TOPIC:

When 2420 Lance-Corporal Henry George Pullin, 2nd Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment, returned home from South Africa, he decided to keep, amongst other things, his right service boot.
On close inspection, the reason for the retention of this unusual souvenir becomes clear – neat holes in the sole and uppers show that a bullet has passed straight through it.
The nature of the holes, clean on the undersides of the leather and jagged on the upper sides, suggests the bullet entered through the sole and exited between the two eyelets in the uppers, piercing the tongue on its way. See diagrams below.




With this trajectory, there are limited possibilities for the orientation of Pullin’s foot when the bullet hit. For obvious reasons he could not have been standing (see “A” in the figure below), and a lying position seems unlikely as the origin of the bullet would then have been too high (C). The only plausible scenario appears to be that Pullin was struck from behind, most likely while running (B ). A clean round entry hole suggests that this was not a ricochet. It also seems unlikely that a spent bullet would have had the velocity to pass through the tough leather heel of a British service boot.
It is also possible that Pullin wasn't wearing the boot when it was struck. But if that were the case would he have kept it as a souvenir?







Diagram showing the probable trajectory of the bullet through the right foot, entering through the sole and piercing the cuboid and middle cuneiform bones. The green and red dots mark the entry and exit points respectively (plantar view). In the casualty roll this is described as a slight wound. The trajectory suggests Pullin was shot from behind, either by a comrade or while in retreat. The bullet hole is clean, indicating that it was not a ricochet.



Casualty rolls show that Pullin was wounded at the battle of Klip Kraal, on 16 Feb 1900, during the Paardeberg operations.


Maurice 1907, Vol. II, pp. 83-86

“The West Riding, with the Gloucester in second line, began the frontal assault assigned to them. They worked up to close range of the Boers; they established touch with the left of the Oxfordshire, some of whom had crept forward to one hundred and fifty yards from the kopje they were attacking, and they carried a few outlying knolls, but the enemy was so little shaken that it was found impossible to assault the main ridge.…….
Night was now falling; the troops had been fighting almost continuously since dawn, and they were tired out. Major-General Knox, therefore, ordered them to bivouac on the ground they held. The Oxfordshire Light Infantry lost ten men killed, and one officer and thirty-nine men wounded. The total casualties during the day were five officers wounded, and ninety-six of the other ranks killed, wounded and missing”.

Amery 1905, Vol III, pp. 404-408

“The [Boer] convoy was safely in laager at Klip Kraal Drift, and new positions covering it were already being taken up on the much more formidable Drieputs Kopjes in the angle between Klip Kraal and the bend, and in the dongas on the opposite bank. The West Ridings, Buffs, and Gloucesters now pushed slowly on across the level against the western end of the Drieputs Kopjes, while the Oxfordshire Light Infantry recrossed the river at the eastern end of the bend and attacked the kopjes from the south.…….
On the right bank the infantry had meanwhile with difficulty secured a footing on the kopjes, but without dislodging the Boers, who managed to hold their own till dusk.…….
It is unlikely that the men could have gone on without a short rest. The troops accordingly bivouacked on the positions they occupied when they left off fighting. Their casualties were over 100, of which 52 fell on the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, who bore the brunt of the day”.






Map showing troop positions during the engagement at Klip Kraal (Amery 1905, Vol. III, opposite p. 408)




Northern Daily Telegraph, 21st February 1900

EVERY YARD OF THE WAY FIERCELY FOUGHT.

Another graphic account of the pursuit of Cronje appears in today’s London “Daily Chronicle”. The Boer force at Magersfontein, says the correspondent, learning of French’s success, on Thursday night made a desperate and successful attempt to break through the circle of British troops that was closing upon them. At midnight, headed by Cronje, 5,000 of them, with their heavy guns and ox-wagons, evacuated the Magersfontein lines. At early dawn on Friday the retreating Boer army was seen from the Naval Gun Station at Klip Drift Kopje trekking eastwards across the British front, at a distance of about 5,000 yards. Our guns opened upon them, and the Mounted Infantry crossed the river and made a dashing charge, attempting to cut off the head of the Boer column. In half an hour the whole of the [Boer] force had gained the shelter of a line of kopjes, but meanwhile two of our batteries had come up, and the Oxfords, the Buffs, the West Ridings, and the Gloucesters. Our infantry crossed the drift, and for three hours were engaged with the enemy, while our batteries shelled his position, and the mounted infantry kept hard at work. Unable to withstand the galling shell fire, the enemy retired, disputing every inch of the way, and took up a strong position on some kopjes to the eastward. It was a magnificent spectacle to see the Boer army at bay. Their rearguard, 2,000 strong, fought us, while the main body trekked further east, and then brought their guns in action while the rearguard retired. The action lasted through the day. Our infantry fought splendidly, but the enemy held his ground under the continued bombardment of our artillery. Later on, the Boer commander ventured on a bold stroke. Leaving 2,000 under cover, he withdrew the rest from the main position, and headed for Klip Kraal Drift, six miles to the east. The movement was soon discovered, and our mounted infantry came back across the drift, and marched along the south bank to endeavour to head off the enemy. When they reached the neighbourhood of Klip Kraal Drift, night had fallen, and half the Boers were already across to the south side, and the mounted infantry harassed their movement. Meanwhile, the Boer rearguard, having covered the crossing of the main body, retired slowly, and successfully passed the drift. The rearguard fought desperately, and as it fell back to the river was harassed on flank and rear by the British. Having thus passed the Modder, under cover of the darkness, the Boers trekked throughout the night in the direction of Bloemfontein. General Kelly-Kenny, with the Sixth Division, pursued them at daylight, General Macdonald, with the Highlanders, following him. Macdonald reached Klip Kraal Drift by forced marches on Sunday; Kelly-Kenny, moving from Klip Kraal, and endeavouring to outflank the enemy and cut them off from Bloemfontein, and drive them back into Macdonald’s hands. When I left the front Kelly-Kenny had not come up with the enemy. General French has left Kimberley, marching south-east, so as to catch Cronje should the latter evade Kelly-Kenny and slip past Macdonald. In Friday’s action a laager was captured, and also a gun which the enemy tried to disable. It is now known that Delarey left Colesberg to assist Cronje’s retreat. Delarey attacked our reaguard at Waterval Drift on the Reit River on Wednesday, capturing a portion of the convoy. A number of prisoners were taken on Friday. They say they have had enough of the war, and are anxious to return to their farms. They received orders to evacuate Magersfontein as soon as the news arrived that French was at Kimberley. They suffered fearful hardships in the trenches. They charge Cronje and the other leaders with deceiving them, and say they were daily informed of British reverses.





