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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

Sudan (2961. Pte. J. Dalrymple. 2/R. Bde:);
QSA (3) Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (2961 Pte. J. Dalrymple, Rifle Brigade);
KSA (2) (2961 Pte. J. Dalrymple. Rifle Brigade.);
1914-15 Star (10645 L. Cpl. J. Dalrymple. 4/Can: Inf:);
BWM and VM (10645 A. Cpl. J. Dalrymple. 4-Can. Inf.);
Khedive Sudan (1) Khartoum, unnamed as issued

John Dalrymple, a shoemaker by trade, was born in 1875 and attested for the Rifle Brigade at Macclesfield, Cheshire on 22 August 1893. He served with his unit in Hong Kong from 22 October 1895, he then went on to Singapore and Malta, before proceeding in 1898 for service with the Nile Expedition during the Sudanese operations.

Dalrymple served in South Africa during the Boer War from 2 October 1899, and was present at the actions at the Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek and Belfast. He was sentenced by Field General Courts Martial to 1 year hard labour for sleeping at his post while sentinel; the sentence was commuted to 84 days Field Imprisonment which he served from September to November 1901.

He was granted permission to reside in Canada from 17 October 1906 and was discharged at the termination of his engagement on 21 August 1909. Following the outbreak of the Great War Dalrymple attested for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 22 September 1914, and served with the 4th Canadian Infantry on the Western Front from 9 February 1915.

He was wounded by a bullet to the right elbow at Ypres on 23 April 1915, and returned to England for demobilisation and discharge.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (6) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek, South Africa 1901 (1567 Pte. H. Tidy, Rifle Brigade.) partially officially corrected

Harry Tidy was born at Edenbridge, Kent, in 1871 and attested for the Rifle Brigade on 9 September 1891. He served with the 3rd Battalion in India from 4 December 1893 to 1 February 1899, and transferred to the Reserve on 5 February 1899. Recalled to the Colours, he served with the 1st Battalion in South Africa during the Boer War from 28 October 1899 to 8 April 1901, and was dangerously wounded at Grootvlei on Boxing Day 1900, whilst serving with ‘F’ Company, under Captain C. Radclyffe.

The Rifle Brigade at Grootvlei

After a quiet Christmas based at the Oceana Mine near Grootvlei, Lieutenant-Colonel A. Colville, 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade, proceeded on a farm-clearing expedition, with a small column consisting of six companies of the 1st Battalion, a squadron of the 13th Hussars, four guns of 63 Battery, Royal Field Artillery, as well as one ‘pom-pom’. Colville left ‘F’ Company under the command of Captain Radclyffe, as well as some artillerymen, to guard the baggage wagons based at the mine. The column moved out in the direction of Roddewal, where after five miles they became involved in a small skirmish at the first of the target farms. During the skirmish a large party of approximately 450 Boers were spotted heading towards the Oceana Mine. A signal was sent to Captain Radclyffe informing him of this development, and he at once set about disposing his small force in an attempt to protect the baggage, with the pom-pom located near a small hollow. After a couple of hours had passed a number of mounted Boers appeared on a ridge a thousand yards away. As Radclyffe’s men opened fire the Boers dismounted, pushed forward, and sent out small parties to the left and right in an encircling movement against the Rifle Brigade position. Under heavy and accurate fire the pom-pom was moved down towards the hollow and back towards the compound – of the nine men who assisted in moving the pom-pom one was killed and the other eight all wounded.

Seeing that the enemy were now advancing in considerable force, Radclyffe decided to send the baggage back to the column, whilst attempting to hold the Boers in check for as long as possible. Under cover of heavy Rifle Brigade fire from behind the wagons, the native teams began inspanning the oxen. When they were ready to move the native teams started off the wagons in the direction of Colville’s column and, as they did so, the small Rifle Brigade covering party came under very severe fire and had to retire, as the Boers saw that they were losing their target. During this time, Radclyffe and his sections continued their holding action but suffered a number of casualties, with their ammunition running out fast. With the baggage now well on its way, Radclyffe, who was lying wounded, ordered those in advanced positions who could do so to retire to the compound so as to avoid capture. No. 1 section provided covering fire until their ammunition ran out, at which point the Boers advanced rapidly, forcing their surrender, along with the wounded soldiers. Fortunately, at this point, the main column appeared on the horizon, forcing the Boers to withdraw, leaving their wounded prisoners behind. For some time the wounded on the ridge were exposed to fire from both the returning column and the Boers, and a corporal was seen to make a valiant attempt to carry the wounded Radclyffe to safety. Total losses that day were heavy, with 13 Officers and men killed, 44 wounded, and 19 taken prisoner. For his gallantry in defending the position, Captain Radclyffe was awarded the DSO (article in the O.M.R.S. Journal, Winter 1995 refers.)

