Page
August 1, 1903.]
battalion, wheu near the latter place, joined Colonel Broadwood's force in the chase after De Wet, who had broken, through the cordon which resulted in the capture of Gen. Prinsloo's force at Willebergen. Leaving Col. Broadwood, it formed part of Geri. Fitzroy Hart's force and continued with same until the end of the operations which culminated in the Boer force slipping through Oliphant's Nek in the autumn of 1900,
Until the following March the battalion held the line at various places on the Johannesburg- Klerksdorp line. Joining Col. Dixon's column for operations in the Western Transvaal, it took part in the notion of Vlakfontein on 29th | May, 1901, in which 18N.C.O.'s and men were killed and 4 officers and 60 men wounded. In this action two guus captured by the enemy early in the fight were rotaken by the battalion. On the 30th September, 1901 (the column in the meantime having been taken over by Colonel Kekewich) it took part in the night attack at Moedwill by the Boers under Gen. Delarey, losing 1 officer and 13 N.C.O.'s and men killed and died of wounds, and 3 officers and 31 men wounded. The following is Colonel Kekewich's report on the action :-"All ranks of the battalion behaved splendidly, and I cannot speak too highly of their gallantry and good work under exceptionally difficult and trying circumstances."
Viscount Kitchener of Khartoum in a speech at Welbeck on 8th August last said:"You will be interested to know, I am sure, also to know that the Yeomanry of the neighbourhood did excellent service, and that your territorial regiment the Sherwood Foresters have always distinguished themselves in a most marked manner during the war They were one of the battalions that I most trusted, and on numerous occasions which you could perhaps remember, when they were under, Colonel Kekewich and Colonel Dixon and are attacked by vastly superior numbers, they showed what true British soldiers are, and gave them a'very good licking."
B
During the operations in the Western Transvaal the battalion took an active part in the capture of many prisoners and munitions of War. After the battle of Moedwil to the conclusion of hostilitis the battalion formed part of the garrison of Rustenburg and held the long block-house line from Magato to Naaupoort. The total number of casualties during the campaign were:-Kled in action, 38 N C.O.'s and nen; died of wounds, i officer and 21 N.CO.'s and mendied of disease, 1 officer and 32 N.C.O.'s and men; wounded, 10 officers, and 143 N0.0.'s and nieu Total casualties-Officers, 13; N.C.O.'s and men, 259. During the campaign the battalion marched a distance of 2 200 miles. |
THE PARADE,
The ceremony of presenting the medals took place at five o'clock in the afternoon, but the corps was on the Parade Ground more than half-an-hour before that. Lieut. Colonel H. Wylly, C:B., was in command, with Captain T. H. M. Green, D.S.second in command. At a quarter to five o'clock the troops were formed into three sides of a square and a few minutes later the Colours were carried on to the field under escort and took up their position in the centre of the line opposite the saluting base. The number on parade was as follows:-
On Parade.
Бартака по дом
Detail,
Sick, wounded and miss-
ing
On Guard
W. & N.C.O
=Officers.
w.o.& Sgts.-
Trumpeters.
Drummers
1 1
www
1 2
Rerts. under mo. Bryce.
Detachment N, China 11 15
& Men.
& Buglers.
Rank & File
Total W.
N.C.O.' &
tuen.