Casualty list published in the Manchester Courier, 26th February 1900 (Pullin erroneously listed as an East Kent Regt. man)




Casualty list published in the Gloucester Citizen, 24th February 1900



Unfortunately, Pullen’s Gloucestershire Regiment service records do not appear to have survived. His omission from the S. Africa 1901 & 1902 clasp roll seems to suggest that he was invalided early on in the campaign, perhaps as a result of the wound received at Klip Kraal. His extant QSA has only three clasps – Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg & Orange Free State.

Amongst other keepsakes, Pullin held on to his foreign service helmet. Unusually, the regimental flash is displayed on the rear instead of the side of the helmet. It also retains its neck curtain, a feature that I have only seen in photographs taken during the earlier stages of the war. The stereoview below shows the Glosters near Norval’s Pont on 3 February, just two weeks before Pullin was wounded at Klip Kraal. The men in the photograph are shown wearing neck curtains, with helmet flashes on the right sides of their helmets.



Underwood & Underwood Stereoview: “The Gloucesters charging a kopje and facing death, near Norval’s Pont (Feb. 3rd), S. Africa”.






Two photographs of Lance-Corporal Pullin's helmet, showing the neck curtain and unusual positioning of the "Gloster" helmet flash. The stitching of the puggaree to the outside of the helmet cover is also an unusual feature, possibly executed by Pullin while in the field. In the stereoview above, the puggarees are hidden underneath the covers.








WO96

Name: Henry George PULLIN
Number: 1609 [2420]
Born: Stapleton, Bristol, Gloucestershire
Age on 03/10/1887: 17 years, 8 months
Therefore born: 1870

Calling: Blacksmith

Address: 24 Oxford Street, Totterdown, Bristol

Transferred from: Bristol Naval Volunteers

Corps: 4th Bn. Somerset Light Infantry (Militia)

Attested, Bristol, for 6 yrs’ service: 03/10/1889
Discharged (Transferred to Gloucestershire Regiment; No. 2420): 01/10/1888

Home: --/--/---- to --/--/----
South Africa: --/--/---- to --/--/----
Home: --/--/---- to --/--/----

Next of kin:


Medal: QSA with clasps for Paardeberg, Relief of Kimberley & Orange Free State


1871 Census

Henry PULLIN, 1
Father: Stephen PULLIN, 24 (Pork Butcher)
Mother: Louisa PULLIN, 20
Address: 44 Armoury Square, Bristol, Gloucestershire
Number of other siblings at this address: none


1881 Census

Henry G. PULLIN, 11 (Scholar)
Stepfather: Alfred SKIDMORE, 26 (Carman)
Mother: Louisa SKIDMORE, 29
Address: 19 Stanley Street, Bedminster, Bristol
Number of other siblings at this address: 2 (including 1 half-brother)


1887 Residence

Henry George PULLIN
Address: 24 Oxford Street, Totterdown, Bristol


1896 Marriage

Henry George PULLIN, 27 (Smith)
Wife: Ada Matilda Stinchcombe PULLIN (née Applebee), 27
Address: 3 Sevier Street, St Werburgh’s, Bristol
Church: Parish Church of St Werburgh’s, Bristol
Date: 25/12/1896


1898 Residence

Henry George PULLIN (Cycle Maker)
Wife: Ada Matilda Stinchcombe PULLIN (née Applebee)
Address: 9 Villiers Road, Bristol, Gloucestershire


1899 Postman (appointment)

Henry George PULLIN
Appointed: Aug 1899
Place: Bristol


1901 Census

Henry George PULLIN, 31 (Postman)
Brother: Albert PULLIN, 28 (French Polisher)
Sister-in-law: Ada PULLIN, 28
Wife: Amy Matilda PULLIN, 32
Address: 18 Villiers Road, Bristol, Gloucestershire
Number of children at this address: 2 (both died in infancy; Nellie Ada, 1; William Edwin Henry, 4)


1911 Census

Henry PULLIN, 41 (H.M. Customs)
Wife: Amy Matilda PULLIN, 42
Address: 568 Stapleton Road, Eastville, Bristol
Number of children at this address: 3


1915 WWI

Private Henry George PULLIN
Number: 315
Regiment: 4th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment
Discharged: 09/07/1915
Address: 12 Freemantle Road, Eastville, Bristol


1939 Register

Henry G. PULLIN, 69 (Customs & Excise, Retired)
Born: 13/05/1869
Wife: Amy M. PULLIN
Address: South View, Long Ashton Road, Long Ashton, Bristol, Somerset
Number of children at this address: 1


1946 Death/Probate

Henry George PULLIN
Address: South View, off Station Road, West Town, Somerset
Died: 30/11/1945
Effects: £1,108 14s 9d




...