad. At the time we were fighting we were with lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener, and my word they did seem surprised when I told them I had seen some women giving ammunition to the Boers while they were firing on us." At the end of the private portion of his letter home Pedley asks his wife to give his kind regards to all enquiring friends. In return, no doubt, his friends will join with us in congratulating him on his quick recovery.
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....Another word anent Pro-Boers in Congleton. As we said a week or two ago there are a few individuals of this class in the town, and they are pretty well known. But one tradesman has been unjustly stigmatised as one. A report was circulated that this gentleman had refused to sell powder for the celebration of the arrival of the British at Bloemfontein. The tale was widely circulated, and the tradesman was much reviled, and serious injury to his business might have resulted. Fortunately the statement reached the ears of the loyal lads who went for the powder, and they at once said there was not an atom of truth in it, and that on the contrary the treadesman gave them extra good weight and told them to give a good bang. It is only fair to the powder dealer to mention this.
Congleton Chronicle, Saturday 24th March 1900
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. . . ....Quarter-Master Sergeant Needham, of the 63rd Battery Royal Field Artillery, writes to Mr. James Parkes, of Congleton, the following very interesting letter:— ....Sir,— At last I have found time to write to you a few lines, although I only can write when I get a few minutes interval. At the present moment we are in action about the very place where the Boers upset our little lot some little time ago, i.e., the Battle of Colenso.
....Well, since I left Congleton I have had some peculiar passages, which I will now put on paper for you and all my Congleton friends (good old Congleton) to digest, if you do not mind me taking up your valuable time.
....On leaving Congleton on October 17th I proceeded to Bristol to join the 63rd Battery R.F.A. which was under orders for active service in South Africa. I arrived quite safe at Bristol, and at once proceeded to tackle my work as Battery Quarter-Master Sergeant. I am sorry to say things were not as satisfactory as they ought to have been, the previous Q.M.S. having "gone off his onion," and the work was very trying till we sailed. I was at it day and night, and then did not finish as I should have liked to do, but all the same we got on the evening of the 4th of November, 1899. The 10th Hussars had a portion of their regiment on board, also the 6th Bearer Company R. A. Medical Corps, in all about 500 military and about 380 horses. We finished embarking about seven p.m., and I felt rather pleased when I had finished taking over of Messes and hammocks for the troops, which was not until about ten p.m. I had been at it all day, after riding in the train from Bristol to Liverpool, soaking wet through, and felt regular done up.
....We sailed next day, Sunday, but only proceeded for about one day when we had to put into a road close to Great Orme's Head for shelter, the weather having turned up rough. We stayed there till the evening of the 8th November, when we started again. During this time and the Hussars had already lost about eight or nine horses, so it was decided by the Captain, advised by the officer commanding troops, to put into Milford Haven for advice, we having no Vet on board. Every horse seemed to have something wrong with it. We put into harbour, and a Vet came, and after a lengthy inspection, he decided that there was no infection on board, and that the horses were suffering from exposure contracted whilst travelling in open trucks the night before embarking, when it rained heavily all the night.
....Again we started on the evening of the 11th of November, and everything went on merrily. I was Ship's Q.M. Sergeant, but he was a poor Chief Steward, so I did not fare so well as I might have done. The only events were the deaths of several more horses of the Hussars, and the troops having sea-sickness. I myself, I am pleased to say, was never sick a moment. The sickness only lasted, of course, a day or so, until we reached Las Palmas. We reached this place at 10 p.m., the 19th, I think, and they merely sent from shore to see if we had water and fuel sufficient to last the voyage; if so, we must proceed at once for Cape Town. We had sufficient of the aforesaid, and we proceeded from Las Palmas about midnight, which was rather who had expected to have a rare spread of fruit, etc.
....I might mention now that the arrangements on board the Ismore for dry canteen goods, fruit, eatables, minerals, etc., were decidedly very bad, as before we reached Las Palmas they were completely sold out of everything but cheese and boot laces; no minerals, fruit, butter, jam, or any tinned stuff of any description could be got. I fancy they had intended to fill up supplies at Las Palmas instead of putting them aboard at Liverpool as they should have done. So we could get nothing but ordinary ship's rations, which are not very grand I can assure you. Salt pork and hard biscuit one day, corned beef and fresh bread the next, plum pudding and pea soup once a week.
....Well, we continued our voyage (a splendid one; weather cold but could not have been better) and nothing alarming occurred till the morning of the 3rd of December, when, as you no doubt know ....I will give you a few details of the affair if you can spare time to go on with this lengthy epistle.
