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brownwest
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West - Francis and Thomas
replied on: 4/7/2008 3:35:59 AM Thats great news aswell, I spent hours one night on that site trying every combination I could think of to find him, I was always told he died at Anzio, so obviously I was looking in the wrong spot. If only my GrandDad was here to today, we could share all this information so easily. Haven't things changed... |
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suzard
Researcher Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 4/7/2008 5:06:46 PM by suzard |
West - Francis and Thomas
replied on: 4/7/2008 4:58:07 PM bottom half of Bombadier Frank West interview (posted earlier) ....tenrounds sufficed to clear the Boers from their position on the hill. On 21st Nov the right half of the 75th arrived at Fincham's Farm and left at 4pm next day for belmont. Here they found the Boers had mounted guns on kopjea 3000 yards from Belmont farm. After an hour and a halfs firing by the right section , along with the 18th battery, the Boers were again silenced. The artillery then fell back on the farm and bivouacked for the night., but owing to the pace of the march three horses died from exhaustion. BELMONT After three minor touches, in which there were no casualties on the british side, came the fierce engagement at belmont the next day. Reveille at 2 am, and marched towards kopjes half an hour later. Came in touch with the enemy about 5 am, they having shifted their positin during the night to a row of hills to the east of belmont station. The battery came into action for about three hours, after which the enemy retired. In all the battery took up three positions, the last being the close range of 800yds, when they were exposed to a very heavy rifle fire. The only casualties were a wound in the leg of captain farrell and two horses shot, whilst three more horses died from exhaustion on the march. After the Boers had been shook by the artillery came the bugle call, "Charge", and "it was grand to see our infantry after them over the hills* said Bombadier West. GRASPAN At graspan the Boers were enveloped, and when they retired they had to pass along the front of 18 pieces of artillery, which did a good deal of execution among them. In the words of Bombadier West, " it was great sport to see them rolling out of the saddle at a range of about 1000yds, before they could get to the next kopje." 3 positions were taken up by the battery,at the 2nd of which Sergt Farrier King was shot through the left arm. The battery fired 194 rounds. MODDER RIVER 28th Nov the battery left Klockfontain at 4am and proceeded towards Modder River, and after being on the move for two hours fond the Boers in very strong positions, occupying both banks of the river. After firing at long range, the battery took up a position directly facing the enemy, where the firing at long range, the battery took up a position directly facing the enemy, where the firing was exceptionally heavy. The enemys fire and maxim-Nordenfelt fire was most galling.Not deterred however, the battery commander ordered 750 yds range, and immediately on this being complied with Major Lindsey received a severe wound in the right hand. Setting a fine example the gallant major had his hand dressed and continued in command. Capt farrell, too, was hit in the leg, but he kept in the firing line for the whole action. Lieut Lindley, however was severely wounded in the shoulder and had to go into hospital. The battle waged furiously for 13 hours, during which time neither men nor horses ate or drank, and during the fight discharged 1,208 rounds. There were 16 casualties in the battery and 17 among the horses. Next day, by the aid of the Guards, the guns were dragged across the river, the horses swimming the stream. Bombadier West captured a couple of Boer ponies, but was glad to get rid of them, and sold them to a cavalry officer for thirty shillings. AN UNPLEASANT SWIM Bombadier West recalled an unpleasant experience he had whilst bathing in the Modder.It was a couple of days after the engagement, and West took it into his head to have what he hoped would be a refreshing swim. he dived to the bottom of the stream, when his head came in contact with some object, and his feelings can well be imagined when a dead Boer came up with him from the depths. needless to say he was quickly out of the water. MAGERSFONTEIN At Magersfontein the battery had 3 days shelling the kopjes, firing 820 rounds on the second day, and remaining in action all night. The naval guns here came late action, and drew fire from the two Boer big guns, one evidently a disappearing piece of ordnance. Their aim was good and they kept up a heavy fire, but many of their shells failed to explode, due, in Bombadier West's opinion, to the fact that they were made in germany. PAARDEURG Along with his battery West was at the bombardment of Paardeburg. They were in action for 8 days and nights, and torrents of rain fell incessently. When Cronje surrendered, Bomadier West was one of the deport of the general , his wife, and 3500 of the enemy down to modder. "They did look poor objects" commented West, describing a...... (end of column 1) Column 2 to follow |
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brownwest
