TOPIC:

TOWCESTER BOER WAR MEMORIAL,
ST. LAWRENCE'S CHURCH,
CHANTRY LANE,
TOWCESTER,
SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE,
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE,
NN12 6YY.
ENGLAND.

ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID REFERENCE:SP6940848699


Sign for St. Lawrence's Church in Chantry Lane


St. Lawrence's Church


Boer War Memorial Plaque on the right as you walk in


'SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
THE YEOMEN AND SOLDIERS WHOSE NAMES
ARE INSCRIBED BELOW AND OF ALL OTHERS IN THE
DISTRICT WHO WERE KILLED IN ACTION OR DIED OF
WOUNDS OR DISEASE IN THE FAITHFUL DISCHARGE OF THEIR DUTY
TO THEIR COUNTRY DURING THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR 1899 TO 1902."
"SERGT. E. BENNETT HEATHENCOTE 37TH IMPERIAL YEOMANRY
FARRIER CHAS BENNETT WHITTLEBURY ". ". "
TROOPER F. DANCER MAIDS MORETON. ". ". "
TROOPER F. HOPKINS LOIS WEEDON. ". ". "
CORPL. E.L.SIMMONDS TOWCESTER. GORDON HIGHLANDERS
TROOPER W.F.NORMAN. ". RHODESIAN VOLS
LANCE CORPL. J. MOORE. ". 16TH LANCERS
PTE. CHAS HOLLAND. ". GRENADIER GUARDS
PTE. F. TARRY. ". 2ND NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGIMENT"

The wall mounted brass plaque is approximately 1000mm x 800mm and is mounted on a wooden backboard.
The font is of a very legible capital type, predominantly black lettering with faded red highlights on intermittent first letters of words/names etc.
There is a thin channel painted black, bordering the inscription text.


In the top left hand corner is an engraved Tommy wearing a slouch hat.


In the top right corner we find an engraved highlander.

Altogether a very nice plaque which is highly polished and cared for.


I visited on a Sunday morning and found easy car parking outside the shops on the main street through Towcester. It may prove to be more difficult during a week day.

The people in the church were most friendly and welcoming.

Biographical details for the men named thereon to follow.

TOWCESTER BOER WAR MEMORIAL
ROLL OF HONOUR

TROOPER EDWARD MASON BRETT BENNETT:
37TH COMPANY (BUCKINGHAMSHIRE) 10TH BATTALION IMPERIAL YEOMANRY.
DIED OF DISEASE AT BOSHOF ON 05/05/1900.
INTERRED AT BOSHOF TOWN CEMETERY. MONUMENT 3.
Commemorated at Coombe Hill Obelisk, Baytis Cross, Buckinghamshire. Also on tablet in Guildhall porch, Northampton, and West End plaque Peterborough Cathedral.
A plaque bearing his name in the school ante-chapel, Old Boys, Bloxham, Oxfordshire.
His QSA with clasps Cape Colony and Orange Free State.

4824 SHOEING SMITH CHARLES F. BENNETT:
10TH BATTALION IMPERIAL YEOMANRY.
(WATT 2000 NOTES RANK AS 'SHSM'
DIED OF DISEASE AT KROONSTAD ON 02/06/1900.
INTERRED AT KROONSTAD NORTH ROAD.
Further commemorated on Coombe Hill Obelisk, Baytis Cross, Buckinghamshire.
Guildhall porch tablet, Northampton.
West End plaque, Peterborough Cathedral.
His QSA with clasps Cape Colony/Orange Free State and Transvaal.

TROOPER FREDERICK JOSEPH DANCER:
37TH(BUCKINGHAMSHIRE) COMPANY 10TH BATTALION
IMPERIAL YEOMANRY.
DIED AT MAFIKENG ON 02/11/1900.
INTERRED AT MAFIKENG. MONUMENT 3.
Also commemorated on Coombe Hill Obelisk, Battis Cross, Buckinghamshire.


Plaque at St. Edmunds Church, Maids Moreton.

Only can see QSA with South Africa 1902 clasp, but he must be entitled to more!

4861 TROOPER FREDERICK THOMAS HOPKINS:
37TH (BUCKINGHAMSHIRE) COMPANY 10TH BATTALION
IMPERIAL YEOMANRY
DIED OF DYSENTERY AT KIMBERLEY ON 29/03/1900.
INTERRED AT KIMBERLEY, GLADSTONE. MONUMENT 2.
Commemorated on Coombe Hill Obelisk, Battis Cross, Buckinghamshire.
Guildhall porch Northampton.
West End plaque, Peterborough Cathedral.
ST. Peter and St. Mary's Church plaque, Weedon Lois, Northampton.
Trooper Hopkins was entitled to the Queen's South Africa medal with the single clasp Cape Colony.

