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Joseph William Castree

Private, 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders – India
Private, 1st & 2nd Battalions, Gordon Highlanders – Anglo Boer War
Sergeant, 19th (City of London) Royal Fusiliers
Sergeant, Labour Corps – WWI

- India General Service Medal 1895 (PUNJAB FRONTIER 1897/TIRAH 1897-98 to 3761 PTE. J.W. CASTREE, 1ST BN. GORD. HRS.
- Queens South Africa Medal (Defence of Ladysmith/Cape Colony/Orange Free State/Transvaal/South Africa 1902) to 3761 PTE. J.W. CASTREE, GORDON HIGHRS.
- 1914/15 Star to 6726 CPL. J.W. CASTREE, R. FUS.
- British War Medal to SJT. J.W. CASTREE, R.FUS.
- Victory Medal to SJT. J.W. CASTREE, R.FUS.

Joseph Castree was born in Limehouse, London on 31 October 1871 the son of John Castree, a Coachman by occupation, and his wife Sarah Mary, born Millington. At the time of his birth the family lived at 13 Joseph Street, Mile End Old Town Eastern, Limehouse which was located between a Salvation Army hostel and the Horse & Groom Public House – incongruous neighbours to have.

At the time of the 1881 England census a 9 year old Joseph was at home in Mare Street, West Hackney with his parents and sister Emma Elizabeth (13). The Castree’s had had several children before this but most had not survived into adulthood. Tragedy was to strike the small family with the death of Sarah in April 1888 followed by that of the paterfamilias a few months later, in July 1888 when Joseph was 17 years old. This effectively left him an orphan in the care of his sister Elizabeth.

At St. George’s Barracks in London on the 4th March 1891 Castree completed the Short Service (7 Years with the Colours and 5 Years with the Reserve) attestation forms for service with the Gordon Highlanders. Claiming to be 18 years and 3 months old he was a Packer by occupation. Physically a diminutive 5 feet 4 inches in height, he weighed 124 lbs. and had a fair complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He had no distinguishing marks about his person and was a member of the Church of England.

Having been passed as Fit by the Medico, he headed north for Aberdeen in Scotland where he was assigned no. 3761 and the rank of Private with the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. His initial basic training was interrupted by a decision to desert on 31 May 1891. Having been “at large” for a period of 276 days he rejoined the battalion on 3 March 1892, awaiting trial, and was tried by a Regional Court Martial and convicted of Desertion on 18 March. Sentenced to 14 days in prison, his previous service (such as it was) was expunged and his service towards limited engagement calculated to commence from 18 March 1892.

Returning to duty on 31 March 1892 he joined the 1st Battalion but was posted to the 2nd Battalion on 24th May of that year. He had received a Third Class Certificate of Education two weeks earlier, on 10 May 1892. On 27 January 1893 he sailed for India with his battalion as part of the 1st Battalion.


Map of Dargai Heights operations

Possibly one of the most written about battles in military history was the Storming of the Dargai Heights by Castree’s 1st Battalion on 20 October 1897 during the Tirah Campaign. The 1st St. James Budget of 29th October 1897 carried this article: -

“Are we not proud of ourselves this week? Are all Englishmen, and more particularly all Scotsmen, filled with more than the usual elation of mind? They ought to be when they read the telegrams from India. Englishmen will hesitate before they say that anything could be finer than the Charge of the Light Brigade of Balaclava. But the charge of the Gordon Highlanders on the heights of Dargai is about as thrilling a piece of military heroism as any, that we have heard or read, about for years. Terrible was the fire through which these brave Highlanders had to pass— terrible their losses. But they went and conquered. The little speech of their fearless colonel is a model of what a British officer would be wished to say:— "Men of the Gordon Highlanders, the General says that position must be taken at all costs. The Gordon Highlanders will take it." Colonel Mathias should never make another speech! He will go down in history with this.


The Gordon Highlanders ascending the slope of the Heights

The Second Division of Sir William Lockhart's force left Shinwari in the morning of Wednesday, the 20th inst., for Karappa via the Chagra Kotul. The enemy, driven away on Monday, had strongly reoccupied the position at Dargai and the crest of Narik Sukh; and before descending into the Chagra defile it was necessary again to expel him from these heights. Brigadier-General Kempster's brigade undertook this arduous task. The enemy's position was exceedingly strong, being on the summit of a hill about 1000 feet in height and crowned with precipitous rocks; the only path leading to the summit having to be traversed by the troops in single file. Two batteries opened fire at 10 o'clock, and the infantry, led by the 1st Gurkhas, with the Dorsetshire Regiment supporting, advanced up the hill. While they were attempting to cross an open space they were exposed to the fire of the enemy, which was extremely accurate, and met with a temporary check.

