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Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (5) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Laing's Nek, Belfast (4495. Sh:Sth: A. Hiscock. 18/Hrs.);
KSA (2) (4495 Sh:-Sth: A. Hiscock. 18th Hussars)

Arthur Hiscock was born at East Knoyle, Wiltshire in June 1873 and attested on 20 September 1895 with the 18th Hussars. He was posted to India with them in September 1896, serving there until October 1898 when the Regiment was ordered to South Africa to join the Natal Field Force, arriving on 18 October. Hiscocks was advanced Shoeing-Sergeant whilst there on 12 December 1898, interestingly he was serving in the same Regiment as his brother, Albert.

The outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War saw an end to garrison duty with Hiscocks managing to avoid the fate of a number of his Regiment who were taken prisoner under Lieutenant-Colonel Muller at the Battle of Talana on 20 October 1899. The pyrrhic victory at Talana saw the British withdraw towards Ladysmith, fighting several actions to keep the lines of communications open and prevent the Boer encirclement of the town.

During the second of these battles, the disastrous Battle of Lombard's Kop, Hiscock was wounded in action. The 18th Hussars were stationed on a feature called Farquhar's Farm at the time; a letter he wrote on the incident is quoted in a newspaper article as follows:

'He states that at the battle of Talana Hill he was entrusted with a message for the officer in command of the firing line, but on learning that he had been shot he proceeded to the next in command, who happened to be leading the storming party up the hill. Corporal Hiscock accompanied one of the Regiments during the attack and got through unscathed. At the battle of Lombard's Kop he was wounded, his carbine saving his life. At the time Corporal Hiscocks was charging his magazine, and the Boer bullet took a bit off his finger and glance[d] off his carbine, otherwise it would have gone through his chest.'

During the same action his brother Albert was taken prisoner and their appears to be some confusion in the newspaper sources about which brother- both initialled A Hiscocks- had been captured. Hiscocks survived the siege of Ladysmith and went on to see action throughout the rest of the war, returning to Britian in February 1903, being sent to the reserve on 14 February and serving until he was discharged 19 September 1907. He settled in Perth, Western Australia where he appears on the 1911 census.

djb wrote:

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (5) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Laing's Nek, Belfast (4495. Sh:Sth: A. Hiscock. 18/Hrs.);
KSA (2) (4495 Sh:-Sth: A. Hiscock. 18th Hussars)

Arthur Hiscock was born at East Knoyle, Wiltshire in June 1873 and attested on 20 September 1895 with the 18th Hussars. He was posted to India with them in September 1896, serving there until October 1898 when the Regiment was ordered to South Africa to join the Natal Field Force, arriving on 18 October. Hiscocks was advanced Shoeing-Sergeant whilst there on 12 December 1898, interestingly he was serving in the same Regiment as his brother, Albert.

The outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War saw an end to garrison duty with Hiscocks managing to avoid the fate of a number of his Regiment who were taken prisoner under Lieutenant-Colonel Muller at the Battle of Talana on 20 October 1899. The pyrrhic victory at Talana saw the British withdraw towards Ladysmith, fighting several actions to keep the lines of communications open and prevent the Boer encirclement of the town.

During the second of these battles, the disastrous Battle of Lombard's Kop, Hiscock was wounded in action. The 18th Hussars were stationed on a feature called Farquhar's Farm at the time; a letter he wrote on the incident is quoted in a newspaper article as follows:

'He states that at the battle of Talana Hill he was entrusted with a message for the officer in command of the firing line, but on learning that he had been shot he proceeded to the next in command, who happened to be leading the storming party up the hill. Corporal Hiscock accompanied one of the Regiments during the attack and got through unscathed. At the battle of Lombard's Kop he was wounded, his carbine saving his life. At the time Corporal Hiscocks was charging his magazine, and the Boer bullet took a bit off his finger and glance[d] off his carbine, otherwise it would have gone through his chest.'

During the same action his brother Albert was taken prisoner and their appears to be some confusion in the newspaper sources about which brother- both initialled A Hiscocks- had been captured. Hiscocks survived the siege of Ladysmith and went on to see action throughout the rest of the war, returning to Britian in February 1903, being sent to the reserve on 14 February and serving until he was discharged 19 September 1907. He settled in Perth, Western Australia where he appears on the 1911 census.

Interesting David as I used to have Albert's medals. The group also included a 1914 Star and Bar Trio and he was commissioned into the Machine Gun Corps in WW1.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (2) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith (4446, Pte. H. P. Rendle 18/Hrs.) engraved naming.

C Squadron. Invalided 21 March 1900

A QSA with a TALANA clasp to a Swede in the Dundee Town Guard.

QSA rim text: J.S. CARLGREEN. DUNDEE TN: GD:

www.angloboerwar.com/name-search :
"Carlgreen; John Sandfrid; QSA (1) Source: List of QSAs with the clasp Talana from the Talana book; Dundee Town Guard"

Could be the man in the middle:
digitaltmuseum.org/021016047268/missiona...s-carlgren-sydafrika

Johan Sanfrid/Sannfrid/Sandfrid Carlgren.
Born in 1854-09-08, Yllestad, Skaraborgs län, Sweden.
Died in 1933-04-07, Dundee, South Africa.


Johan went the first time to South Africa in 1886-08-16.
Married to Selma Josefina Hansdoter (born 1861-11-18 Kälaby, Sweden; died 1890-04-18 Eshowe, South Africa).
Daughter Emma Josefina; born 1890-01-04, in Eshow, "Zulu land", South Africa.
Went back to Sweden with his daughter 1895-09-28.
Returned to South Africa with his daughter 1896-09-04.
The daughter Emma returned to Sweden in 1904-10-12 and died there 1975-08-24.

//Stefan

Stefan,

What a lovely medal.

The first medal could certainly be a single clasp QSA.



I can only add a little information. He worked as a carpenter. His second wife dies at 71 Cornhill Street, Dundee. He served in D section of the Dundee TG.

According to Pat Rundgren, he died 15 July 1933.

Pat also suggests he married for a second time, Hilda Eleontina Ahlen (b 1864) on 23 May 1903 in Dundee. Pat gives another middle name for his daughter, Pettersson.

Best wishes
David

Great David!
Then I can spend this evening researching a few hours more with the new data that you gave me

Regards,
Stefan