30
31
S=
11 14
3 374 392 10 3
3 11 Total not on Parade 22 20 5 423 448 32 47 9 718 774 1 7 202 210 28 48 13 920 984
Other causes
Total effectives
4
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Hon. F. . May, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary), į absence of crime. You yourself and your Mr. Justice Wise, and Bishop Hoare. At five officers, I know, take a vast interest. o'clock Major-General Gascoigne arrived on your regiment; your non-commissioned officers the Parade Ground, accompanied by Major are steady and respectable, and respected A. B. Hamilton. D.A.A.G. (A.), Chief Staff by the men, and the men them:elves, Officer, and Major the Hon. H. W. Trefusis, who have shown how they can fight on AD.C., and was received with the general active service, have shown hero that salute. The medals were placed on tab! « they can prove themselves thoroughly covered with Union Jacks. Stepping forward citizens in time of peace. It only establishes a from the saluting base, and addressing the theory I have formed after forty years' service—– troops,
that the soldier who fights best in the field at the call of his country will also conduct himself in a self-respecting manner in time of peace. Men, though I am about to present these medals to you, I wish with all my heart they could have been given to you by your Sovereign and amongst your own friends and relatives at home. You went straight from a hard and arduous task in the field, you came straight to Hong- kong, which has perhaps not the most popular climate in the world, but in all this you have acquitted yourselves as good soldiers of the King. I can now only wish you all with all my heart many years of health and prosperity in which to wear these medals which you have so thorou chly and so honestly earned."
Wanding to complete
Establishment Supernumerary...
Meanwhile a large number of spectators had bgregated, in spite of the intense heat, to tess the presentation ceremony. The officers Headquarter Staff were on parade. Lady. Gescoigne and Mrs. Wylly were présent, gamong others who witnessed the proceed, ngs were Sir William Goodman (Chief Justice),
The Officers and men then marched forward to the saluting base in rotation and were presented with the medals by His Excellency, who shook hands with each recipient bofore bestowing the decoration. At the conclusion of this ceremony, three hearty cheers and a "tiger" were given for the Sherwood Foresters, on the call of General Gascoigne, after which Colonel Wylly dismissed the parade. Colonel Wylly's medal was pinned on his breast by Lady Gascoigne. An "at home was afterwards given by the officers at their mess.
MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES.
The following is the list of officers mentioned in despatches during the South African War :--
Major-General H.L, Smith-Dorrien, D.S.O., mentioned three times.
Colonel G. C. Cunningham, C.B., D.S.O.,
once.
Lieut.-Colonel H. C. Wylly, C.B., orce. Brevet Lieut-Colonel F. C. Shaw, once. Major C. N. Walts, twice, and Major G.8.C. Jenkinsou, D.S.O., once.
Captain T. H. M. Green, D.S.O., once; Captain F. H. Weldon, D.S.O., once; Captain P. G. Rigby, twice; Captain M. P. 1 helps, once; Captain F. J. Radford, once; Captain R. H. Keller, D.S.O., once; Captain P. F. R. Anley, twice; Captain P. Leveson-Gower, once; Captain F. Caswell, once; and Captain J. F. Ritchie, once.
Major-General GASCOIGNE said-Colonel Wylly and all ranks of the Sherwood Foresters, believe me it is a great honour to me to have been asked to present to you to-day the South African medals. We in Hongkong here per- fectly remember the breathless interest with which we watched the progress of our arms in South Africa, beginning from the dark days of December nearly four years ago, and passing on to the gradually but all too slowly brightening days that followed, culminating in a fight to a finish and resulting in a peace which I believe will be permanent and lasting and which was honourable to both sides concerned. The South African War was unique of its kind-first of all, ubique in the great natural difficulties which our arms had to overcome, and next, but above all, unique in the fact that the South African War woke us up for the first time to recognise the enorous latent solidarity of our glorious Empire. The Colonies, with ono accord, came forward to help the Mother Country in a way which the Mother Country wil never forget. It