CORPORAL ERNEST LOVELL SIMMONDS: 1ST BATTALION
GORDON HIGHLANDERS
Slightly wounded at Doornkop on 29th May 1900 (Watt 2000). Exp bullet wound of head and Mauser wound of right thigh. Discharged as unfit for further duty at Netley Hospital on 20th November 1900. Ernest did not die in South Africa.

As a survivor, his attestation papers are remain extant and tell us the following:
Ernest attested to the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders at Aberdeen on the 16th January 1900, at the age of 25years and 1 month. He was born in Towcester in 1874. He gave his occupation as that of tuner (piano) having served three years as an apprentice to The Dunmow, Ellis Hill, Dalston and had been serving in the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders.
His vital statistics were:
Height: 5'7"
Weight:126lbs.
Chest range: 33"-35"
Fresh complexion, grey eyes, brown hair, scar left eyebrow and Church of England in denomination.
He would have more identifying scars before he returned to Towcester!
His next of kin were father William Simmonds, a professor of music (hence the young Ernest following a musical path) and mother Emma.
Ernest's record of service was shorter than most totalling 310 days comprising:
Home--15/01/1900 to 17/02/1900.
South Africa --18/02/1900 to 04/10/2900.
Home--05/10/1900 to 20/10/1900.

Medal Roll WO100/203 confirms entitlement to the Queen's South Africa medal with clasps Cape Colony/Orange Free State and Wittebergen.
Census 1901 has Ernest living at High Street, Towcester as an army pensioner aged 27. He was recorded at this address, the family home, in both 1881(with seven siblings) and 1891 Census.
Maybe he passed away after this date as a result of his wounds and that would be how he came to be named on the Towcester memorial?
More research required.

115 TROOPER WILLIAM FRANCIS NORMAN:
RHODESIA REGIMENT (PLUMER'S FORCE)
DIED OF DISEASE AT CHARTER.
INTERRED: UNKNOWN.
Commemorated on the Guildhall porch memorial tablet, Northampton.

William served with the Mashonaland Squadron of the Rhodesia Regiment.
WO100/266 states that Trooper Norman earned the Queen's South Africa medal with the single clasp Rhodesia for his service.
Register of Deceased Soldier's Effects entry 14502 shows his account with no legatee entered, to the sum of £5 War Gratuity.

5263 LANCE CORPORAL C.J.MOORE:
16TH LANCERS; ATTACHED TO 8TH HUSSARS.
KILLED IN ACTION NEAR GELUK ON 13/10/1900.
INTERRED AT DALMANUTHA. MONUMENT 3.
Also commemorated on the South Africa memorials to the 16th Lancers located at Canterbury,Kent, and St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
Also the plaques on the West End wall at Peterborough Cathedral.

5335 PRIVATE CHARLES HOLLAND:
3RD BATTALION GRENADIER GUARDS.
DIED OF DISEASE ENTERIC AT PRETORIA ON 08/07/1900.
INTERRED AT PRETORIA, MONUMENT 29.
Commemorated on the plaques at Peterborough Cathedral, and the Holy Trinity Household Cavalry and Guards, Windsor, Berkshire.
Also named on the memorial tablet in the porch of the Guildhall, Northampton.
Charles ' entry into the Register of Deceased Soldier's Effects no. 94925, tells us that he was a Labourer in his civilian life. His closing account was paid out to his widow Louisa in the sum of three shillings.
Medal Roll WO100/163 shows that his posthumous Queen's South Africa medal bore the clasps Cape Colony/Dreifontein and Johannesburg.

4726 PRIVATE F. TARRY:
2ND BATTALION NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGIMENT.
DIED OF DISEASE AT COAL MINE DRIFT ON 01/02/1901.
INTERRED AT KLERKSDORP, MONUMENT 2.
Unable to find any further information on this man.

Death of Ernest Lovell Simmonds:







Steve - A public family tree on Ancestry entitled "Towcester Families" and created by a Mary Taylor, led to above - it might contain info about others on the memorial.

Regards, David.

David,
Just the answer I was looking for re: Simmonds.
Cheers Steve