TOPIC:

Private Arthur Frank Jolliffe, 5193, 17th Lancers

BIRTH: 7 April 1868
Newport, Hampshire, England

DEATH: Dec 1902 (aged 34)
Isle of Wight, England



Queen's South Africa Medal, five clasps - Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, South Africa 1901. 5193 A.Jolliffe 17/Lcrs. Engraved



21st Hussars (India)

3065 Private Arthur Frank Jolliffe, son of Mark John Jolliffe and Louise Pike, attested for the 21st Hussars on the 3rd December 1888 having previously worked as a commision agent.

Previously in 1872 his father had passed away at the age of 41 when Arthur was 4 years old with his mother marrying George Ashton in 1874.

Arthurs Mother:



Arthur served with the 21st Hussars in India from 1889 to 1896; the regiment transferred to Egypt in 1896 and it was then that Arthur returned home to England; whilst in Cairo the 21st regiment was informed that it was to be redesignated and equipped as a Lancer Regiment.

He missed out on the famous charge at Omdurman by the 21st Lancers in 1898 which is regarded as the last horseback charge by a full regiment of the British Army. Co-incidentally Lieutenant Winston Churchill, serving in the 4th Hussars, was attached to the 21st Lancers for the Sudan campaign and charged with the regiment at Omdurman.

Back in England on the 25th June 1899 he married Maria Fairfield, both 31 at the time, and shortly afterwards was recalled to service on the 20th December 1899 when the 2nd Anglo Boer War started in South Africa.

17th Lancers (South Africa)

Arthur transferred to the 17th Lancers and was assigned the regimental number of 5193.

The regiment sailed on the Victorian on 14th February 1900, and arrived at the Cape about the 10th March 1900. They joined Lord Roberts at Bloemfontein, and were put into Gordon's, the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, along with the 9th and 16th Lancers.

On 29th March 1900 the 1st and 3rd Cavalry Brigades under French were, with Tucker's VIIth Division, employed at Karee Siding when the enemy was driven back towards Brandfort.

Towards the end of April 1900 the brigade was engaged with Ian Hamilton and French in clearing the enemy from the Thabanchu district, and had some stiff fighting on the extreme right. Lord Roberts commenced his northern advance on 3rd May, and on the 8th he was joined by General French with the 1st (Porter's), 3rd (Gordon's), and 4th (Dickson's) Brigades of cavalry.

In the further advance towards Pretoria this brigade was generally working in advance on the right flank of the main body and under the direct orders of Lord Roberts, General French with the 1st and 4th Cavalry Brigades and Button's Mounted Infantry being far out on the left flank.

At Diamond Hill, 11th and 12th June 1900, the 17th were heavily engaged, and lost 2 officers, Major the Honourable L Fortescue and Lieutenant the Honourable C Cavendish, and 4 men killed. From this time onwards their work was quite as arduous as anything the cavalry had done on the way to Pretoria.

The 3rd Cavalry Brigade thereafter took part in the initial steps of the movement which led up to Prinsloo's surrender. On 11th July the brigade left Sir A Hunter's force, returning via Reitz to Heilbron and thence to Kroonstad. Brigadier General Gordon at this time left the 3rd for the 1st Brigade, his successor being Lieutenant Colonel Little.

The 2nd and 3rd Brigades were for some weeks after 16th July engaged in the pursuit of De Wet's force, which had broken out of the Brand water basin. About the middle of August the 3rd Brigade moved with Lord Methuen to Zeerust. As the brigade was starting to return on the 25th, Colonel Little was wounded and Colonel Dalgetty of the Colonial Division took command. Between Zeerust and Krugersdorp there was constant fighting. Brigadier General Porter now got the brigade, and under him it was railed from Johannesburg to Kroonstad to operate once more against De Wet.

The brigade was for a time employed in the Orange River Colony, sweeping up, and on the borders of Cape Colony.

In November 1900 the brigade was split up and the 17th Lancers were formed into a column under Colonel Herbert, which, along with other columns, operated under Colonel Barker in the south-east of the Orange River Colony, taking part in the pursuit of De Wet when he endeavoured to get into Cape Colony in December 1900. The regiment entered Cape Colony in December 1900, and except for two months' operations in the Orange River Colony under Colonel Williams in April and May 1901, the 17th Lancers remained in Cape Colony until the declaration of peace.

Back to England

Arthur returned home in March of 1901 and 9 months later his daughter Hilda Winifred Jolliffe was born (19 Dec 1901).
Unfortunately Arthur passed away 1 year later in December 1901 at the young age of 34 for reasons that are currently unknown.

Hello Sturgy

Many thanks for sharing Arthur's story.
Always rewarding when there is an excellent photograph of the recipient.

Best regards

Dave.