The enemy reserved their fire until the Gurkhas reached a zigzag path under the perpendicular cliff where Major Jennings-Bramly was killed. Three companies of Gurkhas crossed the zone of fire at a rush, sustaining heavy losses; while the remainder deployed to the left to intercept a flank attack which was threatened by some 7000 of the enemy from that direction. The Dorsetshire Regiment attempted to support the three companies of Gurkhas, but were kept back by the marked-down ranges of the enemy who remained cool; reserving their fire until our men were exposed.

At 12.30 matters looked serious, as the gun-fire, aided by No. 9 Mountain Battery from Fort Gulistan failed to dislodge the enemy. Brigadier-General Kempster thereupon went forward in person, moving up the Gordon Highlanders and the 3rd Sikhs into the fighting line. A systematic assault was then organised, and 2000 men with fixed bayonets stood waiting for the order to advance. Three minutes before the word was given General Kempster heliographed back instructions to the batteries to concentrate their fire. The 18 pieces or artillery responded, and, under cover of their fire, the leading company of Gordon Highlanders rushed into the fire zone. Half the men dropped, but the remainder pushed gallantly on until they reached the cover where lay the three companies of Gurkhas. The rest of the force streamed after them, and the tribesmen, seeing, that most of the troops had passed the fire zone; fled higher up collecting under cover of the sheer cliffs. The Gordon Highlanders and mixed regiments, after, pausing a moment to take breath, again advanced to the assault, and 20 minutes later the position was won.


The Storming of the Heights

When the Gordon Highlanders were assigned the desperate task, says a later report, the pipers instantly started a swinging martial skirl, and the Highlanders leaped to the attack with Colonel Mathias at their head. Their onslaught was unchecked by the rain of bullets and the difficulties of the ascent, and they carried the enemy's position in superb style.

The victory and the operations which preceded it were dearly bought, three British officers being killed and five wounded; other casualties amounting in all to 150. It took the Highlanders 40 minutes to take the Heights.

On 12 October 1898 Castree was transferred to the 2nd Battalion who were ordered to proceed from Bombay to Durban in September 1899. This was in response to the growing threat of war between the two Boer Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State and Great Britain. War erupted on 11 October 1899 with the Commandos of the Transvaal crossing the Natal border whilst those from the Orange Free State came over the Drakensberg mountains heading for Ladysmith where General Sir George White was headquartered.

Landing in South Africa, the 2nd Gordons were part of the force in Ladysmith when General Penn-Symons and his force were at Dundee, and they were not at Talana Hill, but, along with the 1st Devon and 1st Manchester, were brigaded under Colonel Ian Hamilton. Castree was not with one of the five companies who fought at Elandslaagte on 21st October 1899.

On Mournful Monday, 30th October, the battle known (variously) as Lombard's Kop, Farquhar's Farm, and Nicholson's Nek—really the battle of Ladysmith—was fought. The 2nd Gordons, along with the 1st Devon, 1st Manchester, and 2nd Rifle Brigade, still under Colonel Ian Hamilton, were in the centre; but the real fighting took place entirely on the flanks, the left, which was in the air, being captured bodily and the right being forced to retire. Hamilton's men covered that retirement and, but for them and the artillery, it might have become a rout.


Map denoting where the Gordon Highlanders were camped in C Section

On 6th January the great attack on Ladysmith took place. After a lengthy period of inactivity the Boers, who had held a Krygsraad (Council of War) decided to take the initiative and go on the offensive. The brunt of the attack fell on Caesar's Camp and Waggon Hill (called Platrand by the Boers), neither of which had been intrenched quite as they should have been. Both these hills were to the south of the town in what was demarcated as C Sector. The defenders at first were—on Caesar's Camp the 1st Manchesters, the 42nd RFA, some sailors with a 12-pounder gun, and some Natal Volunteers; on Waggon Hill three companies King's Royal Rifles and a squadron Imperial Light Horse, besides some Royal Engineers and a working party of Gordons who were preparing a gun-emplacement.

