TOPIC:

Peter Croft

Lieutenant, A.S.C. and City of London Imperial Volunteers (C.I.V.) – Anglo Boer War,
Major, Cape Auxiliary Horse Transport - WWI

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Johannesburg, Orange Free State and Cape Colony to Lt. P. Croft , A.S.C. C.I.V.
- Kings South Africa Medal with clasps South Africa 1901 and 1902 to Lt. P. Croft, A.S.C. C.I.V
- British War Medal to Major P. Croft
- Victory Medal with M.I.D. oakleaf to Major P. Croft

Peter Croft was born on 30 January 1873 the fifth son of John Croft and his wife Sarah Louise Croft, born Garrett, at Taddington in the County of Leicestershire, England. John Croft had met and married Sarah Louise Garrett, the daughter of Richard Garrett, a wealthy Manufacturer of agricultural implements, at Blything in Suffolk in 1866. Richard Garrett of Carlton Hall in Suffolk was an industrialist employing 450 men and 100 boys in his factory.

On 31 March 1871, at the time of the census and three years before Peter was born, the family, consisting of John and Sarah together with daughters Margaret (4); Eleanor (1) and sons John (3) and twin boys Nicholas and Richard (10 months) was resident at Dalton House in Paddington. John Croft was a Landowner and Occupier of 487 acres and employer of 10 men and 5 boys.

To complete the household there were no fewer than five domestic servants; George Turner, Elizabeth Wale, Sarah Whiting, Kate Morris and Jane Taylor.

Ten years on, at the time of the 1881 census, the Croft family had moved to Belmont House in Brocket Road, Hoddesdon. There were new additions to the family in the form of Frank (9), Peter (8) and Benjamin (7). John Croft was now aged 73. Sarah Croft had passed away in Market Harborough in 1874, no doubt at or about the same time she was giving birth to Benjamin. Of the original servants only Sarah Whiting remained with Catherine Coombe, Lady Housekeeper and Governess, Hannah Wingfield, Cook and Fanny Hicks, Housemaid making up the remainder of the household.

John Croft having passed away at the age of 74, Peter, now an orphan, became the ward of his aunt, Mrs. Frank Garrett of Aldingham House, Saxmundham. At this time, aged 11, he is sent to Rugby School on 30 June 1884 in order to further his education, finding himself in School House. Matriculating from Rugby in 1889 he decided on a career in business in the City of London.

Two years later at the time of the 1891 census, Peter Croft, now aged 18, was noted as a Visitor in the house of Samuel Goldney, a Clerk in Holy Orders in Kew, Richmond, Surrey. He was described as an Accountant by profession.




On 11 October 1899 England declared war on the two Boer Republics in South Africa commencing what was to become known as the Second Anglo Boer War = already in business in the City, Croft was commissioned, on 10 February 1900, into the 20th Middlesex Rifles (Artist’s) – an Infantry section of the City Imperial Volunteers – his commission being published in the London Gazette of 9 February 1900. Croft, alongside many others in the City, volunteered for service with the force raised by the Lord Mayor of London, the City Imperial Volunteers.

According to documents sourced from the Guildhall in London, Peter Croft was willing to serve with the 1st Volunteer Contingent of the Right Hon. The Lord Mayor of London raised on 20 December 1899. His Civil Occupation was noted as a Broker and he held a P.S. Certificate. Under Remarks the following was noted:-

Mr. Peter Croft recommended as an Officer is a 2nd Lieutenant of two years standing. He has a P.S. Certificate and is a most valuable Officer thoroughly knowing his work and is most popular in his company. A powerful well-built man 6.3 tall a good all round sportsman aged 27 has been 8 years in the Corps during which time he has been Private, Corporal, Sergeant and 2nd Lieutenant.

After three months Croft was promoted to Lieutenant to "remain Supernumerary". This was gazetted in the London Gazette of 29 May 1900. He sailed with "G" Company on the "Pembroke Castle" disembarking at Table Bay, Cape Town with 120 men on 19 February 1900.

On 27 February 1900 the Station Commander ordered a detachment of 400 men to go by the 6.a.m. train to De Aar. Crofts "G" Company was one of those selected. On the 1st March 1900 they march out of De Aar at 6 a.m. to Britstown.

On 24 April 1900 "G" Company was camped at Sussex Hill outside Bloemfontein having arrived by train from De Aar a few days earlier. The next day the battalion with "G" Company included marched out to Glen just outside Bloemfontein.

