TOPIC:

Frank,

Thanks. Do you know if they are on online anywhere?

Best, J

Hello Justin,
Most, though not all of the Militia attestations in WO96 are available on FMP.
Regards Frank

JustinLDavies wrote: Frank,

Thanks. Do you know if they are on online anywhere?

Best, J

Dear all,

Here is some further information on the Malmesbury volunteers to the Volunteer Service Company of the Wiltshire Regiment, taken from the Western Daily Press 19 January 1900 and 27 July 1901.

They seem to have received an appropriate farewell and reception on return! There were 14 Malmesbury silver watches.

Best wishes,

Justin

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen (7176 Pte. J. Richens, 2nd Wilts: Regt.);
KSA (2) (7176 Pte. J. Richens. Wiltshire Regt.);
1914-15 Star (21503 Pte. J. Richens. North’n Regt.);
BWM and VM (21503 Pte. J. Richens. North’n R.);
Coronation 1911;
Special Reserve LS&GC EdVII. (3933 Pte. J. Richens, 3/E. Surrey Regt.)

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

Rensburg Siding, 14 February 1900

Strong Boer attacks forced Maj-Gen R A P Clements to abandon his positions around Colesberg and retire to Rensburg on 13 February. However, that area was not well suited for defence and on 14 February he withdrew further south to Arundel. In the process ‘D’ and ‘G’ Companies of the 2nd Wiltshires were not informed of a changed time of the withdrawal and the two Companies, under Major F. R. MacMullen, set off at daybreak, as originally instructed, and soon came under heavy fire. After a brisk skirmish they surrendered, losing 14 killed, including Major MacMullen, 45 wounded and altogether 130 officers and men made prisoners – luckily to be released on the fall of Bloemfontein a few weeks later.

The following extract, taken from a special correspondent’s report published in the Cape Times, contains his views on the action and of subsequent events:

“The Wilts, as will be remembered, were retreating to Arundel, and in the hurry 150 men, under Major Stock [sic!], were left behind. These men, marching from near Rensburg siding in the direction of Arundel, came in contact with the Boers; in fact, mistook the Boer camp for the British camp. For more than two hours these gallant men fought against overwhelming odds, and not until their ammunition was exhausted did they surrender. The Boers themselves admitted that the Wilts had beaten a manly retreat and had shown splendid fight. The Wiltshire prisoners, I regret to state, were badly treated by the Boer authorities. They were marched from beyond Rensburg in the broiling sun to town. Pausing through Church Street, several of the men dropped down from fatigue and had a drink of water from the furrow passing down the main street. In the Town Hall, where they were confined prior to being marched on to Bloemfontein, two huge buckets of mealie-pap had been placed for their supper, and no cup was provided wherewith the contents could be bailed out.

Suffice it to say, the buckets and contents were abandoned for the more palatable niceties sent them by some Colesberg ladies. In connection with this supper I must there make special mention of the kindness of Mrs. Porter, of this town, who not only on that occasion but on frequent occasions subsequently, contributed most liberally to the wants of the soldiers. From the Court House, where we were imprisoned, we could just catch a glimpse of the Wiltshire men, about 100, more or less, who had the run of the back yard of the Town Hall.

The following morning the Wilts were marched on to the Free State, via Norval’s Pont. The day was rather more pleasant than the previous one, it threatening rain all day. Before leaving the Town Hall the Wilts were presented with a copy of the Good Book by the Rev G. Scholtz, Dutch Reformed parson. Crowds of ladies and gentlemen lined Church Street, in order to catch a last glimpse of the Wiltshires. The men all seemed in excellent spirits, owing probably not so much to the scanty food provided by the authorities as to the abundance of spiritual comfort they had received for the journey.”

QSA (4) CC, OFS, Tvl, SA01 (2366 Pte. W. Nugent, 2nd Wilts: Regt)
SA’01 clasp attached with a long pin.

Pte Nugent was one of the men taken PoW at Rensburg and afterwards marched on to Bloemfontein via Colesberg and Norval’s Pont. He took his discharge in South Africa.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

Near Hammanskraal, 31 August 1901

On 27 August General Muller suggested to Captain Oliver “Jack” Hindon that he with his Scout Corps again “bag” a troop train on the northern line in order to obtain sorely needed ammunition from the only source available to the Boers. Shortly after daybreak on 31 August 1901 Hindon, his 2 I/C Henri Slegtkamp and his Scouts ambushed a mixed goods/military/passenger train in a cutting near Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria.

The Boers were positioned on top of the east side of the cutting and the train was derailed. The first charge was triggered by Slegtkamp and the second by Hindon. According to Hindon’s biography, he considered the Boer position (safely looking down into the open trucks) so commanding that he called on the troops in the open carriages to surrender. The offer was rejected and in the ensuing skirmish Col Vandeleur of the Irish Guards and 9 men were killed and 4 Officers and 17 men wounded. Casualties were predominantly from the West Riding Regiment but a civilian passenger, Miss Jacoba Page, was slightly wounded. There were no casualties on the Boer side. Hindon’s primary object with the ambush was realised. Ammunition was obtained in more than ample quantities and, in addition, the Boers made off with dynamite and seldom-tasted delicacies such as sugar, coffee, tea, salt and even a case of champagne. The latter was put to good use that evening by the Corps to raise a birthday toast to Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.

QSA (4) CC, TVL, Witt, SA01 (4370 Drmr: G.R. Prior, 2nd. Wilts: Regt.)

Drummer Prior was severely wounded near Slaapkrans on 28 July 1900 in the last desperate rearguard actions fought by the retreating Boers just before Gen Prinsloo’s surrender, two days later, with more than 4000 men.

Having recovered from his wound, he moved with his Regiment to the Transvaal, only to become a statistic: one of the nine men killed in Hindon’s attack of 31 August 1901.

According to “In Memoriam”, Prior was KAR (“killed accidentally on railway”) which suggests that the cause of his death was the dynamite mine’s explosion and not a Boer bullet after the derailment of the train.