....On Saturday, the 2nd December, the troops were in high glee, thinking we should disembark the following day, as we were only about 150 miles off Cape Town at five p.m., and the boys rubbed merrily away at their accoutrements, etc., and got their kit packed as far as possible for disembarking. All turned in as usual at night, and everything seemed all correct, and we were expecting to reach Cape Town about 6 a.m. next morning. But we did not, as about three a.m.—I was only half asleep myself—I heard a as if the bottom of the vessel was being torn out, and it was nearly, as it turned out afterwards. I sprang out of my hammock at once, wondering what could be wrong, when I thought to myself "Can it be the anchor dropped? If so, we are at Cape Town." But on second thoughts I knew it could not be that, as the noise was too great, and had only been a short time, so I quietly got into my hammock again, as I knew what a panic would mean. By this time a number of the men had been on top deck, and, coming down, were rushing about shouting "She is going down." I commenced laughing and joking, telling them it was only the anchor dropped, and that all was correct, or she would not be so steady. Steady she certainly was, and well might that be considering that she was jammed tight from forepart to amidships on a rock. By degrees they quietened down, and ..and they were so steady that a great number rolled up their hammocks ready for putting away. This I saw afterwards. The order was then given, "All hands on deck." I went on deck, where all the troops fell in just as on any other parade. All was quiet and in good order.
....I got on the hurricane deck, and had a look round. Dawn was just beginning to break the darkness; seawards I could see nothing but one mass of foaming breakers; shorewards nothing but tremendous masses of rocks with intervals of seething foam. Looming up at what appeared to be a half-a-mile or so's distance. I could see a dark mass, which I judged to be land. We were almost end on, and it appeared as if we had passed through three or four miles of breakers, and the officer had headed direct for shore. How he got so near land as he did is a marvel, which I think will never be explained. When too late he perceived danger, and tried to turn her off, but could not.
....I went on the troop deck again, when the order was given, "Stand to the horses," and the men fell in on the usual posts as for "Fire." During this time the fires had been put out, and I looked down into the engine rooms, and in this short period the so you may judge the hull was pretty well opened. The order was now given to put on helmets, water-bottles, haversacks, and life-belts, and to fall in on parade again. This was done smartly, but I saw several men of my battery without life-belts, and I went below and brought up all I could find. To tell you the honest truth I never felt the least afraid, and never once thought of any danger, as everything appeared to go so smoothly.
....They now proceeded to lower the boats and fill them with troops. As they became filled they pulled shorewards, the land being now plainly seen. By seven a.m. there was only the ship's officers, two of our officers, about half-a-dozen Hussar officers, myself, and about ten men of my Battery and thirty Hussars, and a few of the ship's crew left behind. The Captain now said the ship would be safe for another couple of hours, so we proceeded to make and have some breakfast. Then we commenced to get what kit, etc., we could on deck, ready to lower into the boats as they came back. With my few men I worked like a ...... getting kits up. Then we stopped that and watered and fed our horses. We then threw one overboard to see if he would swim ashore. I am pleased to say he did, as also did about twenty others which were thrown over during the morning. Several were We then commenced at the kits again, and stuck at it till about ten a.m., when the ship gave a terrible lurch to starboard. She had been heeling over slightly all the morning. I was below deck at the time, and made sure she was going down, as while we were working there the water kept forcing the hatches up, and the iron standards between decks were bent like pins with the pressure of water underneath.
....The order was now given, "All hands on deck and clear of the ship," as the Captain now said he would not be responsible for her a moment longer. We lowered ourselves into the boats and went ashore. We found it was an island, called by the natives Dassen Island. The natives supplied us with bread, brought beasts for us to kill (on payment of course), and we bivouacked here for three days, Then a couple of gunboats came to our assistance, and we were taken on board the transport Columbia, on which we proceeded to Cape Town, which was sixty or seventy miles away.
....I might tell you that on the Sunday the Ismore broke up the stern part heeled over to starboard, the stern up in the air, while the forepart was just on the point of going down head first. We saved a considerable quantity of kit, arms, ammunition, etc., but I am sorry to say we lost all our guns and carriages completely—a great loss to us, and in fact to the country, as it delayed us going to the front considerably.
....Disembarking at Cape Town we proceeded to Maitland Camp, about five miles from the docks. On the way I got Transport, called at the Ordnance people from whom I got camp equipment, and I also called at the Army Ordnance Corps and got supplies for the men. So we settled down here for a little time, while I tried my loyal best to equip the battery again. I went every day to Cape Town with waggons hoping to get clothing and necessaries for the men, also harness for the horses, and other equipment for the carriages, guns, etc.