On 29 May 1900 the battalion participated in the fight at Doornkop. "G" Company to the right came under heavy fire doing very well under the circumstances. Together with "H" Company they got nearer to the kopje on the right and, charging, took possession of it. By this time the sun had gone down and the fight had come to an end.

In order to get a grasp on what the C.I.V. were all about in the Boer War the following account from Sterling’s refers:-

The City Imperial Volunteers embarked on the Briton, Garth Castle, Ariosto, Gaul, and Kinfauns Castle between 16th and 21st January 1900. On 20th February the bulk of the Infantry Battalion left the Cape for De Aar and Orange River, in which district they took over various posts from the Regulars. On account of the rising in the Britstown district fighting was soon seen, and on 6th March 13 men were wounded, some of these being taken prisoners. On 31st March the battalion left De Aar for Bloemfontein via Naauwpoort. At the latter place they were detrained and stayed some time. Ultimately, about 23rd April, the battalion got to the Free State capital, partly by road, partly by rail, and on the 24th were inspected by Lord Roberts. Within a few days they were put into the 21st Brigade under General Bruce Hamilton, and thus formed a part of Ian Hamilton's army of the right flank, which did no little fighting on the way to Pretoria.

On 7 June 1900, Croft, now in the area around Pretoria, was placed in charge of thirty men to form an escort. They travelled by train.

On 11 June 1900, four days on and having crossed the Pienaar's River the battalion turned to the west, extending for attack, near Boshkop farm. "G" and "H" Companies being in the firing and supporting lines. The whole battalion advanced in extended order over an open piece of ground under shell and musketry fire, gaining cover under a kopje at the end of it.

"G" Company was ordered to the right to take up a line of outposts which had been held by the mounted infantry. They kept up a smart fire on the enemy's rear guard who had gradually retired towards the main position.

This was the engagement known as Diamond Hill. Their casualties were 1 officer and 1 man killed, and about 20 wounded. The brigade next took part in Sir Archibald Hunter's operations in the north-east of the Orange River Colony.

On 19 June 1900 Croft and his Company were stationed at Irene on the outskirts of Pretoria but for Croft his C.I.V. days were coming to an end - on 25 July 1900 he transferred to the A.S.C. (Army Service Corps) to complete the Field Marshall and Commander in Chief’s establishment. (According to the London Gazette 24 July 1900)

In July 1902, after the conclusion of the Anglo Boer War, Croft became a Transport Inspector with the Repatriations Commission in Bloemfontein in the Orange River Colony and, according to the family, whilst garrisoned at Ladybrand, he met and fell in love with an American Nurse who had volunteered with the Army Nursing Service for service in the Boer War.

Julia Nettie Underwood had been born in Goshen, Hampshire, Massachusetts the daughter of Charles Underwood and Mary Ann Hoza on 23 November 1871. She was thus about 29 years of age when she was stationed at the Hospital in Ladybrand where they met.

On 9 September 1902 the Resident Magistrate at Ladybrand, a Mr. Broome, wrote to the Colonial Secretary of the Orange River Colony as follows:-

“Sir, I have the honour to transmit herewith under registered cover application for a Special Marriage Licence from Lieut. Peter Croft A.S.C. and Miss. Julia N. Underwood.”

The application, signed on 6 September 1902, read as follows,

“We the undersigned – Peter Croft and Julia Nettie Underwood having appeared before the Resident Magistrate of Ladybrand do hereby solemnly swear and declare that we are in no way related to each other, that we are respectively bachelor and spinster, that we have each resided three months in the Orange River Colony and we know of no lawful impediment to a marriage being contracted between us, and now appear and deposit the sum of 5 pounds for application for a Special Marriage Licence to the above effect.”

The ceremony having been set for 27 September 1902 there was now a race against time to get the necessary permission communicated. This was eventually done on the 26th and the marriage went ahead the following day.

On 6 December 1902 permission was granted by the Colonial Secretary for Croft to be added to the List of Officers empowered to frank letters and telegrams “O.H.M.S.” in his capacity as Inspector of Transport, Repatriations of the O.R.C.

For his service in the Boer War, Croft was awarded the Queens South Africa medal with clasps Johannesburg, Cape Colony and Orange Free State and the Kings South Africa medal with clasps South Africa 1901 and 1902. His wife earned the Queens and Kings Medals and was decorated with the Royal Red Cross.

