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Graeme

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No. 8009 Sergeant GEORGE HEATH,

1st, 2nd & 6th Battalions, King's Own Scottish Borderers

Served 1890-1918

post-11-1218358797.jpg

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That's a very nice group Graeme, and a very good regiment. 

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Thanks Kenny, here is some further information on him.

Unless otherwise noted, the details supplied in this narrative were extracted from the soldier's service papers (and a muster roll search) obtained from original documents housed in the National Archives London at Kew, Richmond, Surrey.

Research on No. 8009 Sergeant George Heath shows the following general information, dates of rank, campaign service, and army appointments related to his 15 years 285 days (1890-1918) service in the British Army (The details of Sergeant George Heath's services are compiled from his Soldiers Documents: National Archives, London : WO 364/1594)

During his three periods of engagement Sergeant George Heath received the following medals:

India General Service Medal with Clasps 'Relief of Chitral', 'Tirah 1897-98' and 'Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Confirmed on WO 100/78 & WO 100/87)

The Queens South Africa Medal with Clasps 'Cape Colony', 'Paardeberg' and 'Johannesburg (Confirmed on WO 100/82)

The King's Africa Medal with Clasps 'South Africa 1901' and 'South Africa 1902 (Confirmed on WO/328)

1914/15 Star (Confirmed on LC/25 H 84/1)

British War Medal (Confirmed on LC/101 B/164 Page 16638)

The Victory Medal (Confirmed on LC/101 B/164 Page 16638 )

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Excellent Graeme, that is quite a service record, I can't believe the amount of action he must have seen.

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EARLY FAMILY AND LIFE INFORMATION

George Heath was born in the Parish of Speen, near the Town of Newbury, in the County of Berkshire, in October of 1871. His father was George Heath.

1881 Census Family information:

Dwelling: 172 Ickleton Cottages

Census Place: Wantage

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

Name-------Occupation-------Relation-------Mar-------Age-------Sex-------Birthplace

George-----Stonemason-----Head-----------M----------43--------M---------Wantage, Berkshire

Rosia--------Housewife-------Wife------------M----------39--------F----------Highmoor, Oxon

Joseph-------Ag Lab----------Son------------U-----------20--------M---------Paddington, Middlesex

Gideon-------Ag Lab----------Son------------U----------16---------M---------Speen, Berkshire

Ruth---------Scholar----------Daughter------U----------11---------F----------Speen, Berkshire

George------Scholar----------Son------------U----------9----------M----------Speen, Berkshire

Rose---------Scholar----------Daughter------U----------6----------F----------Wantage, Berkshire

Esther--------Child------------Daughter------U----------2----------F----------Wantage, Berkshire

1901 Census:

No information for the 1901 Census is available as Sergeant George Heath was serving with the 1st Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers in South Africa during the Boer War.

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 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a description of George Heath at the time he enlisted in the Army on the 9th of April 1890:

He was 5 feet 7 inches tall, had a “pale” complexion, “blue” eyes, and “light brown” hair, with a chest measurement of “34 ½” inches. His religious denomination was the Church of England. His trade was listed as a “Labourer”. Under distinctive marks it is noted that he has a tattoo mark in the ‘figure of a nautical girl with a circle below’ on the surface of the right forearm.

When George Heath was again re-called to the Colours for the First World War on 10th September 1914 the following details were recorded:

He was 5 foot 7 ½ inches tall, ‘grey’ eyes and ‘brown and grey’ hair with a chest measurement of 36 inches. His religious denomination was ‘Church of England’. His trade was listed as ‘Agent’. Under distinctive marks it is noted that he has tattoo marks of a ‘female figure and an eagle’ on his right arm.

ENLISTMENT AND TRAINING

At the age 18 years 6 months, he enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Scots at Aldershot Camp on the 9th of April 1890. He was assigned the regimental number ‘3585’, which was later changed to ‘3917’.

Before his enlistment in the regular army he served in the 3rd Berkshire Regiment Militia. No other details of this service are available. He would have learned basic drill and musketry during his service with this regiment.

