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PRIVATE J. LOCKETT: 1ST BATTALION ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS. KILLED IN ACTION AT FREDRIKSTAD 25/10/1900.
INTERRED AT POTCHEFSTROOM, OLIEN PARK. MONUMENT 1.

QSA: CAPE COLONY/ORANGE FREE STATE/TRANSVAAL.









The 25th October 1900 was the final day of the siege of the railway station at Frederikstad, where General Barton had set up camp on 17th October whilst in command of the 1st battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 2nd battalion Royal Scottish Fusiliers, elements of the 78th battery Royal Artillery, some units of Imperial Yeomanry, Imperial Bushmen and Mounted Infantry and around 200 men of Marshall's Horse.
From their defended positions the order was given for the Fusiliers to attack the Boers and dislodge them at the point of the bayonet, in which endeavour they were successful. The Boers were routed and suffered heavily during their hasty withdrawal across open ground.

The final butcher's bill for this engagement was for the British, 29 men killed in action, of which 6015 Private Lockett was one, and 88 wounded, while the Boers suffered 46 men killed in action. I have no figures for the number of Boers that were wounded.

The names and numbers of all the casualties who served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers was published shortly after the battle in the South Wales Daily News, dated 31st October 1900, on page 5 (otherwise refer to Hayward (1982), Palmer (1999), Watt (2000), The Register, Medal Rolls etc.).


Private Lockett is also commemorated on the Welsh National South Africa Memorial, Cathays Park, Cardiff and on the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Memorial at St. Giles Church, Wrexham.

A very nice medal. Thank you for posting, Steve.