At some stage Croft returned to England where he was released from service, returning to South Africa in 1904. Now as a civilian he turned his hand to farming and, if a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Land Settlement Board written on Bloemfontein Club stationary and dated 23 February 1911 is anything to go by, he owned the farm “Puntjesfontein” in the Reddersburg area of the Orange Free State. The letter itself was an application for the transfer of the farm “Kuilput”, P.O. De Brug, (a farm of 2245 morgen) and at the time in the hands of a Captain Charles Speke, to him.

The purchase was approved, the bond arranged at £ 5562.1.3 and the Croft family moved onto the farm.

Croft seems to have adapted quite easily to farming life but was still having to contend with the perennial problem of water for his tree plantations. This is borne out by his request to be allowed to extend his borehole to 150 feet in depth. Farming, however, wasn’t his only pursuit as five children were born to the couple in the years between their marriage and the date of his attestation in 1917.

On 4 August 1914 the Great War commenced with Great Britain and her Allies declaring war on Imperial Germany and Croft, having been out of uniform for a decade and more, attested at Kimberley for service in the Great War, although not immediately. According to his file in the South African National Defence Force Archives in Pretoria Croft, in April 1917, was described as being 44 years of age. He confirmed that he was married to Julia Nettie Underwood of the farm “Kuilput” in the Bloemfontein district of the Orange Free State and that he had seen service with first the C.I.V. and thereafter the A.S.C. in the Boer War. He mentioned that, in addition to his war service, he had been a School Cadet for 2 years.

He was a tall man at 6 foot 3 inches and had a fresh complexion, brown hair and brown eyes. He was a member of the Church of England and listed his occupation as Stock Farmer. By way of distinguishing marks he had a scar on his left leg below the knee cap and a fleshy mole on the back of his neck.

On 1 March 1917 Croft was appointed as a Lieutenant with No. 5 Company of the Cape Auxiliary Horse Transport Company (A.S.C.) for service in France.

But who were the C.A.H.T.? The following account is taken from the History of the S.A. Forces in France by John Buchan:-
In February 1917 the Union of South Africa Government was asked by the War Office to raise eight companies of Cape Coloured drivers for service with the Army Service Corps in France. Towards the end of February Lt. Col. J.D. Anderson was asked to take command and to arrange for the recruiting and organization of the eight companies. Kimberley was selected as the most convenient centre for mobilization.

At the beginning the amount of clerical work was very heavy but by the middle of April 1 500 men were ready to leave for overseas. On the arrival of the first detachment in France on 23 May 1917, the Director of Transport decided that the contingent should release for other service, and take the place of, the Army Service Corps personnel, forming the following companies:-

 No. 5 Auxiliary Horse Transport Company, A.S.C., stationed at Boulogne.
 No. 2 Auxiliary Horse Transport Company, A.S.C., stationed at Havre.
 No. 2 Auxiliary Horse Transport Company, A.S.C., stationed at Havre.
 No. 8 Auxiliary Horse Transport Company, A.S.C., stationed at Rouen.
 No. 10 Auxiliary Horse Transport Company, A.S.C., stationed at Rouen.
 No. 11 Auxiliary Horse Transport Company, A.S.C., stationed at Rouen.

Arrangements were also made to have a Base Depot at Havre.

Although the men did very excellent work at the Base Posts, there was a strong argument in favour of them being moved to Divisional Trains or Army Auxiliary Horse Transport Companies actually working in the army areas. It was, however, recommended that they remain where they were. The work of the 1st, 3rd and 5th (Croft) Companies consisted of conveying ammunition and supplies to the firing lines, and transporting metal for the new roads which had to be constructed as the armies advanced.

Of the other companies which were employed on the lines of communication, numbers 2, 5, 8 (Croft) and 22 Companies were employed at the docks, the bulk of the work conveying munitions and supplies to the various distribution centres. The work was hard, the hours long, and the drivers much exposed to weather conditions.

Numbers 10 and 11 (Croft) Companies were designated as “Forest Companies” and were employed almost entirely in hauling logs from the place where they were felled to dumping centres. In a report on the work in the forests in France, Lord Lovat, the Director of Forests, wrote that, without prejudice to other units, he wished to remark on the work done by the Horse Transport Companies manned by South African (Cape coloured) personnel, who had shown throughout both practical knowledge of the work and patriotic devotion to duty.

