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QSA: CC, OFS, TR, SA01 - 5675 Serjt. C. Twigden, Lanc Fus. (C 28th MI)
Dehli Durbar 1911 – unnamed as issued

Twigden C 5675 Sergeant 28th Mounted Infantry
Source: QSA roll
Twigden C 5675 Sergeant Prisoner. Boschbult, 31 March 1902
1st Battalion. 28 Ml. Released
Source: South African Field Force Casualty Roll
Twigden C R 5675 Sergeant Prisoner. Klip River, 12 February 1902
1st Battalion. 28 Ml
Source: South African Field Force Casualty Roll

1911 Colour Sargeant Instructor - Calcutta Volunteer Rifles (1 Lancashire Regt.)

London Gazette 13 July 1918 (8272)
R. Fus. – Clr. Sjt. Instr. (acting Sjt.-Maj.)
Cyril Reuben Twigden to be 2nd Lt., and
To be sedc. For emplt. As Adjt., Ind. Vols.
18th May 1918.



Battle of Boschbult farm
Another important battle for the Canadians was the Battle of Boschbult farm — also known as the Battle of Harts. It took place on the 31st of March 1902 as the war was drawing to a close.
The British, along with 21 Canadian riflemen, found themselves facing a surprise attack while out on patrol in the Transvaal area.
The British were outnumbered. They tried to defend themselves from their positions around the farm buildings. The battle was intense, and they eventually surrendered when they had used all of their ammunition.
A total of 13 Canadians was killed and 40 wounded at the Battle of Boschbult, which was one of the fiercest battles on the Boer War.
Hart's River (Boschbult)
31 March 1902
By late March 1902, the character of the war had changed dramatically. The British had sectioned off large portions of the veldt with long lengths of barbed wire strung along railway lines, connected by as many as 8000 specially-built blockhouses. More than 23,656 square kilometers of the Transvaal and 27,358 square kilometers of the Orange Free State had been thus enclosed. Some 50,000 troops manned these lines, while another 80,000, all mounted, pursued the Boers, attempting to trap them against the blockhouse lines. There were, however, a number of gaps in the network of blockhouses. One of these was the desert-like western Transvaal, an area half the size of New Brunswick.
The 900-strong 2nd Regiment, Canadian Mounted had arrived in the region in mid-March 1902, and already had taken part in a major offensive involving 16,000 troops. The operation drove 2500 Boers into the desolate far western reaches of the Transvaal. The British were soon on their trail again. Early on the morning of 3 March, a column that included the 2nd Regiment embarked on a 65-kilometre search for Boers along the bed of the practically dry Brak Spruit, which ran off the much larger Harts River. By mid-morning, the scouts had struck a fresh trail, apparently made by a small number of Boers.
Sensing an easy victory, the column went off in pursuit, leaving the 2nd Regiment to follow, escorting the slow-moving baggage train. Prospects seemed good, but the Boers, in fact, outnumbered the British force, and had the advantage of terrain. The British commander decided to set up a defensive position around a farm called Boschbult. By the time the Canadians arrived with the baggage train, the Boers were beginning to push back the British defenses.
All during the afternoon the Boers shelled the camp with artillery, while their riflemen on the surrounding ridges poured down a steady fire. They also made a series of mounted charges during one of which a party of 21 Canadians, under Lieutenant Bruce Carruthers, was cut off by a vastly superior force. Rather than surrender or run, the men fought until their ammunition was exhausted and their position was overrun. 18 of the 22 were killed or wounded. At 5:00 p.m. the Boers suddenly broke off the engagement and withdrew.
The battle was a British defeat. Out of a total force of 1800 men, the British lost 33 killed, 126 wounded, and over 70 missing. Canadian casualties were 13 killed and 40 wounded. With the exception of the first engagement at Paardeberg on 18 February 1900, Harts River was the bloodiest day of the war for Canada.

A very nice pair of medals, Azyeoman. Thank you for excellent pictures.

He appears to have no extant service papers but FMP gives his forenames as Cyril Reuben.