Tidy was evacuated to England on account of his wounds, and transferred to the Reserve on 17 April 1902. He was finally discharged on 8 September 1903, after 12 years’ service.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1902 (5723 Pte H. Whiting. Rifle Brigade.);
1914-15 Star (T3-028071 Sjt H. Whiting. A.S.C.);
British War and Victory Medals (T3-028071 Sjt. H. Whiting. A.S.C.)

Harry Whiting was born at Clerkenwell, London in 1884 and attested for the Militia on 26 August 1901 at the age of 17. Entering the Anglo-Boer War the next year he was to serve with the 5th Battalion, Rifle Brigade in the final months of the conflict. After the war he returned to Civilian life as a carman, leaving the Militia prior to the outbreak of the Great War.

Whiting returned to the Colours not long after the recommencement of hostilities on 10 November 1914. Promoted Sergeant while still in Britain Whiting was briefly advanced Company Sergeant-Major on 8 February 1915 but reverted to Sergeant at this own request on 22 April. Embarking at Southampton he entered the war in France on 15 September 1915 for service with No. 1 Transport Company, Army Service Corps, 14th Divisional Train.

Once again promoted Company Sergeant Major on 30 October 1918 Whiting served in that role for the final few weeks of the War. Demobilised on 11 April 1919 at Woolwich he returned to his home in St. Lukes.

The 2nd Rifle Brigade on parade in Cairo




Officers of the 2nd Rifle Brigade

Source: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/19-ephemera/3...under-the-union-jack

Picture courtesy of Spink

CBE 2nd, Military;
DSO GV;
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieut. A. J. H. Sloggett. Rifle: Bde:), the last two clasps contemporary tailor's copies;
1914 Star, copy clasp (Capt: A. J. H. Sloggett. Rif: Brig.);
British War and Victory Medals, with MID (Lt. Col. A. J. H. Sloggett.);
Defence Medal 1939-45;
Delhi Durbar 1911.

CBE London Gazette 1 January 1949.

DSO London Gazette 1 January 1918.

Arthur John Henry Sloggett was born on 4 May 1882, the only son of Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Sloggett, KCB, KCMG, KCVO. Educated at Harrow and the Royal Military College Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade on 13 March 1901 and served with them in the Boer War.

Sloggett transferred to the 2nd Battalion in 1911 and served with that Battalion in France from 2 November 1914. He was a Staff Captain 1915-16, GSO 3 1916, and Brigade Major 1916-17. He then commanded the 7th Battalion in France in 1917, being awarded his DSO and earning a 'mention' (London Gazette 21 December 1917, refers) in the process.

Sloggett went 'in the bag' on 21 March 1918 when the 7th Battalion was practically destroyed. Their War Diary reported:

'The enemy opened a heavy drum fire bombardment at 4 am, a considerable amount of gas shells being used. From that time onwards no further communication was received from the forward zone. Runners were unable to get through the barrage.'

By 22 March 1918 the Battalion consisted of 4 officers and 100 other ranks; these were composed of shoemakers, tailors, pioneers, storemen, and the remnants of the Battalion.

The 7th Battalion was reduced to cadre strength on 27 April 1918 and on 17 June 1918 no longer of fighting capacity it was returned to England.

