TOPIC:

I am researching Joseph Chambers who was killed on 3 Jan 1900 following a fall from a conning tower at Kimberley and would like to know if there are report of this accident.

Joseph was born in Darwen in 1876, the son of Patrick Chambers & Mary (nee Coyle). Enlisted at Preston on 13 Mar 1893 and joined the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. According to his army record his service dates were:
Home: 13 Mar 1893 – 23 Jan 1896
Ceylon: 24 Jan 1896 – 10 Feb 1899
South Africa: 11 Feb 1899 -

Regards, Tony

From FMP......

First name(s) J
Event source SAFF
Last name Chambers
Event notes [PO] Signaller "fell from the conning tower and was killed on the spot"
Service number 3965
Country Great Britain
Rank Private
Literary references Post Office Militant 1899 - 1902 88
Regiment 1 Battalion The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Notes WO100] Initial 'S' QSA Clasps: DoK
Rolls WO100/192 page 332
Record set Anglo-Boer War Records 1899-1902
Year 1899-1902
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Biography -
Subcategory Boer Wars
Event detail Accidentally Killed on 03/01/1900 at Kimberley
Collections from Great Britain, UK None
Event unit 1 Battalion The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Thanks for this. I have seen the FMP information and I was wondering if there was a more detailed report

Tony,

Kekewich's diary contains a one line entry: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/16-on-this-day/1888-january-4th#1888

There is nothing about the incident in his diary on the 5th or 6th.

None of the other accounts I have mention him.

Best wishes
David

Hello Tony
I have had a look at the Letters form Kimberley account and although there are several mentions of the conning tower, alas, no record of Private Chambers accident . I have enclosed a few extracts for you.
It may help to peice together what may have happened. Especially the role of using the tower for warning purposes. Possible loss of balance under fire whilst signalling? Unfortunately we may never know. Have you checked the Lancashire newspaper archive, they may have an entry from a letter home where soldiers sometimes reported events and mishaps of the day?

Chambers J 3965 Private1st Battalion
Demise: Killed accidentally 28 Feb 1900
Place: Kimberley
Source: In Memoriam by S Watt.

Chambers J 3965 Private Killed in action. Kimberley, 3 January 1900
1st Battalion. Accident.
Source: South African Field Force Casualty Roll.

The above entries are taken from the ABW website.

I have checked my In memoriam book by S Watt, published 2000 edition, it records the following.
28th February 1900. Interred , Kimberley Gladstone, under reference it states, In fall from conning tower.


SAFF entry.


Letters from Kimberley.




Dave.

Tony
You mentioned in your post about Joseph's military record?
If you look at his medical record, he had quite a few issues, including severe rehumitism and pains in the knees. Also, he had an accident in Cape Town in 1899. It is possible this may have attributed to his fatal fall from the conning tower, by the looks of his MR, he wasn't a well man.