has o-mented for ever the bonds of union between us. Side by side with the Colonial and Regular troops fought Yeomaury, Militia. Volunteers. and a number of those ra's-d upou the spot, composed of men who had up to that time been civilians, but who came forward in the hour of stress and volunteered their services So the war in Sou h Africa was unique, and it will be looked back upon for ever as a marvellous his torical event in our history. Colonel Wylly, your regiment did more than its fair share of the arduous and trying work which was brought about-both arduous and trying com- bined. I have here a list of the services rendered by your battalion, and I know that the public of Hongkong would like to recognise the services performed by the regiment quartered in its midst. Suffice it for me just to read out for the present the following fact, which speak for themselves:-The total casualties of the regiment during the campaign were 12 officers and 230 non-commissioned officers and men. These include those who fell in the field, those who were wounded and died of their wounds, and the very small unmber-because it is a very small comparative number of men who succumbed to disease. The regiment during the campaign marched 2,200 miles, and it had 49 people honourably mentioned in its ranks quite apart, these, from the officers. mind yon; rank and file-49 people, resulting in the gift of two Victoria Crosses, 17 Distinguish- ed Conduct Medals, and 14 promotions. Surely no regiment could wish for a better record than this. The regim ut Was praised, highly praised, by two Generals under whom it had served. but the only thing I should like to inflict upon you this afternoon, for I do not want to be tedious, is to read out to you a few words spoken by Lord Kitcheuer at Welbeck Abbey in August last concerning the regiment. Lord Kitchener said :-" You will be interested to know, I am sure,
that your territorial regiment, the Sherwood Foresters, have always distinguished themselves in a most marked manner during the war. They were one of the battalions that I most trusted, and on numerous occasions which you could perhaps remember, when they were under Colonel Kekewich and Colonel Dixon and were attacked by vastly superior numbers, they showed what true British soldiers are, and gave them a very good licking." Colonel Wylly, as I said, I have thought it a very high honour to have been asked to present you with your medals, and I should like to take this opportunity also of saying that since your bat talion has been under my command, now nearly twelve months, there has been žo unit in "that" command that has given me more complète satisfaction than your own. I can only wish we had the whole once battalion, here." There has been Complete MA
↑
these were the
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Lieut. C. D. M. Harrington, twice; Lieut. H. V. Rhodes, twice; Lieut, C. J. L. Gilson, once; Lieut. W. H. Wilkin, once; Lieut. R. S. Pop- ham, D.S.O., once; Lieut. G. L. H. Manby, once; Second Lieut. H. M. Milward, once; Lieut. G. E. Mills, once; Lieut. H. V. Percival, once ; Lieut. H. F. Watson, D.S.O., once; and Qr. Master and Hon. Lieut. F. Tyler, once.
35 Mentions, 2 C.B.'s., 6 D‚Ì‚Ó‚'a.
Local Maj.-General. H. L. Smith-Dorrien, D.S.O., to be Maj. General. To ba Bt. Lt.- Cols. Majors F. C. Shaw and C. N. Watts; To be Bt. Majors., Capts. P. G. Rigby and M. P. Phelps. Qualified for Staff employ, Captain F. H. Weldon, D.S.O.
The following is the list of N.C.O.'s and men mentionel in despatches:-
Q.M.S. W. Röberts, D.C.M., once; Q.M.8. W. Bolton, once; S.M. A. Ewin, D.C.M., once; C.S.M. W. Seaton, D.C.M., twice.
Cr. Sgt. C. Randall, D.C.M., once; Cr. Sgt. A. Tobbell, "once; Cr. Sgt. J. Herrod, twice; Cr. Sgt. H. Girling, once; Sgt. J. Gilham, D.C.M., once; Sgt. 8. G. Jones, once; Sgt. W. Cooper, once; Sgt. A. W. Young, once, Sgt. C. Chambers, D.C.M. once; Sgt. W Howard, once; Sgt. S. Fielding, once; Armr - Sgt. A. Avenall. D.C.M., once; Pioneer Sgt. A. Read, once, Lee-Sgt. H. Bailey (promoted Sergt.), once; Lue. Sgt. W. Coxon (promoted Sergt.), once; Loe.-Sgt. W. Dowson, D.CM, once.
Cpl. J. Simpson, once; Cpl. H. Beet, V.C once, Loc. Cpl. R. Dixon (promosed. Corpl.). once.
Pte. W. Bees V.C once; Pte. H DG.M.. once. te. A. Bullous, D.C.M. Pte. I, C ingham, D.C.M., once Isaac, D.G. 100 Bte. H. Marriot
A. Smith, D.C.M.
(promoted Co
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