....Well, believe me, sir, I thought ....In England I would have had hard times, but this capped all I had ever gone through. We had to purchase civilian articles in most cases, as the Ordnance Department were not prepared to fully equip a Battery throughout. But at last we got from England a Battery of guns and carriages complete (except stores which I managed to half equip them with in Cape Town) on the 22nd December. On the same day we struck camp and embarked in the S.S. Algeria for Durban. We had by this got a full Battery of horses and harness, and we sailed the same night. After a pleasant voyage, we disembarked on December 27th, so I had Christmas Day on board. I was again ship's Q.M.-Sergeant, and fared much better than on board the Ismore. I got up a concert for the night of the 26th, and it was a great success. We entrained at once and proceeded to a place called Mooi River, where we stayed four days trying to complete the Battery with what we required. We then moved by road to Estcourt. Here again four days' same old routine trying to complete the Battery. We were getting nearer the front, though. We again moved on by road to Frere, stayed a couple of days, and then moved on day by day till we got to Springfield, where we camped four days.
....On the 20th of January (my enlistment anniversary), 1900, we came into action south of the Tugela River, which we forced, and marched on to Spion Kop. At this place a great battle was fought. We were commencing on the 21st, and continuing to the 27th, horses harnessed up all the time. It was a very warm time I can assure you. We lost one man, two horses, and ten horses were wounded. And, the worst of it, we had to retire as the Boer position seemed almost impregnable. We retired to Springfield again, and camped for seven days. We were visited by General Buller, and our Battery was particularly complimented on their smart movements, good shooting, and the discipline of the personnel of the Battery.
....We started again for Poitgers Drift, where we came into action on the 5th February, and remained in till the 8th. At this place the battle of Vaal Krantz was fought, and it was fearful. We entered a horseshoe-shaped valley nearly surrounded by hills which were occupied by the Boers. They seemed to have How we got away with the small number of casualties we did I cannot understand. Shells seemed to drop and burst in every place. My Battery had one man severely wounded, three horses killed, and two horses severely wounded. I myself had two very narrow escapes. I was issuing rations at one of the supply waggons, when a shell struck the near fore wheel and buried itself in the ground, covering all of us with soil, etc. Not a man was hurt. The next time I had just moved the ammunition waggon to a fresh cover, and was standing (mounted) facing the enemy's position when I heard a shell coming towards us. Instinctively I could feel it was a near thing as it passed over my head and buried itself about five yards in the rear of me. It must have had a large angle of descent or it could not have missed me. I dismounted and examined my horse, it being very restless, and found that a small splinter of the shell had struck it right on top of the head between the ears, and had made rather a nasty wound. So you may guess But it is nothing as it seems to be an every-day occurrence—just missed!
....We again retired to Springfield and stayed two days, and then moved on again to Chieveley where we camped for four days. Again we moved in from Colenso and came into action on the 14th inst., and at the present moment (6 a.m. the 21st inst.) are still in action. We appear to have been a little more successful here, as we have advanced about six miles, and appear just now to have a clear front, although we shall not move for two or three hours till this front has been thoroughly searched, making a slow but sure game of it. At present we have only two casualties in this action, a sergeant and a gunner wounded in the hands, both slight.
....Now just a few lines about this business: I must say we live very well indeed. We get corned beef, biscuits, cheese, bacon, tea, coffee, bread and fresh meat in lieu of biscuits and bully beef when ever the opportunity offers. This is, all camps; but at the present moment we are getting bread although at the front. But then again we are badly pushed for water. Just as an example since the 13th inst. Again I have not had a stitch of clothing off since that date, not even the spurs off my boots. These are only a couple of the miseries we have to put up with. Bivouac in the open every night—it rains five nights out of the seven, and when there is no rain there is very heavy dew, which is as bad and the only protection we have against this is a waterproof sheet each man (6ft. by 3ft.) and one blanket between two men. Then the difficulty of obtaining water for the horses and men is very great—we have to go miles for it. For instance I sent the water cart at 5 a.m. for water. They will have to go about six miles over a very rough country. I expect them back at about 3 p.m. As for the horses, we send them a few teams at a time to a dirty pond about three miles back, close to a farm lately occupied by Boers. The remainder of the difficulties are too numerous to mention, so I will leave them till I have an opportunity of detailing them verbally. That is, all being well.
....I will conclude now (as I sit writing this there are guns going off every five seconds, so we have about nine batteries in action besides garrison and siege guns) with my kind regards to yourself and family, trusting you have had a jolly Christmas, and will have a happy and prosperous New Year, and remain, ....P.S. At the present moment, 4.30 p.m., 22-2-00, we are having a great artillery duel, and our Infantry are advancing on Groblers Hill, we having taken Colenso, and half our Army is over the Tugela River."
Congleton Chronicle, Saturday 31st March 1900

What an amazing post, Berenice. You are a star.

Cheers, David.

It wasn't until I was transcribing the names yesterday that I noticed that no-one from Congleton served in the Imperial Yeomanry, and I haven't as yet come across any mention of anyone from the town even applying to join either of the two Cheshire yeomanry companies.