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Three: Captain A. V. Gosling, The Rifle Brigade, late Major in the British South Africa Police, and Captain of “G” Troop, Bechuanaland Border Police, on the ill-fated Jameson Raid, for which he afterwards stood trial in London


Picture courtesy of DNW

BSA CM reverse Rhodesia 1896, 1 clasp, Mashonaland 1897 (Major A. V. Gosling. B.S.A.P.)
QSA (3) CC Rhod OFS (Capt. A. V. Gosling, Rifle Bde.)
KSA (2) (Capt. A. V. Gosling. Rif. Bde.)

Audley Vaughan Gosling was born in 1864, the son of George F. Gosling, a staff officer on half pay. He was commissioned a Lieutenant in the 3rd & 4th battalion of the Worcestersgire Regiment on 3 April 1886, but resigned his commission on 25 May 1889. He went to South Africa where he joined the Bechuanaland Border Police as a Sergeant, and was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant on 13 June 1890.

He served as a Captain with a detachment of the B.B.P. and commanded “G” Troop in the force that was raised by Dr. Leander Starr Jameson for his ill-planned invasion of the Boer Transvaal Republic, and was captured when Jameson’s outnumbered force was compelled to surrender to the Boers on 2 January 1896. Gosling was transported back to England for trial together with Jameson and other senior ‘raiders’ but was acquitted of all charges.

Gosling returned to South Africa that same year and served as a staff officer during the Mashonaland Expedition with the rank of Major in the British South Africa Police. He received a Mention in Despatches from General Martin for his services during that campaign, London Gazette 18 February 1898:

‘Chief Inspector A. V. Gosling. District Staff Officer, acted as second in command and conducted several important patrols with conspicuous success. He commanded the attack on Kunzi’s and took part in all the encounters with the natives, showing the greatest coolness and gallantry under fire.’

From December 1897 to January 1901, Gosling held the position of Commissioner for Mashonaland. Remaining with the British South Africa Police during the Anglo-Boer War Gosling was attached to a considerable number of various units, appearing in no less than 6 different rolls of the Queen’s South Africa Medal. He seems to have held his standing commission with the Mashonaland Division of the B.S.A. Police as a Major and was attached at various times to H Section, Pom Poms, R.H.A. (Major), Bethune’s Mounted Infantry (Major) and finally transferred as a Captain to the 5th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade on 4 December 1901.

Captain A. V. Gosling died on Guernsey on 7 June 1906.

Captain G. G. Pomeroy, South Staffordshire Regiment, late Gloucestershire Regiment, who was wounded and taken prisoner in the Jameson Raid


Picture courtesy of DNW

BSA CM reverse Rhodesia 1896 (Trooper G. G. Pomeroy, M.R.F.)
QS (3) CC OFS Tr (Lieut. G. G. Pomeroy. Glouc. Rgt.)
AGS 1902 (1) N. Nigeria 1902 (Lt. G. G. Pomeroy, Glouc: Rgt:)

Granville George Pomeroy was born at Bristol on 15 May 1878, the eldest of five sons. He was educated at Clifton College and served in the Somerset Militia. He attested for the Mashonaland Mounted Police sometime in 1895, and in the following year took part in the Jameson Raid, being shot through the left knee and taken prisoner. He was treated at Krugersdorp Field Hospital and was one of the twenty or so wounded prisoners who signed a letter of appreciation to the hospital staff for their kindness and attention. He was one of the last prisoners to be released, on 31 January 1896, and later that year took part in the operations in Rhodesia with the Matabeleland Relief Force.

Back in England Pomeroy obtained a commission with the 4th Somerset Light Infantry, as 2nd Lieutenant, in May 1897. Advanced to Lieutenant in November 1899, he took a regular commission in the 1st Battalion Gloucester Regiment in March 1900 and served with them in the Boer War, including the operations of the Drakensburg Defence Force and the seizing of Van Reenan’s Pass (Medal with 2 clasps). He was subsequently attached to the West African Frontier Force and took part in the operations in Nigeria in 1902 (Medal with Clasp). During the Great War he served in France as a Captain in the South Staffordshire Regiment, 12th Yorkshire Regiment, and later with the West African Field Force, attached to the Nigeria Regiment. He was latterly Assistant Commissioner of Police, North Nigeria, and died of malaria at Zungeru, Nigeria, on 30 March 1917.

Picture courtesy of DNW

BSA CM rev Matebeleland 1893 (1696. Troopr. F. H. Hemmingway. B.B. Police.);
QSA (4) CC, OFS, SA01, SA02 (Lieut. F. H. Hemingway, 4/K. Shropshire L.I.)

Frances Herbert Hemingway was appointed Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry on 3 April 1900, formerly Lieutenant, 4th Prince of Wales’s (North Staffordshire Regiment); Captain, 14 February 1903; resigned his commission 1 April 1904.

Previously posted on a different thread.


Picture courtesy of DNW

CGHGSM (1) Basutoland (Corp. A. Little. P.A.V.G.);
BSA CM rev Rhodesia 1896 (Scout A. Little. Staff. B.F.F.);
QSA (1) CC (Captain A. Little.)

Only three scouts shown on the roll of the Staff B.F.F. for Rhodesia 1896, including Little and the American scout F. R. Burnham, author of Scouting on Two Continents.

Here's a pair from my collection.



BSA Medal reverse Rhodesia.

2854 Pte. A. Roberts York & Lancaster Regiment. KIA Itala 26/9/1901

His grave and cemetery at Itala Spur.

David
That is one of the best BSACo/QSA pairs I have seen. I am very envious! Thank you for showing it.
Regards
Brett