On 30 March 1917 Croft reported for service and was taken on strength. Not long after he was appointed Lieutenant with Seniority from 1.3.1917. London Gazette 5 October 1917 and embarked at Cape Town per S.S. “Aeneas” for the Western Front on 7 May 1917. Disembarking at Havre in France on 13 June 1917 Croft was taken on strength of and attached to No. 8 C.A.H.T. Company.

On 11 February 1918 he was promoted to Acting Captain and posted as Officer Commanding No.11 C.A.H.T.C. London Gazette 26 March 1918 and to Temporary Captain on 15 May 1918.

Croft was granted 14 days leave to the U.K. via Boulogne and entitled to 14 days ration allowance from 14 – 28 October 1918 before being promoted to Acting Major on 9 November 1918 - two days before the cessation of hostilities.

With the demand for the C.A.H.T.C. services on the decline as a result of the Armistice Croft was granted numerous spells of leave all of which he took advantage of to visit the U.K.to see family and friends.

On 10 July 1919 he was Mentioned in Despatches. (London Gazette 10 July 1919). Shortly thereafter on 2 August 1919 he embarked at Havre for return to South Africa; disembarking at Cape Town ex S.S. “Berwick Castle” (Commanding Troops) on 29 August 1919. He was released from service at Maitland Demobilisation Depot, Cape Town, on 2 September 1919 bringing his war to a close.

For his services Croft was awarded the British War and Victory medals with M.I.D. oakleaf. These were dispatched to him on 2 May 1922.



After release Croft returned to his farm Kuilput and recommenced his activities. There are a number of items of correspondence concerning him in the Free State Archives and he seems to have been embroiled in a number of disputes pertaining to matters financial as illustrated by the following:-

On 5 September 1927 in Illiquid Case number 321 of 1926, Major Peter Croft was sued by the Secretary of the Wesleyan High School for Girls in Grahamstown for an amount of £ 273.12.8. being an amount due for board and lodging and tuition fees in respect of the education of his daughters. Sir Etienne De Villiers, Knight, Judge President of the Orange Free State found for the Plaintiff and judgment was passed by default.

Five years later, on 18 July 1932 in a Provisional Case Number 553 of 1932 before the Orange Free State Supreme Court, Justice P.U. Fischer presiding, Croft was sued by Jan Christoffel Lotz Buchner, a farmer of Vooruitsig outside Bloemfontein, for the settlement of a Promissory Note in the value of £ 277 which he had held since 18 September 1930. This had been dishonoured when presented for payment. An accommodation between the parties must have been arrived at as the case was withdrawn.

Three years later on 24 February 1938 in another Illiquid Case, number 8 of 1938, before Justice C.L. Botha, Judge President of the O.F.S. Supreme Court, Croft was sued by a Mrs. Mary Shaw McFarland of Port Alfred in the Cape Province for the settlement of an Acknowledgement of Debt entered into on 18 June 1914, in an amount of £ 250.

As with the previous case, an accommodation between the parties must have been arrived at as the case was struck from the roll.

Given the fact that one of Croft’s daughters, Alice May, had married a McFarland it is within the bounds of possibility that the suit may have been brought by a relative by marriage.

On 17 December 1947 after a long and eventful life Peter Croft, aged 74, passed away on his farm Kuilput. He was survived by his wife, Julia Nettie Croft and all five children born of the marriage,

 John Frederick Croft
 Alice May McFarland
 Millicent Annand
 Edmund Croft and
 Peter Croft.


Croft with his wife on the farm shortly before he passed away.

I feel spoiled Rory....... Two great pieces in one day.......

Mike

Thanks to a C.I.V. specialist, Andy Pereira, I have this photo of Croft (circled) with his Company to offer. Methinks they were still at home and about to embark for South Africa.

Rory,

Definitely before embarkation. They are still wearing their home service kit.

I hope you were able to add Lieutenant Croft's C.I.V. medallion to the group, when it came up at the Jack Webb sale.

Noonan's Link: C.I.V. Medallion to Lieut. P. Croft


Courtesy of Noonan's

..

Oh no! I hadn't spotted that Neville. I've penned a mail to Noonan's now, asking for them to approach the buyer on my behalf. It was four years ago so I don't hold out much hope.

I also have Croft's wife's ARRC/Boer War pair - Julia Nettie Underwood.

I'll keep the forum appraised of any developments.

Regards

Rory