TOPIC:

5700 Private Francis Charles Mulligan.
2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment.

Francis Mulligan was born on the 21st of March 1879 at Walworth. Walworth is an ancient parish in the Brixton Hundred of Surrey.
Francis lived with his father Frederick and mother Mary Anne at number 142, King and Queen Street.



Aged 19, Francis, a fresh faced, blue eyed, brown haired teenager of slight build attested for the 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment at Woking in 1898. By this time he had already served as a milita man and on the 22nd of October he became a full time soldier. However, in January 1899 he decided to take a week off and go AWOL (Which he repeated on several occasions during his 12 year service). He rejoined a week later and readied himself for his deployment to South Africa.

The 2nd Battalion sailed on the Lismore Castle and Harlech Castle around the 19th October 1899, and arrived at Durban on the 14th of November. Along with the 2nd Queen's, 2nd Devon, and 2nd West Yorkshire regiments, they formed the 2nd Brigade under Major General H Hildyard.


2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment

Private Mulligan was with B company when the East Surrey's were engaged in the actions at Pieters, Tugela River, Northern Natal.

During the fourteen days between 13th and 27th February the East Surrey regiment were, like the rest of the brigade, constantly fighting.



On the 22nd, when they were knocking their heads against the strong defences east of Grobelar's, "the East Surrey were ordered forward to reinforce the 60th Rifles; and they helped them with such spirit to maintain the passive strife—the business, you might say, of using the flesh of men to resist the bullets of the enemy— they were praised afterwards by the general and thanked by the 60th Rifles.

On the 23rd the 2nd battalion had a bad time, losing very heavily.
There is slight confusion regarding the date of his wounding, Natal Field Force records Pieters 23rd February 1900. His papers suggest the 27th February,Tugela Heights 1900. I have enclosed documentation which covers both dates.

Towards dawn of the 23rd active hostilities recommenced; at first it was only a steady splutter of musketry, but as light came on the guns joined in. An officer of the East Surrey led a bayonet charge to force back some Boers who had crept up close to their outpost during the night In this charge he himself was wounded, and before he could be carried off the field was hit again and again, receiving ten separate wounds in all. He was carried into a dressing-station, being accompanied by Lieutenant Morton, R.A.M.C., who was the East Surrey medical officer. It may have been in this action that Pte Mulligan was wounded? Either way, the 22nd and 23rd of February 1900 proved to be a difficult time for the East Surrey's as they were engaged in fierce fighting.

The 2nd Brigade reached a point half a mile south of Onderbrook Spruit with the East Surreys as lead unit. Lt-Col Harris was ordered to take his battalion to reinforce the right of the advance a.s.a.p., and the Devons to support the left. This was a very difficult movement as the ground was unknown to them, very hazardous, and it was pitch dark. They managed to reach the spruit and find the foot of the two Wynne Hills which were joined by a nek. They made contact with the men of the 11th Brigade who were desperate for ammunition and more men. Col Harris decided to distribute his battalion to support the two flanks of the endangered brigade. He himself took four companies, A, D, E, and G to the right and Major Pearse took B, C, and F Companies to the left. In the darkness Harris and A and G Companies became separated from D and E, commanded by Major Smith.
D Company was ordered by the commander of 11th Brigade to reconnoitre along a railway line on the right, but the area was found to be clear of the enemy. Then Smith was ordered to take his two companies to extricate the KRRC companies who were in difficulties. They climbed to a part of the hill that had a large depression near the summit. There were wounded soldiers here, and he deployed his men with fixed bayonets to wait for first light to advance. As they did so they were aware of A and G Companies on their right. Smith told Major Treedy commanding G Coy to let Col Harris know what he was doing. On reaching the KRRC who were sheltering in a kraal, Smith’s men took up positions to cover their withdrawal. But the Boers started up a rapid fire on them from quite close by. All the Riflemen were brought out, although some wounded were left behind, and Smith's companies withdrew, but as they did so they lost eight men killed and 16 wounded. Major Smith himself was hit and carried out of the fire zone by Privates Humphrey and Thurston.



The companies under the command of Major Pearse suffered far less injury due to the fact that their sangers were better built and, on advice from an officer of the 11th Brigade were built up to protect their left flank. They had a machine-gun section which was employed tirelessly all day on detachment, and was subjected to heavy fire that severely injured Lance-Corporal Fisher. The companies withdrew at noon on 23 Feb which was the costliest part of the action in terms of casualties. Twenty other ranks from these 3 companies were killed or wounded and two officers wounded. The casualty figures for the whole battalion after the failed assault of Wynne Hills was 6 officers and 80 other ranks, killed or wounded. The battalion was at first allowed a day’s rest to recover from their ordeal, but Major-General Hart’s brigade had suffered heavy losses in an unsuccessful attack on the previous evening and was in dire need of reinforcements. The East Surreys, now under the command of Major Pearse, were immediately available and in the early hours of 24 Feb they were sent along the banks of the Tugela, a march that resulted in 9 men being wounded from enemy rifle fire. On reaching General Hart they were ordered to attack Railway Hill straight away. Thankfully this attack was postponed and the battalion were held in reserve for the rest of the day. On 25-26 Feb they guarded Hart’s right flank, until, on 26 Feb there was an armistice with the Boers for the retrieval of wounded men and burial of the dead. The surviving men of the East Surreys who had lain out in the open for two days and two nights with multiple bullet wounds, were at last brought back for medical treatment.


