TOPIC:

Hi Everyone......

For your viewing pleasure......

Just found this in the bottom of a box of old books...... I wonder where his medal is, does anyone know..... Looks like part of the program was stuck to the back of the frame, don't want to take it apart just in case I damage it..... Cannot really read the name on the bottom as it is very faded but with a glass I can make out (just looked at the pictures I took came out OK: Private H. W. Fisher – 1377 There is something written underneath that but I cannot see it.....

Mike

From Find My Past...….

FIRST NAME: H. W.
LAST NAME: FISHER
SERVICE NUMBER: 1377
RANK: LANCE-CORPORAL
REGIMENT: CITY OF LONDON IMPERIAL VOLUNTEERS
ROLLS: WO100/231 PAGE 231
YEAR: 1899-1902

BIOGRAPHY:

EVENT: WOUNDED SLIGHTLY ON 11/06/1900 AT DIAMOND HILL
EVENT UNIT: CITY OF LONDON IMPERIAL VOLUNTEERS

GAZETTEER:

DIAMOND HILL - not marked] an eminence on a ridge on the southern boundary of the farm Rietfontein in the South African Republic (Cullinan district; Gauteng), 30 km east of Pretoria. This was the location of Schuller's Diamond Mines, Limited, on the site of a diamond bearing pipe discovered in 1897. It gave its name to an inconclusive British victory on 11 and 12 June 1900, known to Boer historians as the battle of Donkerhoek*. This ridge formed the left flank of Cmdt-Gen L. Botha's defensive positions which ran some 50 km northwards as far as Boekenhoutskloof (2)* to prevent a British advance along the main road and railway leading eastwards from Pretoria* to Middelburg (1)*. On 11 June, a large British force of some 4,800 mounted men and 8,200 infantry with strong artillery support moved against cleverly established Boer positions. The British flanks were unable to make any impact on the Boer defenses that day, whilst the activity in the centre was marked by artillery fire. On 12 June the British left focussed on the ridge of which Diamond Hill formed the central point. It was thought to be the key defensive position on the Boer left, held in strength, and so was heavily shelled before being taken by the 2nd Coldstream Guards and the 1st The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire) regiment. Little progress could be made, however, because of enfilading fire sweeping across the ridge from the heights north of Donker Poort (1)*. A strong artillery response was, to some extent, successful and by nightfall the British infantry held their ground. Although the British left and centre had made no progress during the day, the commandos, fearing that their left flank had been turned, retired during the night to fight another day.

That's a very nice item, Mike.

There are two Fishers from the CIV in the Jack Webb collection but not this man, sadly.