The experiences of Frank Vans Agnew M.C., also held at Fürstenberg Camp, were published in Veteran Volunteer - memoir of the trenches, tanks & captivity 1914-1919 and takes up the story of Sloggett, who volunteered to assist with the repatriation of Allied Prisoners of War held in Denmark:

'On hearing that 12 Officers were needed to go to Copenhagen to help with the repatriation operation Frank volunteered and was accepted. Copenhagen wasn't a vague unknown Scandinavian city, perhaps the capital of Sweden. Allied prisoners of war in Germany were aware that the British Red Cross had an office in Copenhagen. Some had had their first contact with home as missing/pow through this office. Many of the men had received their first Red Cross parcels and subsequently bread from "The Copenhagen Bureau". Also Danish Red Cross officials visited the camps to report on conditions; the Danish YMCA sent secretaries to the camps to do humanitarian work; Danish Bellibria sent books to camp libraries, and the international YMCA had a warehouse in Copenhagen from where parcels could be sent to POWs. Many Danes had, like Dagny, "adopted" a pow. Frank noted down details of all the parcels he received, and we can see that his bread from Copenhagen was on average a fortnight in transit and generally arrived in OK condition. He also received one YMCA parcel from Copenhagen; otherwise his parcels were from his sister Ida in London.

The volunteers for repatriation duty in Copenhagen were to leave on the 9th December and were told that they may be needed for up to four weeks. The latest news for the other POW's in the camp was that they would also be travelling on the 9th but for them it was to be to Copenhagen and on home. Frank wrote in his diary about volunteering that he didn't "regret going to Copenhagen personally, as need some work badly, and glad to help the men", and as he wrote to his sister a couple of days later "it was only fair to let the married men and youngsters go home for Xmas". As it turned out the other POW's had some days yet to wait. Frank and the other volunteers left for Denmark, with no idea what they were letting themselves in for! But what a time they had!

It was hard work but in colleague Lieut. J.D.A. Collier's words they "...enjoyed the hospitality of Denmark for two months…[it was] of such an interesting and unique character", it was in fact a "little adventure". For all but a handful of the homeward-bound former POW's, who succumbed to the Spanish flu, there was to be in Denmark an almost fairytale like ending to their first world war ordeal. James Douglas Archer Collier, AIF. Of the volunteers from Fürstenberg we can identify Frank himself, a 50 year old British born "American 50-year-old with the Tank Corps; Major Walker a friend with whom he shared a mess as POW; Lt. Col. A.J.H. Sloggett 7th Bn. Rifle Brigade; Captain H.E. Milburn 9th Bn. Leicestershire; Lt. Col. Wickermann and two Australians 2/Lt. J.E.A. Stuart and Lieut. Collier from Tasmania. The 12 officers boarded the 9.20 train on 9th December at Fürstenberg, a station on the main Berlin-Copenhagen line. An extra officer was with them: Lt. Col. Lord Farnham. On the train they joined General Ravenshaw, also a former pow from Clausthal camp, who had started his journey in Berlin. These two important individuals were on a fast-track home.

There are further references to Sloggett in the diary of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Howard-Bury deposited in the library of Trinity College, Dublin:

'Early on the morning of April 13th Sloggett and I were warned to hold ourselves in readiness to proceed to Furstenberg. We had only 2 hours' notice in which to pack up and to make all our farewells. We were then given a meal of soup and potatoes, after which we and our luggage were carefully searched and all money taken away from us. This took some time as there were fifty officers coming with us, but when it was finished we fell in in fours outside under a German officer and with an escort then marched to the station, where soon after Midday we entrained in 2nd Class carriages. In most compartments there were seven officers and one of the escort: we luckily had only four, together with the German officer in charge.'

Sloggett arrived back in England on 19 January 1919 whereupon he was posted to the 5th Battalion. He retired to Devon in 1924. He became the Commanding Officer of the 10th Devon (Torbay) Battalion, Devon Home Guard during the Second World War and County Commandant of the Army Cadet Force and played a significant part in its post war reconstruction.

Appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Devon, he was appointed CBE in 1949 for his work in the Cadet Force. Sloggett was a fine racquets player, winning the Racquet Championship in Poona and becoming army singles champion in 1920. He was also a fine all round cricketer.

Colonel Sloggett died at his residence at Paignton, Devon, on 13 December 1950.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

Queen’s Sudan (1539 Pte. C. Gibbs. 2/R: Bde.);
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (1539 Pte. C. Gibbs, Rifle Brigade) initial officially corrected;
KSA (2) (1539 Pte. C. Gibbs. Rifle Brigade.);
Khedive’s Sudan (1) Khartoum (1539, C Gibbs, Rifle Brigade.) regimentally engraved naming