Early in the morning of 27 Feb, orders were given to four infantry brigades to attack the Boer defences on the summits of Pieter’s Hill, Railway Hill and Hart’s Hill. The East Surreys’ objective was Hart’s Hill, this being appropriate as the hill was named after their former CO, Fitzroy Hart. The Fusilier Brigade, commanded by Maj-Gen Barton, began the attack, against Pieter’s Hill and, after a gruelling approach which involved a precipitous 500 ft climb, succeeded in surprising the Boer defenders and routing them. Next came the attack on Railway Hill, the lower slopes of which, were successfully stormed by the 11th Lancashire Brigade. The 4th Brigade was given the task of attacking Hart’s Hill, in conjunction with the East Surreys, and 1 Rifle Brigade.
As the battalions advanced, Major Pearse was ordered by Buller to transfer half of the Surreys to reinforce the Lancashire Brigade on Railway Hill. The Scottish Rifles were also given a similar order. But on reaching Railway Hill they were told by Brigadier-General Walter Kitchener, commander of the Lancashire Brigade, that reinforcements were not necessary and he had not asked for any. Unfortunately the Boer artillery at this point bombarded Railway Hill causing several casualties among the East Surreys. Kitchener told Pearse to keep his men there until he permitted them to join the others on Hart’s Hill at dusk. The attack on Hart’s Hill had been successful, with the four companies of the East Surreys playing a prominent part. Private H Brady was awarded the DCM for conspicuous bravery. However, it was a source of great frustration for the four companies that had been sent on a fool’s errand to Railway Hill, where, to add injury to insult, they had sustained unnecessary casualties. This whole action was named as the Battle of Pieter’s Hill and, for the East Surreys caused the death of 5 men and the wounding of 34.




On further investigations of the 2nd East Surrey medal roll dated September 9th 1901 Zandspruit, there are a considerable amount of soldiers Invalided to England including Private Mulligan. In fact, Francis was Invalided back home 2 months after his wounding and remained in England for 484 days. Unfortunately I cannot give a specific location of his wounding, although in my humble opinion I would suggest it may have been either Wynnes Hill, 23rd February or Harts Hill/ Railway Hill 27th February . I would of course welcome any correction or additional information from the forum.

During his time convalescing, he found time to marry Alice Bridger in November 1900. Unfortunately, he went AWOL again after his marriage. Perhaps he thought he was entitled to a honeymoon? He returned to barracks 2 months later.The 1901 census has Private Mulligan residing at the East Surrey's barracks. He was imprisoned in early March 1901 for 28 days. He rejoined the regiment late March 1901 only to be absent again. Alas,during this testing time for Francis Mulligan, his constant absence from his regiment may have had something to do with the loss of his father Frederick? who died in 1901. This would certainly suggest the absence and perhaps emotional turmoil that Private Mulligan must have suffered. On top of losing his father he had a new born son to support, also called Francis Charles born in 1901.

However, he was posted to South Africa again in August 1901 and remained in country until January 1903. Unfortunately, during his second tour of South Africa he was to lose his son in 1902 whilst on active service, he was 1 year old . I have no information regarding Private Mulligan receiving notification of his tragic loss. He remained in S A until 1903 and was guarding the railway and block house duties near Paardekop where the East Surrey's remained until the end of the conflict.

It is looking very likely that Francis decided not to return home in 1903.
The 2nd battalion was shipped to India and arrived in Lucknow,January 1903. Private Mulligan spent over 7 years in India and during this time he would have been at Lucknow, Sitapur and Mhow. He did not return to England until March 1911. By this time his mother Mary Anne had also died in 1910. I could not find any details connected to his first wife Alice regarding Francis returning to his marital home. In fact the 1911 census has him living as a boarder with Mr and Mrs Bailey in Vivian Road Peckham, profession recorded as ex- soldier aged 32.

Francis was discharged in March 1911 and having been absent without leave on many occasions. He was promoted to Corporal in 1910 and also recieved a good conduct badge. His Queens South Africa medal was awarded with 5 clasps. Transvaal, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith plus 1901 /1902 dates. Incidently, his papers suggest he was also awarded a clasp for Laings Nek? Medal roll does not concur.


Francis Mulligan. circa 1911


It is believed that Mr Mulligan may have found happiness again with a new lady? I cannot find a marriage entry for him but Francis and Ellen..nee Foote...nee Hitchcock, are certainly living together in numerous abodes between 1920 and 1939. Also, there are 3 sons William, Dennis and Leslie recorded. Certainly more research to be done here. I think the last uniform he wore would have been a bus Conductors. As he was employed by the London Transport in 1939.

5700 Private Francis Charles Mulligan 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment passed away in Camberwell in October 1947 aged 68.


Pte. Mulligan's Queens South Africa Medal.