TOPIC:

A train was held up 6 miles to the north of Bangor, between Rosmead and Sherborne. It was a goods train of thirty coaches and sixty men of the Prince Alfred's Guards were travelling in it on their way back from the front, while there were about 40 passengers, women and children. The enemy numbered 200. The soldiers defended themselves until their small amount of ammunition was exhausted, when all were made prisoner, but they were subsequently released. No passengers were hurt, but among the troops an officer and three men and a native were wounded, more burnt. After the train was brought to a standstill firing was maintained for at least 10 minutes. The carriages were looted and then burnt. Our photograph is by a British officer.



The Graphic 30 March 1901

Looking at the casualty roll, this is likely to have been the incident that took took place on 30 December 1900.

The wounded were:

971 Private C Blake, PAOVG
893 Private J Locke, PAOVG
997 Private W Palmer, PAOVG. He died the same day.

The officer is not named but could have been Captain Olerenshaw.

The 42 prisoners:

Adams Private
Allan Private
Bluhk Private
Bond Private
Caldcott Private
Carmalt Private
Carter Private
Clifton Private
Collis Private
De Santy Private
Drury Corporal
Flanagan Private
Foreman Private
Gordon Private
Greaves Private
Harmer Private
Henderson Private
Jones Private
Kem Private
Kiniworth Corporal
Lee Corporal
Leschinsky Sergeant Major
Mathieson Private
McBride Corporal
Medikins Corporal
Morgan Private
Morgan C C Private
Mossop J O Private
Nathan Private
Olerenshaw E C Captain
Orr Private
Park Private
Phillip Private
Reddy Private
Ritter M C Private
Sinclair Private
Telfer Corporal
Upton Sergeant
Welsh Private
Whall Sergeant
White Sergeant
Wince Private

Sergeant Whitaker, Nesbitt's Horse, is also listed as being a prisoner in the same incident.

Thank you for this David

I acquired the QSA to James Rheinhard Meaker of the Rosmead TG at the recent Spink auction.

Your map provides context

A nice QSA too.

I think the town of Rosmead was just to the east of Rosmead Junction? A little like Dundee and Glencoe.

Coincidentally, I was looking for Barton's Fusiliers in the Royal Fusiliers roll and noticed where their roll was signed: