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Henry Holgate

Died of Disease – Middleburg, Transvaal – 25 February 1901

Private, 1st Battalion, Royal North Lancashire Regiment and 3rd Mounted Infantry, L.N.L.R. – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal (Defence of Kimberley/OFS/TVL) to 3926 PTE. J. HOLGATE, L.N. LANC: REGT
- Mayor’s Kimberley Star with “d” Hallmark and integral top suspender (unnamed as issued)

Henry was another of those unfortunates cut down in the prime of life far from home and his loved ones. Born in Burnley, Lancashire on 2 January 1880 he was the son of Henry Harriet, a Yeast Worker by trade and his wife Harriet, a Dressmaker. At the time of the 1881 England census a 1 year old Henry was at home at 90 Curzon Street, Burnley along with his parents and siblings – Emily (10), Alfred (7); Isabella (5) and Tom (3). There was also a Lodger in residence in the form of John Dixon and a servant in the form of 47 year old widow, Mary Watson.

Ten years later at the time of the 1891 England census the family had moved to 36 Barracks Road in Burnley. The Holgate’s were prodigious with the number of their offspring – since the previous census, an 11 year old Henry had been succeeded by Catherine (7) and Frederick (6). Mr Holgate was now a Carter by occupation.

Four years later, on 2 February 1895, at the age of 15 years and 1 month, Holgate attested for service with the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. A Pit Boy at the time of his attestation, he was, nonetheless, very young to don a uniform. Understandably given his age he was a diminutive 5 feet 3 inches in height, weighed 119 lbs and had a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He sported “old tattooing” on his right arm. Found to be Fit by the Doctors he was assigned no. 3926 and the rank of Boy (on account of his age) with the Home Battalion.


The L.N.L.R. in South Africa

On 24 January 1896 he was posted to the 1st Battalion and, along with them, sailed for Ceylon where he was to spend 3 years and 18 days. On 10 June of that year, he was appointed as a Drummer. On 21 November 1897 he was awaiting trial by a District Court Martial. After 17 days he was tried, convicted and sentenced on 8 December 1897 to 90 days incarceration. The offence was undisclosed. On returning to duty on 7 March 1898 he reverted to the rank of Private. On 2 January 1898 he had attained the age of 18.

On the medical front he had had a number of complaints over the years – the first being a case of Ringworm. Contracted in Ceylon he spent 23 days in hospital with this ailment – from 26 July until 17 August 1896 – before returning to duty. This was followed, on 4 February 1897, by a dose of Gonorrhea. After 18 days treatment he was released only to be readmitted for the same complaint five days later. On this occasion a stay of another 14 days and a transfer to hospital in Kandy was required before he was discharged on 29 May 1897. “Local Tonics” were administered to him to ameliorate the condition. On 22 June 1897 at Colombo he was treated for an undisclosed complaint. Ditto for 24 December 1897 at Kandy – both these last not requiring hospitalisation.

His old nemesis Gonorrhea reared its ugly head again at Colombo on 16 May 1898. After 10 days of the “Tonic” he was discharged to duty.

Seemingly a bit on the errant side of things, Holgate was in trouble again in early 1899. He had sailed for Cape Town, South Africa on 10 February and, once under sunny South African skies from 9 March 1899 had blotted his copybook once more - on 20 May he was sentenced by the Officer Commanding to 10 days Imprisonment with Hard Labour, returning to duty on 30 May 1899.

But 1899 was to be remembered for an altogether different reason – on 11 October of that year war broke out between the might of the British Empire and the two Boer Republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal in faraway South Africa. Holgate and his regiment were already in South Africa when it erupted and had been dispatched, post-haste, to Kimberley in the Northern Cape which, as the centre of the worlds diamond industry, was always going to be a target for the Boers once they crossed the nearby Free State border. An added incentive for the Boers was the presence of Cecil John Rhodes in the town. He was a much despised adversary and one the Boer High Command were intent on capturing if at all possible.


L.N.L. Breakfasting at Kimberley in 1899

Although Holgate wasn’t known to have written home, we are fortunate in that one of his Drummer comrades in arms did so – providing a vivid account of the Regiments actions – in a letter published in the The Blackburn Times, Saturday 24th March 1900. It read as follows: -

“A BLACKBURN DRUMMER IN KIMBERLEY - GRAPHIC STORY OF THE SIEGE - A BOER PREDICTION AND ITS RESULT.

Drummer Ben Nightingale, 4630, G Company of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, writing home from Kimberley to his father at 33, Oak-street, Blackburn, says: -

"You will probably know the reason I have not been able to write sooner. We have been besieged and cut off from the world. I will tell you about it. On Monday morning, the 18th September, 1899, we got orders to leave for somewhere. Where, we did not ourselves know, only the officers. We got packed up and left Cape Town the same night about ten o'clock. We set off, thinking every minute we should be fired on. We went on all right till we reached Belmont; then we began to get amongst the proper Boers. Just as our train was leaving the station, one of them said, "You cut-throats, you will never come back." One of our men had a corned beef can in his hand. So he up with it and caught him right between the eyes. The Boer then muttered something in Dutch. I suppose it was something nice. We went on all right until we came to Orange River, when we were ordered to move slowly. Of course, we had a pilot in front of the engine. We pulled through all right, and through, where afterwards the other half of our regiment won itself such a splendid name. I mean at Magersfontein.

At the end of our two days and two nights riding we reached Kimberley about 6 p.m. on the 20th of September. Well, everything went well until they cut the wires, and broke up the rails on the 14th of October. Then the fun commenced. We had four or five little fights trying to keep them from getting too near the town. Well, to cut things short we lost about 50 killed. Of these, our regiment had two killed and about 20 wounded, and 10 died natural deaths. There were plenty of people died through not being able to get nourishment, as after a few weeks of the siege there was nothing to be had, such as butter, milk, eggs, &c. We ourselves lived on horse, donkey, mule, 14oz. of bread, coffee, and Indian corn boiled - no sugar - this for between 10 and 12 weeks. You might think I am piling it on but it is a fact.

Other things were frightfully dear whilst they lasted, such as matches 3d. a box, 9d. for about six pipes of tobacco, so I suppose you can imagine what our difficulties were. The men who garrisoned Kimberley were 450 of the Loyal North Lancashires, 50 of the Royal Engineers, and about 100 garrison artillery. This made about 600 Imperial troops. Then they formed a Town Guard of the civilians. They were not of much use, as they never went out to face the enemy, but they used to man the defences when we went out. Then we had a few volunteers, and some men who formed a company of the Light Horse. We had to show them how to go about it. So you see what a fix we were in for a fighting force. We had only 7lb. guns, the least in the service. You may think what good they were when we could not reach the Boers with them from town. We used to go out to have a bit of a do with them until they got the town properly surrounded; then they showed their bravery by shelling the town. They started one day at 3 a.m., and left off at 12 a.m. the day after. They had six guns round the town, and at the end of the two days they had put about 1,100 shells in town. We made a 28-pounder of our own at De Beers Foundry, which was successful for a while, until the Boers were reinforced with about 5,000 men and a 6-in. gun. Then the trouble commenced. They started to fire on the town with it about 10 a.m., and kept it up until General French relieved us about seven or eight days later. It got unbearable. It set a big shoe shop on fire, and killed about five persons. One was the man who had made the 28-pounder. The shell came through the roof of the Grand Hotel where this man was staying, and knocked his head off.