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West - Francis and Thomas
replied on: 4/8/2008 10:41:00 PM thanks sue, this is making great reading, juts fascinating...having done some research on all these battles and having his Boer War medal, juts makes for a wonderful story.... |
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suzard
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West - Francis and Thomas
replied on: 4/9/2008 12:21:31 PM Bombadier Frank West (bottom half of previously posted report. Column 2 -bottom half A TIGHT CORNER.... Whilst at Fort Elswich orders were received for a section to proceed to Buffel's Poort to meet the returning convoy, and this march proved to be a memorable one for Bombadier West, which we will relate in his own words: " Our scouts, instead of going over a kopje near Buffel's Poort, went round it, and as soon as we got in the pass we were met by a terrible volley from the Boers on the hill. We wheeled to the right and formed protection for the guns and ourselves by building a gun sangar with rocks from the top of the kopje. By the time this was done 300 of the 2nd West Yrks surrendered and left us to the mercy of about 2,500 Boers. They closed around us and called on us to surrender, but we had the order not to do so till every round was gone. The country was so thick with trees that we could not see for more than 50 yards in front of us. The Boers got as close as 20 yds to the guns, because we found some of their dead next morning lyng there. They had burnt over three miles of our convoy, which was for the troops stationed at Rustenburg for Christmas-time. The Boers tried all sorts of tricks to entice us away from the guns after dark, by calling out to us to say they were wounded, but we were not having any. Out of the 17 of us around the guns the casualties were two killed and seven wounded. One exploding bullet struck the top of the rock and blew away the face of one man, another part took the top of anothers head off, and a third part struck me in the thigh. That was 2 killed and one wounded by one bullet. I thought myself very lucky. My officer had seven bullets in one leg, for a great distance around the guns we had mowed the trees down by the shells exploding at the muzle of our guns. The battle raged from 5-30 til 1am the next morning, when we were relieved by major Fry, 2nd West Yorks. There is no decoration for engagements of this sort, because there happened to be no general with us." For their courageous action Capt Farrell, Lieut Baker, and four men were mentioned in Lord Kitcheners despatches. That the fight was a desparate one may be judged by the fact that five horses were killed and five gun wheels were so riddled by bullets that they had to be replaced, as well as a telescopic sight being demolished. One camp kettle had 22 bullet holes in it. NEWS FROM HOME On receipt of news of the King's accession to the throne a salute of 21 gns was fired at noon, but it was not until the next day that official tidings came of the death of Queen Victoria, this being acknowledged by 81 minute guns. HONOURS FOR THE BATTERY In addition to promotions, no less than five members of the 75th battery were recipiants of distinguished conduct medals. It may be mentioned that in the principal engagements the battery fired 3,500 shells, each costing about 25 shillings.Bombadier West received the Queen's medal with bars for Belmont, Modder River, Dreifontain, Paardeburg, and Johannesburg. SOUTH AFRICA TO INDIA The battery embarked on the City of Vienna on Nov 24th 1901, as escort to Boer prisoners, and after handing over the latter in Bombay harbour, proceeded by rail to Kirkee, where they took over the equipment , horses, etc., of the 70th battery (under orders from England). After four more years service in India, China, and Ceylon, Bombadier West obtained his discharge. He has close on fifteen years service to his credit, and is still serving on Section D, Army Reserve. (I will now snail mail the report to you , lewis, - thought I'd post it on here first, as others may be interested.) Sue |
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brownwest
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West - Francis and Thomas
replied on: 4/9/2008 10:34:20 PM Thats a great story, no one other than one who was there could give it such feeling, strange thing is I have his Queens Medal and it only has four bars on it, it does look a little damaged at the top, still on it are (from top to bottom) J;Burg,Paardeburg,Modder River and Belmont. Perhaps the other bar Dreinfontain fell off at some time, it is more than 100 years old! Or perhaps the paper got it wrong, maybe the battery was there at Dreifontain but they did not receive honours for it!! I'll have to do some research...great story, it ties in so well, I have his pension records and service records allthought quite hard to read...it states his wound to the right thigh!! I will check with a magnifyung glass and see I see Dreifontain. |
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RMMee
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West - Francis and Thomas
replied on: 4/10/2008 7:50:50 AM Sue Pleased you posted on here rather than just using the post/email - and thanks for all your work on this one. Robert |
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