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A wonderful read and first hand account,
Interesting that if I am reading the account correctly, "and what with Q battery banging away from one side and the Boers from the other, things were getting a little warm." that De Wet must have brought the guns of U Battery in to return fire with the term "Banging away" being used. His own artillery was with his brother Pieter from my understanding, and it was these guns that dislodged Broadwood's column from the waterworks in the first place.

He must have been in that mix of men for some time before Q battery opened up with their 4 remaining guns, as they had to be extracted from an open field manually, unless of course they were returning fire during the "Saving".
That is something we will be looking at closely when we do the Archeological survey next year. Hopefully the survey will will bring to light some yet unknown fact about the action.

Thank you so much.

Regards

Simon

Hi Frank

Thank you for sharing his diary; Simon and I are both very interested in that engagment so it was gold for us.

His medals are not in my collection either but I will keep a keen eye out and let you know.

You can always email Chris from Noonans and ask him to make contact with the vendor; I have been contacted before in that way from another auction house.

Regards,
Sturgy

In September 1901 my grandad was invalided back to England where he married his fiancée Mary. Louisa. Atkinson .
I believe he then returned to South Africa and joined the Imperial Yeomanry as he was a trained horse rider.
He had at first joined the East Lancashire Regiment but didn't like marching had bad legs?.) His uncle
Richard .Broadley bought out his service and he was sent to Woolwich to train for Royal Artillery and passed to join Royal Horse Artillery.
Frank had been a horsed telegraph messenger possibly for a relatives printing business prior to his mother Martha's death in 1895.
Burial: 9 Jan 1895 St John's Rd Cemetery, Padiham, Lancashire
Martha Broadley -
Age: 42
Abode: 43 Weat St (West?)
Grave Number: 223

Baptism: 22 Aug 1903 St Leonard, Padiham, Lancashire
Frank Broadley - [Child] of Frank Broadley & Mary Louisa
Born: 24 Jul 1903
Abode: Padiham
Occupation: Soldier
Baptised By: F. Gallaher
Register: Baptisms 1901 - 1905, Page 56, Entry 442
Source: Original Parish Register
Next child born in 1904 he is a civilian.
Service was 5/7 from 1897

Frank,

In answer to your question regarding the King's South Africa Medal, he did not qualify for it, only the claps SA'01 & SA'02.
This would have come about because of his broken service have been invalided back to the UK on 19/05/01 and not returning until 01/05/02. As you were required to have 18 months unbroken service prior to 01/06/02, it disqualified him from the medal itself but he service in 1902 was recognized by the '02 clasp. They then went on the QSA.

Sturgy wrote: Hi Frank

Thank you for sharing his diary; Simon and I are both very interested in that engagment so it was gold for us.

His medals are not in my collection either but I will keep a keen eye out and let you know.

You can always email Chris from Noonans and ask him to make contact with the vendor; I have been contacted before in that way from another auction house.

Regards,
Sturgy

100%, Christopher is attentive at these things and if the collector who purchased the QSA is still in possession (which he may not be), then at least an approach will be made by Noonan's on your behalf.

Regards

Simon

I will try contacting Noonans.
I am only going off my grandfathers obituary in the paper for the RAMC service.
It also says he posed for a painting of Lord Roberts son Frederick Roberts V.C who died at Colenso in 1899.
It may be The last shot at Colenso. Not that all obituary details are true and correct.
Frank developed incurable diabetes by 1933 and committed suicide by drowning as their was no cure at the time?.
He was 54 years old at death. His elder sons had to be rather firm to have their father buried in the burial ground under these circumstances.
Burial: 11 Feb 1933 St Leonard, Padiham, Lancashire
Frank Broadley -
Age: 54 years
Abode: 1 Cobden Street
Grave: Number 3.13.37
Buried By: Thomas Smith Officiating Minister
Register: Burials 1923 - 1937, Page 144, Entry 1152
Source: Original Parish Register
If you would like what I have of the diary please supply e mail adds.
Some of the places are misspelt as I did not know all the names at the time.
Warm Baths had me stumped for quite some time.