It was pitiable to see a population of about 40,000 women and children running every time they heard this big gun fire. We had to put them down the mine. There were ten or twelve thousand Boers round us, and if they had had pluck, they might have eaten us up - might, but they would have had to fight for it. The last day but one of the siege we were called out to a place called Alexandrafontein, and there was the hardest bit of fighting I have been in. We had rifle fire in front, and shell fire behind, but we pulled through. At two o'clock the day after we saw the dust rising over the hills. We thought at first it was the Boers, until we saw some of them. Then, didn't we shout. I punched my helmet, and stood on my hands. You would have thought I was going mad. The Boers ran off, and there was not one to be found within ten miles of Kimberley. the trouble ceased then for the civilians; I don't know proper about us yet. General French and his cavalry relieved us on the 15th February, then the trains started coming in with food stuffs, and to-day we got full rations, and things are looking up a bit. I don't know whether we shall stop here or not. All the battalion are together now. After the war we expect to come home directly. Lord Roberts is doing good work, we hear to-night that he has almost got Cronje surrounded, and the free Staters are almost done up with now. We are about the last troops to get served with the presents from home. To-morrow we get the Queen's chocolate and other things. I am hoping to see you all again in Blackburn, so roll on time, if I don't get shot.”

Kimberley, after enduring several months of privation and harassment, was relieved! Unfortunately for both Nightingale and Holgate, the war was far from over as was the chance of going home. After the relief of Kimberley and the occupation of Bloemfontein that followed in March 1900; the battalion operated for a time with Lord Methuen in the Kimberley-Boshof district and then accompanied him to the Lindley district. In July they were railed to the Transvaal, and about the 22nd the battalion was left to hold Oliphant's Nek in the Magaliesberg. They marched from that place with Baden-Powell about 8th August. Six days afterwards De Wet, finding the pass unoccupied, slipped through it and escaped from Lords Kitchener and Methuen, who had been at his heels for a week. No one blamed the battalion for leaving the post, but there had been a misunderstanding somewhere. The battalion once more joined Lord Methuen and marched with him to Mafeking, operating thereabouts and in the South-West Transvaal for many months.

In the end of October and in November 1900 the headquarters and two companies of the battalion accompanied Major General Douglas on a long trek to Klerksdorp, when much stock and some prisoners were captured. In February 1901 the battalion marched with Lord Methuen from Taungs to Klerksdorp. On the way the enemy made an obstinate stand in a strong position at Haartebeestfontein, but were driven out. In his telegram of 21st February Lord Kitchener mentions the Loyal North Lancashire as having "greatly distinguished themselves". They lost 6 killed and 8 wounded.


Map of Middelburg and surrounds

Almost from the time Kimberley was relieved Holgate was selected as one of the Battalion’s Mounted Infantry company – this was part of the 3rd Mounted Infantry Company and comprised elements from the following regiments – all chosen for their horsemanship and other abilities – to counter and match the efficacy of the highly mobile Boer Commandos: -

• Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
• King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
• King's Royal Rifle Corps
• Manchester Regiment
• Royal Dublin Fusiliers

It was whilst operational with the 3rd M.I. that Holgate was to breathe his last. Not in a combat situation, although he would have seen plenty of that, but to the ravages of Enteric Fever – the almost silent killer that stalked the entire British Army whilst in South Africa. A direct outcome of drinking dirty and polluted water. On the 25th February 1901 at Middelburg, to the east of Johannesburg, he met his Maker.

The Burnley Express of 9 March 1901 carried the following insert: -

“HOLGATE – In loving memory of Henry Holgate, of the L.N. Lancashire Regiment Mounted Infantry, who died 25 February 1901 at Middleburg, Transvaal, of enteric fever, aged 21 years, the beloved son of Harriet and the late Henry Holgate, of 36 Barracks Road, Burnley. Deeply regretted.”

The Register of Deceased Soldiers’ Effects – a record of casualties kept by the British forces – indicated that a pro rata amount of £2.15s, comprising his Daily Pay and War Gratuity, was distributed to his mother and six siblings on 3 April 1902. Today he is remembered on a memorial plaque to the 1st Battalion who fell in South Africa which stands in Avenham Park, close to the centre of Preston in Lancashire. His grave lies in the Middleburg West Old Cemetery.

Acknowledgements (unless already included in the work above): -
- Ancestry for medal rolls, census data, Register of Deceased Soldiers’ Effects and Service Record
- Kimberley Siege Account & Medal Roll (Biggins) for photo of LNLR breakfasting
- El Ne Watson for map of Middelburg