Wateringbury salutes its war heroes (1903)

Post date: Dec 18, 2011 9:15:53 PM

Wateringbury Parish magazine reported in March 1903 on the reception given in honour of those men of the parish who served in The Boer War.

An enthusiastic reception was given at the " Smoker" held at The King's Head on Friday the 13th ult., to the Wateringbury men who served in the S. African War. The room was crowded. The Vicar occupied the chair, supported by Dr. Walter Fry and Mr. Herbert Jude. The Chairman reported that Mr. A. Leney and Mr. Wln. Jude had expressed to him their regret at being unable to attend. Among those present were Mr. Fred. Leney, Mr. Edward Goodwin, Dr. Southwell Sander, Mr. Hawes, Mr. Starmer, Mr. Amos Baker, Mr. Dickerson, and others, including a few visitors—Mr. Woodward of Teston, Messrs. Monypenny and Brown of Hadlow, and others. After the toast of the "The King" Mr. E. A. Smith sang a song to each verse of which the National Anthem was appended as a chorus. After songs from Messrs. Cartwright, Philpott, and Brown, Dr. Fry proposed "The Regular Forces," with special reference to the object of the gathering. Then followed the ceremony of the evening, the presentations to the men accompanied in each case by suitable remarks by the Chairman. Each man was presented with a service knife of good pattern and a framed and illuminated address. Each one, as he approached the chair, to receive his present and as he went back to his seat, was heartily cheered by the company. Five of the men received the present personally, viz.: Skinner, Smith, Humphrey, Cronk, and Spice. The others being absent, most of them still on service in different parts of the Empire, received the gift by proxy.

A complete record of the service of the several men would be a history of the war. The Chairman was able by reference to returns which the men kindly sent in, to notice briefly the chief points as they came up one by one. Sergeant Henry Shepherd (R E.), who served scatheless throughout the war, employed chiefly on the railway, was present at the terrible actions of Belmont, Emslin and Modder River. Frank Skinner³ (2nd Line. Reg.) had his time cut short by a wound at Paardeberg. Geo. Spice⁴ (R.E.) was also present at Paardeberg, and helped to make the bridges and roads during Lord Roberts' campaign, which ended in the taking of Johannesberg and Pretoria: he came home after 2 and 1/2 years to receive his discharge, invalided. Charles Cronk⁵ (5th Lancers) was in the siege of Ladysmith, and fought at Elaaudslaagte and in that terrible night on Wagon Hill, and also afterwards at Lombard's Kop: he was invalided home suffering from enteric, but went out again to serve under Col. Colville. Frederick Holder⁶ (19th Hussars) also was in the memorable siege with Sir George White, and afterwards served under Gen. Bruce Hamilton in the Orange State and Eastern Transvaal—out the whole time. William Lawrence (R.E )⁷ and William Crayford (Royal Scots Fus.), both out the whole time, shared in the relief of Ladysmith and in some of the preliminary actions on Spion Kop and the Tugela : the former was afterwards with General Rundle and the latter with General Barton at the relief of Mafeking, and with Gens. Hunter, Hart, and Bruce Hamilton. Alfred Smith and George Humphrey (both 7th Hussars) went out in Nov. 1901, and both took part in the big drive in Col. Lawley's command about Frankfort, Linley, and Dawnberg, being present at the relief of the 2nd Dragoons at Bushman's Kop. Charles Ashby and Robert Hook (both 2nd Royal West Kent) went out in March, 1900: their regiment formed part of General Rundle's ('starving 8th' ) division, which was occupied in the long and trying conquest of the Eastern part of the Orange State, including the relief of Wepener, the action at Biddulphsberg (when de Villiers was wounded and when the veldt fire overtook the British wounded as they lay), the operations which culminated in the capture of Bethlehem shortly followed by the surrender of Prinsloo and his 3000 men, the actions at Lombard’s Kop, Tigerkloof, Harrismith, etc. Lance-Corp. Frederick Adams (B Co., R. W. Kent) was out only 5 months, occupied in the dreary work of a Block House near Hielbron.

The last presentation to be made was that of a handsome Marble Clock, handed with a few words of sympathy the father of Charles Hook¹ (Gunner), who died after a brief illness at Standerton, having taken part in the relief of Ladysmith and fought afterwards at Potgieter's Hill. This was suitably followed by the song ‘Tom Bowling' beautifully sung by Mr. J. Neame.

The toast of "The Auxiliary Forces" was then proposed by Dr. Sander and responded to by Mr. Herbert Jude, who had held a Lieutenant's commission in Lord Lathom's Roughriders (Imp. Yeomanry). Other speeches and songs filled up the time of a memorable evening, the contributors including Messrs. Woodward, Hamshire, E. Anderson, the Chairman., H. Lawrence, F. Latter, and others.

Notes:

1. Charles Hook, the fatality from the Boer Wars, was the son of Henry Hook, the Sexton. He was 22 when he died. He had been a member of Boys Brigade in Wateringbury which he left in 1894 as a lance-corporal. He enlisted in the Royal Artillery and his death on December 28th 1900 warranted a short piece in the January 1901 parish magazine. Charles was in the 64 Battery Royal Field Artillery with the Rank of Gunner. His service number was 21997 and he is commemorated at St. James's Park north-east corner. Memorial. Royal Artillery, The Mall, London, England (Source : Find My Past transcriptions of Boer War records)

The same January 1901 parish magazine recorded the death of another Wateringbury man, also from illness rather than enemy action, an officer, Lieut. Geoffrey N. Dawson-Scott whilst performing garrison duty in Pretoria. See also War (1900). He died of Liver Atrophy on 31/12/1900 at Pretoria. He was in 14 Company (Southern Division) Royal Garrison Artillery. (Source : Find My Past transcriptions of Boer War records)

In July 1916 the career of George Clements is cited in the South Eastern Gazette as having included service in the Boer War but the above omits any mention of him.

2. Henry Shepherd : given the number of "H. Shepherds" it is not possible to be certain but he may be the H. Shepherd in 31 Company (Fortress) Royal Engineers, Rank: Corporal, Number: 24055. (Source : Find My Past transcriptions of Boer War records).

3. Frank Skinner was actually in the 2nd Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment, a Private in rank with service number of 2672. He was wounded on 21/02/1900 at Paardeberg. (Source : Find My Past transcriptions of Boer War records).

4. George Spice was in 6 Company (Fortress) Royal Engineers, Rank: Sapper, Number: 29599 (Source : Find My Past transcriptions of Boer War records).

5. CW Cronk was in Unit: 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers, Rank: Private, Number: 4293 (Source : Find My Past transcriptions of Boer War records).

6. F. Holder was in 19th (Princess Of Wales's Own) Hussars, Rank: Private, Number: 3981 (Source : Find My Past transcriptions of Boer War records).

7. William Lawrence, 29422 Sapper in 30th company of the Royal Engineers was the son of the Old Road blacksmith George Lawrence. Born on 2 May 1877 he was baptised William George in Wateringbury Church in October 1877 along with older siblings. In the 1891 census he is described as blacksmith's assistant and is one of 8 siblings. He is not on the 1901 census (consistant with service in South Africa) and married Rose (from Ramsgate) in about 1906. Family believe he died in 1916.

The 'smoker' was held at The King's Head-for another smoker held there and more about the King's Head go to Wateringbury Hero.