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From With the Flag to Pretoria, p411

'From the west General Smith-Dorrien's men broke forward in a determined rush, Canadians, Gordons, and Shropshires commingled. Yet they failed to reach the Boers, though they steadily drove them back. Now it was that Colonel Aldous [sic] led his Cornishmen upon the enemy's trenches with the cry, "Let us make the name of the Cornwalls ring throughout the world!" He was splendidly supported; furiously opposed. But no living thing could win through the hail of bullets that was poured in upon him and his men. He fell; his adjutant fell; and more than ninety of the splendid battalion that he led bit the dust.'



Captioned 'The Cornwalls driving the Boers from the river bank'

One of "my" Smethwickians also fell on the 18th February 1900 but lived to tell the tale which he did at length in the Smethwick Telephone of 19 May 1900. Summarising: he was struck by a Mauser bullet which passed straight through his body narrowly missing his spine. As he was borne away on a stretcher another Mauser bullet hit one of the stretcher poles depositing him on the ground. Via two hospitals he was invalided home to Smethwick. He was then invited to spend a recuperative holiday at the home of the Rev Frederick Wilberforce Sauzey who was the father-in-law of the adjutant of the battalion - Captain Edgar Penrose Wardlaw who was a fatality during the "Cornish Charge".

This is an extract from the service record of Pte 2696 Thomas Webster to prove the point:


Sadly Thomas was also suffering from TB which eventually caught up with him and over a century later his plight attracted the attention of Berenice - I have reactivated her post.

David I especially appreciate the illustration you have taken the time to find - I wonder if the man falling backwards is Thomas

Smethwick,

It is great when these connections can be made.

Best wishes
David

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (5) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Belfast, South Africa 1901, date clasp loose on riband, as issued (2737 Pte. W. Sterry, 2: D. of C. Lt. Inft.)

William Sterry was born in Kidderminster in 1870 and attested for the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry in his home town on 13 July 1888. A former labourer by trade, he served in India from 11 December 1891 to 16 February 1896, and South Africa from 5 November 1899 to 19 July 1901. Serving with the 2nd Battalion, D.C.L.I., Sterry was part of Brigadier General R. G. Broadwood’s column which was ambushed by 1600 men of de Wet’s Commando at Sannah’s Post on 31 March 1900; with the transport wagons jammed together at the drift across the Koornspruit, the ensuing engagement resulted in the loss of one third of the column killed, captured or wounded. The collective gallantry by the officers, drivers and gunners of ‘Q’ Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, was later recognised with the award of four Victoria Crosses.

Taken Prisoner of War - one of 12 other ranks of the 2nd Battalion, D.C.L.I. captured that day - Sterry was later released from Boer captivity at Waterval on 6 June 1900 when his camp was taken by a squadron of the 2nd Dragoons under Captain F. S. Maude. Repatriated to Battalion Depot at Bodmin, Sterry was discharged in July 1901 and returned home to Kidderminster. He died in September 1932.

The QSA to Pte Sterry sold for a hammer price of GBP 550. Total GBP 708. R 16,320. AUD 1,320. NZD 1,410. CAD 1,160. USD 860. EUR 800