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Christmas Tragedy - Drowned in Boksburg Lake - WJ Hogg 7 years 10 months ago #46993
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William John Duncan Hogg
Corporal, 8th (Kings Royal Irish) Hussars – Anglo Boer War - Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State & Johannesburg (self-awarded) to 3823 Corpl. W. Hogg 8/Hrs. - Kings South Africa Medal with clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 3823 Cpl. W. Hogg 8th Hussars William Hogg was born on 11 January 1880 in Drumgaw, Armagh, Ireland the son of John Hogg, a Farmer and his wife Catherine Hogg Mitchell. Lying about his age by at least two years he enlisted with the 8th Hussars at Hamilton on 1 May 1896. Completing the Short Service (7 years with the Colours and 5 years with the Reserve) he was a Farm Servant by occupation (probably on his father’s farm) and, as has been mentioned, at 18 years and 2 months, claimed to be 2 years older than he was. This in itself wasn’t unusual – the attestation papers of men throughout the centuries are littered with examples of boys wanting to be men so that they could join up and escape what was often extreme poverty or neglect at home. 
Hogg in Pretoria circa Boer War 5 feet 6 ½ inches in height he weighed 136 pounds and had a fresh complexion, dark blue eyes and brown hair. In a country that was predominantly Catholic by way of religious persuasion, he was a Presbyterian. Having been found Fit for the Army by the Doctor he was assigned no. 3823 and the rank of Private with the Corps of Hussars of the Line (to give them their correct name) Seemingly a model soldier he was awarded his first Good Conduct Pay on 1 May 1898 and appointed Lance Corporal (Paid) on 8 March 1899. Having spent the first 3 years 288 days at Home he would have needed to thank the outbreak of war between the British Empire and two ignominious Boer Republics in far-away South Africa in October 1899 for the change in his status quo. At last here he was to be sent south for some action. Arriving in South Africa on 7 March 1900 the 8th Hussars had “missed out” on Black Week and the early reversals experienced by the first contingent of British regulars to have graced her shores. The date of arrival coincided with the Relief of Ladysmith and the momentum that was driving the Boer forces into a corner was steadily growing. The regiment sailed in February 1900, and arrived in South Africa in the beginning of March. Along with the 7th Dragoon Guards and the 14th Hussars they formed the 4th Cavalry Brigade under Brigadier General Dickson. The 3rd and 4th Brigades took part in the movement to the south-east of Bloemfontein, commencing about 21st April 1900, with the object of clearing the way to Wepener, then besieged. That place having been relieved on 24th April, the cavalry under French marched to Thabanchu to clear that stronghold preparatory to Ian Hamilton beginning his march north. The 4th Brigade were on the left in the action at Thabanchu, and had rather a hard task. On 1st May 1900 the Boers made a stand in a strong position at Houtnek, where Ian Hamilton's force had stiff work in turning them out. In his telegram of 2nd May Lord Roberts said, "Hamilton speaks in high terms of the services of the 8th Hussars under Colonel Clowes and a made-up regiment of Lancers, which came into Broadwood's brigade and assisted in making the Boers evacuate their position". In the march from Machadodorp to Heidelberg the 8th and 14th Hussars and M Battery were under Colonel Mahon, who started on the 12th October. On the 13th Mahon "became heavily engaged near Geluk with a body of 1100 men with four guns. Although hardly pressed Mahon succeeded in holding his own until French came to his assistance, when the Boers were driven back in a south-easterly direction, having sustained some loss". The enemy were on this occasion very daring, and crept up through broken ground to within 100 yards. The 8th Hussars were for a time very hard pressed, but held on well. They lost 2 officers, Lieutenants P A T Jones and F H Wylam, and 7 men killed, and 2 officers and 8 men wounded. In the first quarter of 1901 the regiment was in the column of Colonel E C Knox, one of those which, starting near Springs, swept to the Swazi border in the Barberton area. During the later phases of the war the Eastern Transvaal to the borders of Zululand were the principal scenes of the regiment's operations, but a portion was for a time employed in the Orange River Colony. Hogg meanwhile was promoted to Corporal on 1 June 1901 and all was going well. That was until 31 January 1902 when, and no details are provided in his record, he was placed in confinement preparatory to being tried by a Regional Court Martial. The Court Martial took place on 3 February 1902 the outcome of which was that Hogg was reduced to the ranks. This must have been a bitter pill to swallow for him and could very well be the reason why he tampered with the rank on his Kings Medal – substituting the rank of Pte. with that of Cpl. There was another twist to Hogg’s military tale – although not unheard of it wasn’t all that often that a man was returned home for a while and was then sent back to South Africa. This is what befell Hogg – he was invalided (according to the medal roll) and sent back to England on 7 March 1901 only to return to South Africa 1 year and 18 days later – on 25 March 1902. The Court Martial referred to above and the incident that gave rise to it thus took place in England weeks before he was sent back to the fighting. On 13 May 1903 he was transferred to the Army Reserve and, on 30 April 1908, still a Private, he was discharged on termination of his first period of engagement – 12 years and 2 days. Electing to remain in South Africa Hogg sought and found employment on the Gold Mines of the Witwatersrand where he was an Engine Driver of, one assumes, the locomotives used to ferry the gold out of the diggings to where it needed to be processed. Sadly his life wasn’t destined to be a long one – The Star newspaper of Johannesburg carried an article on 26 December 1911 - Boxing Day – which read thus: “Christmas Tragedy – Drowned in Boksburg Lake – Strong Swimmer Succumbs Boksburg, Tuesday – Christmas Day at Boksburg was marred by a sad drowning accident which occurred in the lake. Mr Duncan Hogg, an Engine Driver of the New Modderfontein Gold Mine, Benoni, was out boating with a male companion when the boat suddenly commenced to fill with water. Hogg stood up to signal for assistance when the boat turned turtle. The two men went under, but quickly rose to the surface again. The one clutched the waterlogged boat and hung to it, but Mr Hogg went down again and never rose. The accident occurred about a hundred yards from the shore and the body was recovered this morning and taken to the mortuary pending its removal to Benoni for burial. Mr Hogg was a man of about thirty. He leaves a widow and two young children, residing in Benoni, for whom the greatest sympathy is felt in their tragic loss. He was a man of exceptionally good character and steady life, and was a strong swimmer, and there is nothing to account for the easy manner in which he fell a victim to the water.” His death notice in the Transvaal Archives confirms that he was married to a Jane Mary Hogg although no mention is made of any children to the couple. His death was confirmed as a Fatal Accident, Boksburg Lake and that he was 30 years and 11 months old. He bequeathed the sum of £455 (mostly the proceeds of a life assurance policy) to his wife and to his parents John and Catherine Hogg in equal measure. 
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Christmas Tragedy - Drowned in Boksburg Lake - WJ Hogg 7 years 10 months ago #47003
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Christmas Tragedy - Drowned in Boksburg Lake - WJ Hogg 7 years 10 months ago #47006
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Christmas Tragedy - Drowned in Boksburg Lake - WJ Hogg 7 years 10 months ago #47038
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Christmas Tragedy - Drowned in Boksburg Lake - WJ Hogg 6 years 6 months ago #55916
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Christmas Tragedy - Drowned in Boksburg Lake - WJ Hogg 6 years 6 months ago #55920
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