TOPIC:

My Great Grandfather was awarded the Royal Humane Society’s Bronze Medal in 1900 when he saved another soldier from drowning in the Modder River. I have found the following citation on the Society’s website.

Paulizsky, F. Private 16th Bearer Company RAMC. Case 30525
On the 3rd February 1900, Private Maples, East Kent Regiment, was knocked into the Modder River, South Africa, by a restive horse, the depth being 16 feet, with a very strong current. Paulizsky jumped in fully clothed and succeeded in landing him.

Later Frank Paulizsky was found, seriously ill, in a hospital in Bloemfontein. He was repatriated back to England by the Duchess of Sutherland, who I believe was helping the Red Cross to relieve some of the suffering of sick and injured soldiers.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or guidance on where/how to research these events further.

Many thanks - Nicci

Welcome aboard, Nicci !

10497 Pte. F. Paulizsky's name appears on the Queen South Africa (QSA) medal roll (Ref: WO 100/223) for the 16th Bearer Company, 13th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division S A F Force, RAMC. His name is spelt 'Paulizky' on the role. He is listed as having the following clasps on his QSA: Paardeberg, Driefontein, & Relief of Kimberley. The clasps show that he served during those battles/campaign. There is a note in the margin of the roll saying "Invalided to England 6 July 1900". The name isn't common and there appears to be only one other 'Paulizky' on the QSA roll. He was a Pte. J.Paulizky and was also in the RAMC (his number is a little difficult to read and on one roll appears as '11755' and the other as '11455'). Perhaps a relative?

Copies of the service papers (8 pages) for Pte. Frederick Paulizky are listed in WO 97 and can be found under 'British Army Service Records 1760-1915' on 'Find my Past'.

Send me a PM with your e-mail if you would like a copy of the page from the QSA roll.

Cheers,

Mark

There's a bit on the RAMC here:
www.angloboerwar.com/imperial-units/585-...l-army-medical-corps

Hi Mark

Thank you for the welcome and the very quick and detailed info. As usual amongst many families spellings of the surname does vary considerably: it also doesn’t help when the same person is called Frederick and Frank at various stages of their lives.

The details you have given about the medals and clasps is great, as is the date of his being “invalided to England”. I had thought that he returned to England later, perhaps even as late as 1904.

Pte Joseph Paulizky is one of Frederick’s younger brothers, and I was not aware that he also fought in the Boer War. So another piece of the puzzle has been found. I do know that he went on to fight in WWI and may have been awarded the Croix de Guerre (a piece of the puzzle still to be confirmed). This will be much easier now that I have some army numbers.

Thank you also for the link to more information about the RAMC and I shall PM you about a copy of the page from the QSA roll.

Nicci

Nicci,

Here is the MIC for Joseph.


There are a few people of this surname on the Great War lists but no one with the initial F.

Regards
David

Nicci wrote: Hi Mark

Thank you for the welcome and the very quick and detailed info. As usual amongst many families spellings of the surname does vary considerably: it also doesn’t help when the same person is called Frederick and Frank at various stages of their lives.

The details you have given about the medals and clasps is great, as is the date of his being “invalided to England”. I had thought that he returned to England later, perhaps even as late as 1904.

Pte Joseph Paulizky is one of Frederick’s younger brothers, and I was not aware that he also fought in the Boer War. So another piece of the puzzle has been found. I do know that he went on to fight in WWI and may have been awarded the Croix de Guerre (a piece of the puzzle still to be confirmed). This will be much easier now that I have some army numbers.

Thank you also for the link to more information about the RAMC and I shall PM you about a copy of the page from the QSA roll.

Nicci

You're most welcome, Nicci,
The date that Frederick was invalided back to England from Bloemfontein corresponds with the period when there was a tremendous outbreak of typhoid fever in Bloemfontein. Conditions for British troops in Bloemfontein and especially the hospitals were horrendous. Roberts has been repeatedly criticised over the years for his apparent indifference to the suffering of his troops and his handling of the typhoid crisis.

Looking at the Medal Index Card for Joseph I see that he was one of the 'Old Contemptibles' with the original British Expeditionary Force which sailed for France in August 1914 and getting the 1914 Star.

Looking at the medal rolls they show Joseph getting the QSA with Cape Colony, OFS, & Transvaal clasps and the KSA with South Africa 1901 and 1902 clasps.

While looking at WWI MICs and service records I noted a Louis P. and Louis T. Paulizky.

I'll get the copies of the roll off to you this morning.

Cheers,

Mark