TOPIC:

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (5872 Corl. L. C. E. Dyer. S. Wales B:);
KSA (2) (5872 Sergt. L. C. E. Dyer, S.W.B.) a later impressed replacement issued in India;
British War and Victory Medals (S-Condr. L. C. E. Dyer. S.&.T.C.);
General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Iraq, N.W. Persia (Sub. Condr. L. C. E. Dyer. S. & T.C.;
IGS 1908 (1) North West Frontier 1930-31 (Lt. L. C. E. Dyer, I.A.S.C.);
Delhi Durbar 1911, a crude silver copy medal;
Army LS&GC GV 1st issue (S-Sgt. L. C. E. Dyer, S. & T.C.);
Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (S. Sjt: L. C. E. Dyer. S. & T. Corps.)

MSM London Gazette 16 August 1916 (Mesopotamia).

LS&GC Army Order 164 of 1916.

Leonard Charles Ernest Dyer was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on 1 September 1879, and enlisted into the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry at Hereford on 1 November 1897, aged 18 years 2 months, a cabinet maker by trade. He transferred to the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers on 15 February 1898, and served in South Africa from 13 January 1900 to 25 April 1902, and was posted to the 1st Battalion, serving in India, on the following day. He transferred to the Indian Unattached List (Supply and Transport Corps) for employment as a Sergeant in July 1905, and was promoted Sergeant and Staff Sergeant in July 1906. He served on the Mekran Expedition in the Persian Gulf in April and May 1911, and afterwards was apparently involved in the Delhi Durbar - whist his name does not appear on the published rolls for this medal, his entitlement is clearly stated several times in his service papers. He served in Aden and India until March 1916, when he joined Force “D” in Mesopotamia, remaining there until April 1921, having seen service in Iraq and North West Persia during the Arab Rebellion of 1920-21. He was promoted to Sub-Conductor in July 1920 and received further promotions to Conductor in March 1926, to Lieutenant (Assistant Commissary) in June 1930, and to Captain (Deputy Commissary) in June 1933. He served in India from April 1921 until January 1934, including operations on the North West Frontier in 1930-31. Captain Dyer retired on 31 August 1934.

William Richard Taylor was born on 10 March 1869 in Knighton, Radnorshire and enlisted with the South Wales Borderers at Presteign on 10 February 1888. Posted to the 1st Battalion, he was appointed Lance Corporal 8 February 1889, promoted Corporal 17 January 1890 and Sergeant 20 November 1891, and served in India from 25 February 1891 to 17 November 1893. Posted to the 2nd Battalion on 21 September 1895, Taylor was promoted Colour Sergeant 25 January 1896. After serving only 11 years, Taylor was promoted to warrant officer and appointed the 2nd Battalion’s Regimental Sergeant Major on 12 September 1899, age 30. A group photo taken after the battalion arrived in South Africa shows a rather young looking Taylor sitting front-and-center, surrounded by the battalion’s non-commissioned officers.

Taylor sailed aboard the Bavarian for South Africa on 13 January 1900, landing on 3 February. He served as the 2nd Battalion’s RSM throughout the Boer War. Along with the 2nd Cheshire, 1st East Lancashire, and 2nd North Staffordshire, they formed the 15th Brigade under Major General A G Wavell. As part of the brigade, they advanced to Bloemfontein and Pretoria, seeing some fighting. The battalion participated in a number of smaller actions throughout 1900, before settling into column and garrison work southwest of the Transvaal for the remainder of the war.

For his Boer War service, Taylor was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 10 September 1901) having “rendered special and meritorious service”. He also received the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps for CAPE COLONY, ORANGE FREE STATE, and JOHANNESBURG, and the King’s South Africa Medal with clasps for SOUTH AFRICA 1901 and SOUTH AFRICA 1902.

Taylor remained in South Africa for 2 years after the end of the war before returning to England on 9 June 1904. After serving 18 year, he was discharged at his own request on 6 June 1906. Taylor was awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct Medal on 1 July 1906.

Taylor rejoined the 8th (Service) Battalion as Acting Regimental Sergeant Major on 14 September 1914 and was almost immediately commissioned as Temporary Quartermaster & Honorary Lieutenant on 17 September 1914. Although the 8th Battalion was sent to France in October 1915, Taylor did not serve overseas. Instead, he relinquished his commission on account of ill health on 17 July 1915. He did not receive any campaign medals for World War I but Taylor did receive the Silver War Badge, applying for it on 22 September 1916.

Taylor died at Lenham Heath, Kent on 24 Mar 1948.

A very nice trio and biography, Barney. Thank you.

I must agree, I think Howard's Greens had always been a very smart regiment, it is interesting to note that Taylor married at Hythe just six months after obtaining his instructors certificate from there, a career soldier and perhaps a model example of Atkins, one wonders if Private Lucas was responsible for any others and if so, just how many?

djb wrote: A very nice trio and biography, Barney. Thank you.

Pictures courtesy of DNW

[ CB ]
[CMG ]
QSA (4) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, South Africa 1901 (Capt. H. G. Casson. S. Wales. Bord.)
[ Trio ]
[ Serbian Order of Karageorge ]

CB London Gazette 1 January 1918.
CMG London Gazette 16 March 1915.

Hugh Gilbert Casson was born in January 1866, and was the son of the Reverend George Casson. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the South Wales Borderers in August 1886. Casson served with the 1st Battalion in South Africa, April 1900 - October 1901 (M.I.D. London Gazette 10 September 1901). He advanced to Captain in November 1892, to Major in June 1904, and to Colonel in June 1915.

Casson, ‘died recently [February 1951] in North Wales, at the house of his brother, was little known to the present generation of the 24th, but to those who served with the 1st Battalion from 1886-1912 and with the 2nd Battalion between 1912 and 1914 he represented above all other things the “Spirit of the 24th”; to him the 24th came first and the rest did not matter....

He was, I know, a very good Rugby player, a good Polo player and a brilliant gymnast. He was a pupil of Eugene Sandow in physical culture, weight lifting, etc. Many will remember the feats of strength he showed in the Mess in Quetta in 1909, and I well remember him showing a class in the gymnasium how to do exercises on the horizontal bar dressed in his uniform with his boots and gaiters on.

It was, however, not only in feats of sports and strength that he excelled, because he was selected as Adjutant of the 1st Battalion as a young subaltern, and this in the days when the appointment of Adjutant was looked upon as the “plum” of all appointments.

In 1900 the 1st Battalion went to India and immediately made a name for itself in polo throughout the whole of India, winning practically every cup it went in for. Casson often played as a member of the team, which contained such well-known players as Melville, Cooke, Gray and Smith.

Whatever he did he paid the greatest attention to all details of organisation. Everyone who served with him will remember the way the training of polo ponies was organised, the way he taught others to make polo sticks, the way Regimental “At Homes” were organised, the organisation of the Officer’s Mess. All bore the hall-mark of his meticulous attention to detail...

In 1910 Casson went home with the 1st Battalion and later proceeded to South Africa to take over Command of the 2nd Battalion. Though he had not served with the 2nd Battalion since the South African War, from now onwards he threw himself whole heartedly into the life of his new battalion.... he put all his energies into his new battalion, which had just started its foreign service, and he did a great deal to foster that spirit of comradeship which has since existed between the Officers and Other Ranks of both Battalions.

In 1912 he took us to China.... Then came Tsingtao and our first baptism of fire in September 1914, and we could not have started on Active Service under a better Regimental leader. Gallipoli followed and it was now that I could really see and feel what the Regiment meant to him and what he meant to the Regiment. He thought only of the Regiment and how he could produce it fighting fit and oraganised for one of the hardest tasks it had ever been called upon to perform, the landing at Helles.

The Battalion had a great deal to thank the Commanding Officer for in the early days of the campaign and it was mainly due to his minute attention to every detail of organisation that our casualties compared to others were so light.

Within a few weeks of the landing, Casson was selected to command a Brigade in the 52nd Lowland Division; but it was most difficult for Corps H.Q. to persuade him to give up his beloved Battalion. It was only by direct order of the Corps Commander that he left the 24th after 29 years Regimental soldiering....

He was an exceedingly good trainer and organiser. In Action he was calm and collected and afraid of nothing. He was an excellent Regimental leader, always helpful and understanding, particularly to his junior officers, who knew that they could always go to him with their troubles. But the one characteristic which stood out for all to see and appreciate was his admiration and love of the 24th, and wherever his name is mentioned this will always be remembered by those who served with him.

He would want no better epitaph than this

“One of the 24th.” (Obituary included in The Journal of The South Wales Borderers and The Monmouthshire Regiment, No. 39, May 1951 refers)

Casson lead his Battalion when they landed at Lao Shan Bay for operations against the German territory of Tsingtao. He also commanded them during their landing at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, 25 April 1915, and shortly after was made Temporary Brigadier General and appointed to the command of the 87th Brigade as part of the 52nd Lowland Division - including during the Battle of Krithia. He retired in 1919 (M.I.D. and Serbian Order of Karageorge)

Picture courtesy of DNW

IGS 1854 (2) Burma 1887-89, Burma 1885-7 (896 Pte W. Mills 2d Bn S. Wales Bord) clasps in this order, suspension claw re-affixed, edge bruising;
QSA (4) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg (896 Pte W. Mills, S. Wales Bord:)

Served with the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers and the 15th Battalion Mounted Infantry.