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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (1) Defence of Ladysmith (3980 Pte. A. E. Phillips, Liverpool Regt.)

A. E. Phillips attested for the King’s Liverpool Regiment and served with the 1st Battalion in South Africa during the Boer War, being present at the Defence of Ladysmith. The medal roll, WO100172p109, lists him as ‘invalided, 17 August 1900’.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (5) Defence of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing's Nek, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (5758 Pte. J. Higgins. L'Pool R.);
1914-15 Star (42138 Gnr: J. P. Higgins. Can: Fd: Art:);
British War and Victory Medals (42138 Dvr. J. P. Higgins C.F.A.)

James Patrick Higgins was born at Liverpool on 21 July 1882. He served with the 1st Battalion Liverpool Regiment in the Second Boer War and was severely wounded on 23 August 1900 at Geluk Farm and in turn was invalided out on 1 March 1901.

The Action at Geluk Farm:

When Sir Redvers Buller moved north from Natal the Ladysmith troops, called the IVth Division, were put under General Lyttelton, the brigadiers being General F W Kitchener, 7th Brigade, and General Howard, 8th Brigade, the latter composed of 1st Liverpool, 1st Leicestershire, 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and 1st King's Royal Rifles; the Fusiliers taking the place of the 2nd King's Royal Rifles, which went to Ceylon in July with prisoners.

The IVth Division had fighting in various places after moving north from the Natal Railway, particularly at Rooikopjes on 24th July, where the Gordons of the 7th Brigade had stiffish work, and at Amersfoort on the 7th August. Daily there was skirmishing. In the fighting on the 21st August, Sergeant Hampton of the 2nd Liverpool Mounted Infantry and Corporal Knight of the 1st Battalion gained the Victoria Cross for acts of the most conspicuous gallantry.

It became evident that the Boers were to make a stand between Geluk and Dalmanutha. "Buller met with some opposition on the 23rd August near Van Wyk's Vlei, and towards evening two companies of the 1st Battalion Liverpool Regiment entered by mistake a hollow out of sight of the main body, where they came under a heavy fire, losing 10 men killed, and 1 officer and 45 men wounded". On the 23rd Private Heaton also gained the Cross for volunteering to take back a message explaining the unfortunate position of the companies; this he successfully did, saving them from capture. The very unsatisfactory incident mentioned in the quotation took place close to the main Boer position, which on the 27th Sir Redvers Buller, after consultation with Lord Roberts, decided to assault. The 7th Brigade, General Walter Kitchener's, was chosen for the main attack, the 8th supporting. The regiment selected to lead the assault on the key of the position at Bergendal was the 2nd Rifle Brigade, and as to them fell the worst of the fighting, the details of the action are dealt with under that battalion.

With the outbreak of the Great War, he re-enlisted into the Canadian Army on 24 September 1914 and served with the Canadian Field Artillery.