TOPIC:

William Shuter was born in Birmingham in 1874/1876 and enlisted in 1892. He served in the Relief of Chitral in 1895, transferred to the Army Reserve in 1898 and got married to Mary. He was recalled for service in October 1899.

At Magersfontein the Seaforths were part of Wauchope's Highland Brigade and in the approach to battle were behind the Black Watch who led. As the Seaforths and Black Watch tried to deploy the Boers opened fire causing much confusion; some advanced some retired.

From Stirling "Our Regiments", Seaforths chapter:
“The battalion moved to the right of the Black Watch after the firing began, and pushed very close to the trenches at the south-east of the hill , indeed it is recorded by 'The Times' historian that a party of the Seaforths actually got round to the east of the hill and ascended it from the rear. They were driven down, partly by the fire of the British guns, and were all either killed or wounded.” [Not completely true see Black Watch chapter]

Stirling (Black Watch chapter):
"Lieutenant [E] Cox of the Seaforths and three or four men climbed the hill, but the whole party were killed. Lieutenant [RS] Wilson of the same regiment and Sergeant Fraser of the Black Watch took a party of about 100 men round to the reverse side of the hill, and were climbing it there when they were driven back partly by British shrapnel. This party was also all shot down or captured."

79 British soldiers were POW at Magersfontein, 14 from the Seaforths and 55 from the Black Watch. Shuter must have been in this party that got to the hill. Lt Cox was killed, Lt Wilson is only recorded as wounded. "Sergeant Fraser of the Black Watch" is a bit of mystery, there is no Sergeant Fraser in the casualty rolls, just a L-Cpl Black Watch who was killed. The medal rolls show a Sgt 4042 A Fraser, Black Watch, who from his clasp entitlement could have been at Magersfontein, but he does not appear in the casualty rolls.

In the 1911 Census Shuter was a time keeper at a brewery in Nechells, Birmingham. Sometime later he joined the Corps of Commissionaires (now Corps Security), this is right most medal and is engraved "W Shuter" and hallmarked 1928, unfortunately the Corps do not have a record for William Shuter. William and Mary had one son also called William who was born in February 1900 and was given the middle name Wauchope.

William died in Birmingham in 1958. From the records the family lived on the same road from 1900 (may be 1898 when they married) to 1958; Cuckoo Road, Nechells in at least four different houses. The area was cleared in the 1960s.

Good gracious Meurig, that is a nice thing, I particularly like the handsome silver brooch almost as much as the medals themselves, really lovely, it's nice to still come across groups like that, all to few and far between these days, sadly.

Frank Kelley wrote: Good gracious Meurig, that is a nice thing, I particularly like the handsome silver brooch almost as much as the medals themselves, really lovely, it's nice to still come across groups like that, all to few and far between these days, sadly.

Thank you Frank, not bad for the common "state and date" clasps.

Yes indeed, but, then the "coat" of a humble Cape Colony clasp, does, on occasion, button tightly over very many things!