Waggon Hill was attacked at 2.30 am and Caesar's Camp at 3 am. At daylight the Imperial Light Horse reached Waggon Hill and the Gordons Caesar's Camp, followed by four companies 1st King's Royal Rifles and four companies 2nd King's Royal Rifles to Waggon Hill and the 2nd Rifle Brigade to Caesar's Camp. Early in the forenoon the 5th Lancers arrived at Caesar's Camp and the 18th Hussars at Waggon Hill. The 5th Dragoon Guards and one and a half squadrons of the 19th Hussars further reinforced Waggon Hill about four o'clock. Fiercer fighting was not seen in the whole campaign, and it raged on both hills from daybreak till 5 pm, when a final charge by three companies of the 1st Devons under Colonel Park cleared the enemy from Waggon Hill. About the same hour some companies of the Gordons, Rifle Brigade, and Manchester Regiment cleared Caesar's Camp ridge in fine style.

The battalion lost very heavily. Colonel W H Dick-Cunyngham was killed in the town by a stray bullet early in the morning. Major Miller-Wallnut, recklessly brave, and 17 men were also killed. Two officers and about 30 men were wounded. Two officers and 6 non-commissioned officers were mentioned in Sir George White's despatch of 23rd March 1900.

An account from the regiments website read thus: -

On the night of 5th/6th Jan 1900, a party of naval gunners and sappers with an escort of Gordons were lowering a gun platform into the emplacement on Wagon Hill. The gun itself was still at the bottom of the hill. At 2.40am the Boers attacked both hills and the small party of Gordons along with some men of the KRRC were engaged in a desperate defence of Wagon Hill. The garrison was alerted to the trouble and one and a half companies of Gordons were sent to reinforce the party on Wagon Hill. Another company was sent to support those fighting at Caesar's Camp. A fierce fight took place on this hill, during which Captain Carnegie and Lieutenant W Macgregor were badly wounded, and as dawn broke a heavy storm soaked the combatants with rain and hail. This terrible battle lasted until 5pm, but with the help of 52nd and 53rd Field Batteries RA, the Manchesters and the Rifle brigade, the enemy were eventually forced to retreat.


A view of Ladysmith’s defences during the siege

The one and a half companies of the Gordons on Wagon Hill saw the loss of their commanding officer early on. Lieut. Col William Dick-Cunyingham VC was shot and died of his wounds the next day. Major Scott took over command and they managed to hold their ground against a determined attack. But when they were beginning to falter and withdraw, Major Miller-Walnutt rallied the men and they temporarily pushed the Boers back, but a counter-attack led by de Villiers reversed the situation and Miller-Wallnut was killed. An Engineers officer, Lt Digby-Jones then came to the fore and led them in a successful advance. The final victory came after a famous charge by the Devons.

As is always the case, unless a man is named in the action or can be placed there by dint of being wounded, killed in action or taken prisoner, one can only speculate whether or not Castree was “in on the action.” Perhaps those who had “missed out” on Elandslaagte were deployed at Waggon Hill.

After Ladysmith was relieved and its defenders had recuperated the battalion took part in General Buller's northward movement. Castree’s record becomes slightly confusing after the relief on 28 February 1900 – according to his service record he was returned to England. the date provided for this on his Military History Sheet is 25 January 1901 and he was certainly, as the census enumerator called round in April 1901, in England staying with his brother, Henry Joseph Castree at 229 Alton Street, Coppenhall Monks in Cheshire. He is recorded as William Joseph, Foot Soldier, aged 28 and born in London.

That he was on furlough from the army is evidenced by the employment register of the London and North Western Railways – page 74 of the 1900 version has an entry for him confirming he commenced employment with them as a Labourer at Mottram on 16 November 1900. Page 35 of the same register confirms that his employee number was 5436 and that his rate of pay was 18/- per day.

Home from the war Castree made ample use of the opportunity that presented itself, wedding Julia Catherine McGrath at the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Victories, High Street, Kensington, London on 6 May 1901.

According to his Military History Sheet which, as I have mentioned, is at variance, factually, with what we already know, Castree was “at Home” from 26 January 1901 until 14 April 1902. It was on the latter date that he returned to South Africa – on this occasion with the 1st battalion, Gordon Highlanders. This was about six weeks before the cessation of hostilities on 31 May 1902. The medal roll for this period of service sees him awarded the Cape, Orange Free State and Transvaal clasps along with that for South Africa 1902 and the Defence of Ladysmith clasp he earned with his first stint (2nd Gordon Highlanders.) Returning to England on 20 August 1902 he was discharged from the army with 12 years service, on 19 December 1903.

An entry for Castree on the 4 December 1902 (entry on page 179 of the L&NWR register) informs us under “Men Left, Discharged or Transferred”; that “Reservist not resumed work after returning from South Africa. He was credited with 2 years and 15 days service with them.

Out of uniform Castree and his wife set about making a family. Daughter Dorothy being baptised on 15 September with the family living at 45 Sedlescombe Road, Fulham, London where he was reported to be a Carpet Planner by occupation. in 1908, at the age of 37, his address was the North Kensington Public Library, 108 Ladbroke Grove, Kensington, London where he was the resident Caretaker. The 1911 England census confirmed the above, revealing that there had been no other children born to the couple in the interim.

The tranquillity of his existence was about to be interrupted once more. Twelve years after the Anglo Boer War ended the Great War commenced. On 4 August 1914 Great Britain found herself at war with Imperial Germany. Castree, no longer in the prime of his youth at 43 years of age, enlisted with the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) for service in France – entering the theatre of war on 14 November 1915 with the 19th Battalion. This service battalion was known as the 2nd Public Schools battalion. Formed at Epsom on 11 September 1914 by the Public Schools and University Men’s Force on 26 June 1915 they came under command of 98th Brigade, 33rd Division and landed in France, as we have seen, in November 1915. On 27 February 1916 they were transferred to GHQ and disbanded on 24 April 1916 with many of the men being commissioned as officers. This latter fate did not fall to Castree, clearly not a Public School man, he was transferred to the Labour Corps where he served out the remainder of the war before being discharged as a Sergeant on 14 March 1919.

Initially returning to his employment with the North Kensington Public Library, he was still there at the time of the 1921 England census. For his efforts he was awarded the trio of medals for the Great War.

Castree’s wife, Julia, passed away on 13 December 1935 and Castree moved in with his spinster sister Elizabeth who lived at 55 Ongar Road, Fulham. By 1938, at the age of 67 he had moved to 64 Stag Leys, Leatherhead, Surrey which is where, at the age of 76, he passed away on 26 September 1948 from cancer of the larynx and multiple sclerosis. He was a retired Band Master at the time of his death – an occupation which nothing in his past hinted at.

Acknowledgments:
- Gordon Highlanders Website
- Various newspapers accredited in the article above
- Ancestry for medal rolls, marriage and death data etc.
- Various Internet sites for photos of paintings etc.
- Sterling for regimental account as per this site

Nice group Rory. Here's one of mine to 5010 Pte. Frank Burns, Gordon Highlanders who was dangerously wounded at Dargai then had the misfortune to be injured by lightning in South Africa.



5010 Pte. F. Burns, Gordon Highlanders.
India General Service Medal clasps Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98; Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Belfast; King’s South Africa Medal clasps South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902.
Dangerously wounded in action Dargai 20 October 1897.
Injured by lightning Belfast 31 January 1901.
Frank Burns enlisted at Dundee 8 March 1894 aged 18. Born Dundee. Occupation millworker. Religion Presbyterian. Joined 2nd Battalion 15 June 1894. Transferred to 1st Battalion 7 April 1896. Sustained a gunshot wound to his right shoulder at Dargai. Transferred to Army Reserve 4 November 1902. Discharged 7 March 1906. Served in 1st Battalion in India and South Africa.

Burns suffered burns by lightening strike - there's something almost poetic about that David. Your man was definitely accident prone.

If memory serves me correctly, there was only 1 or 2 that were killed by lightning during the war (and a few more wounded), so obviously it was 1 of the rarer forms of casualty.
Possibly the safest thing to do was stay clear of ASC warrant officers lol.

Rory wrote: Burns suffered burns by lightening strike - there's something almost poetic about that David. Your man was definitely accident prone.

In all the years I've had his group that never occurred to me!

Bicolboy59 wrote: If memory serves me correctly, there was only 1 or 2 that were killed by lightning during the war (and a few more wounded), so obviously it was 1 of the rarer forms of casualty.
Possibly the safest thing to do was stay clear of ASC warrant officers lol.

Coincidentally I also have the QSA clasps Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Transvaal & Wittebergen to a man even unluckier than Burns in that respect. 2825 Sgt. H. Ashton, Manchester Regiment, was serving with the mounted infantry when he was wounded at Sannah's Post 31/3/1900 (a unique regimental casualty for the action) and killed by lightning at Middelfontein 5/12/1900.