TOPIC:

Lieutenant Herbert Gough DAVIS, The Norfolk Regiment, was also an Assistant Native Commissioner in Rhodesia but shortly before the outbreak of war was severely mauled by a leopard with both arms being broken.

Local Africans carried him for three and a half days,150 miles to Mongu where Herbert arrived raving. He was patched up by John Smith, a Government Veterinary Officer and sent on down the Zambezi to reach Livingstone Hospital two weeks later.

Sent to England on sick leave, arriving 4 November 1914, Herbert obtained a commission in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment, only to be killed in action on the 14th February 1915 aged 37 and is buried in the Dranouter Churchyard.[1]



Early life

Herbert (Bertie) was born in 1877 to Arthur Owen and Hannah Rebekah (nee Walkden) Davis in Lee, Kent; in 1881 the family was living at 124 Burnt Ash Hill with his father working as a Shipbroker for the East India Shipping Company.

Herbert attended Merchant Taylors School in Charterhouse Square, London; a public school founded in 1561.

At the outbreak of the Second Boer War Herbert was employed as a clerk and attested with the Imperial Yeomanry (Pagets Horse) on the 10th February 1900.

Pagets Horse

The following research was obtained from 2 online sources:

1. Wikipedia: Paget's Horse - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paget%27s_Horse#cite_ref-3
2. “With Pagets Horse to the front” by Cosmo Rose-Innes, published 1901
Online Google Books: ia800202.us.archive.org/4/items/withpage...shorse00rosegoog.pdf

The 19th (Paget's Horse) Battalion was a unit of the Imperial Yeomanry raised by George Paget as auxiliaries to the British Army during the Second Boer War.

The men were mainly upper middle class and recruited from the gentlemen's clubs of London.

There are numerous anecdotes from those that served in the unit; one comes directly from Cosmo Rose-Innes, the self proclaimed celebrated actor, when he arrived ¾ of an hour late for his first appearance on the parade ground, clad in a fur coat, surmounted by a tall hat and resenting the fact that he had to explain that a consultation in his chambers had delayed him.

He thought it was gross impertinence that the officer would shout at him to get his hair cut!

Whatever their privileged start to their military career; by the end of their tour in South Africa they were wearing tattered khaki sleeping in the open veld like the rest of the mounted infantry.

Another anecdote from Cosmo related to the letters “PH” on their badge; before they left for South Africa when asked what it stood for some witty street children remarked that it stood for “Phat-‘ead’, yer stooped”.

Over time the letters “PH” would also be referred to as “Piccadilly Heroes” or “Public House” but the most humorous was when they were referred to as “Perfectly Harmless”.

When one of their men was captured by the Boers; General Lemmer asked one of the Boer officers what the “PH” stood for; he responded in fluent English “Perfectly Harmless”. It appears as if the humour had infected both Boer and Brit alike.

The unit was organised as follows:
• 51st (Paget's) Company
• 52nd (Paget's) Company
• 68th (Paget's) Company
• 73rd (Paget's) Company

The unit saw action at Faber's Put, Elands River, Lichtenburg, and numerous engagements on the lines of communication and was disbanded after the war.

Herbert returned to England and paraded at Horse Guards on 26 July 1901 and received their medals from the King and Queen.

After the War

Herbert returned to South Africa where he joined the Natal Police and was active in the 1906 Zulu Rebellion. He then moved to Rhodesia where he was employed as the Assistant Native commissioner before returning to enlist with the Norfolk Regiment in 1914.




Gravestone of both his Father and Maternal Grandfather with an inscription from his mother to her son “Bertie”

Sturgy,

Great write-up. Thank you.

This foreign service helmet was worn by one of Herbert Davis's comrades in the 68th Company. Pencil inscription on lining reads: "J.C.G.T. 13321 C Sq. P.H. 68 I.Y." (13321 Trooper James Coulthred George Thompson, 68th Coy, 19th Bn I.Y.)

Note the puggaree badge made from a form of pressed composite. This appears on the cover of Rose-Innes's Book "With Paget's Horse to the Front".

The only two extant Paget's Horse helmets that I am aware of are in remarkably good condition, suggesting they may have been purchased on return, so that the gentleman-soldiers would look the part at their welcome-home ceremony.











..

Hi Neville,

Thanks for sharing; your helmet is in excellent condition.

The PH really does stand out; no wonder it drew so much attention.

Your man James Coulthred George Thompson really interested me; from a very quick search I think he was awarded the DSO and rose to the rank of Lt Col in WW1; however, one of the second names is reversed; maybe worth more research to see if it’s the one and the same.




Regards,
Shaun

Hi Neville,

I note your comment regarding the condition of the helmet; here is the photo of Cosmo from the inside cover of his book; perhaps the picture in your book is clearer. He looks the far cry from the first time he showed up on the parade ground in a fur coat and top hat.

I have not read his book entirely but like Cosmo I suspect those of Pagets Horse that were members of the Gentlemen’s Club did a lot of growing up on the veld.

Regards,
Shaun

Shaun,

Below is the officer's version of the helmet, again in pristine condition. From the collection of the late Stuart Bates. Stuart wrote a piece on these which can be found here: Paget’s Horse in the Boer War







..