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PROMOTIONS AND CONDUCT

Promotions: Sergeant George Heath would rise through the ranks at a fairly slow pace. If it were not for the necessities of war and the recalling of men to the Colours for the Boer War and then the First World War then Sergeant Heath would have first retired firstly as a Private or perhaps as a Corporal. He received the following promotions during his time in the service:

Date of Promotion or Appointment Rank or Appointment and Time in each Grade

9 April 1890 to 30 November 1892---------------------------------------------------Private 2nd Battalion, The Royal Scots

1 December 1892 to 25 March 1898-------------------------------------------------Transferred as Private to the 2nd Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers

Recalled to the Colours 18 December 1899 to 21 May 1900--------------------Private 1st Battalion, The Kings Own Scottish Borderers

Total Time as a Private---------------------------------------------------------------------8 Years 40 Days

22 May 1900 to 2 July 1902------------------------------------------------------------Appointed Corporal, 1st Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers

Recalled to the Colours 10 September 1914 to 10 October 1914------------Corporal 6th Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers

Total Time as a Corporal--------------------------------------------------------------2 Years 73 Days

11 October 1914 to 19 November 1917-----------------------------------------------Appointed Sergeant, 6th Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers

20 November 1917 to 26 March 1918-------------------------------------------------Posted Sergeant, Labour Corps

Total time as a Sergeant---------------------------------------------------------------3 Years 167 Days

Statement of Conduct:

a. Disciplinary Actions: Sergeant George Heath was never tried by Court Martial and was never listed in the Regimental Defaulters Book during the entire period of his military service.

b. Good Conduct Badges and Medal: He received good conduct pay throughout his service. He received the following Good Conduct Badges during his time in service:

Good Conduct Badge----------Date of Award----------Total Time in Service

Enlisted-----------------------------9th April 1890-----------Starting date of service

1st Award at 1d--------------------9th April 1892-----------2 years

2nd Award at 2d -------------------9th April 1896-----------6 years

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EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

There is no record of Sergeant George Heath having gained any Education Certificates during his career.

There is no record of Sergeant George Heath having gained any Qualifications during his career.

POSTINGS AND CAMPAIGN SERVICE

Home and Overseas Service:

The table below shows the services of Sergeant George Heath:

Home-------------------------------9 April 1890------------9 December 1890--0 Years---------- -245 Days

Malta -------------------------------10 December 1890-------6 March 1892-----1 Year-------------88 Days

India (Chitral, Tirah and Punjab Frontier)---7 March 1892-----------23 March 1898----6 Years------------17 Days

Home (Army Reserve)------------------24 March 1898----------17 December 1899---1 Year-----------269 Days

Home-------------------------------18 December 1899-------3 January 1900---0 Years-------------17 Days

South Africa (Boer War)-----------------4 January 1900----------26 June 1902-----2 Years------------174 Days

Home-------------------------------27 June 1902------------2 July 1902------0 Years-------------7 Days

Home-------------------------------10 September 1914--------11 May 1915-----0 Years-------------244 Days

BEF France & Flanders (WWI)-------------12 May 1915-------------2 October 1915----0 Years------------144 Days

Home-------------------------------3 October 1915------------19 October 1916----1 Year------------17 Days

BEF France & Flanders (WWI)-------------20 October 1916----------9 January 1918-----1 Year------------82 Days

Home-------------------------------10 January 1918-----------26 March 1918-----0 Years-----------76 Days

Total Overseas Service:--------------------------------------------------11 Years----------140 Days

Total Service:----------------------------------------------------------15 Years----------285 Days

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Malta - With The Royal Scots

still to be researched

India - The Relief of Chitral

In March 1895 about 370 native troops, under Dr Robertson, the British Agent, were besieged by large numbers of frontier tribesmen in the small stone fort of Chitral. A relief expedition of 15,000 men under General Robert Low was assembled to relieve Chitral through the Swat Valley. The force consisted of:

Colonel Kelly’s Force:

Two guns of 1st Kashmir Mountain Battery; 32nd Pioneers (400); Kashmir Infantry (100); Kashmir Sappers and Miners (34); Hunza and Punnial Levies (100).

Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Low’s Force:

1st Brigade: Guides Cavalry; 3rd Mountain Battery RA; 4th Dg Gds (7); 5th Lancers (3); 11th (12), 18th (16), 19th (6) Hussars; 1/Royal Scots (13); Buffs (3rd Foot); Devons (15); East Surrey’s (21); 1/Bedfords; 1/Northampton Regt.; 1/Royal West Rents (9); King’s Royal Rifle Corps; 15th Sikhs; and 37th Dogras.

2nd Brigade: Guides Cavalry; 2/KOSB; 1/Gordons; Machine Gun Section of 1/Devons; Guides Infantry; 4th Sikhs; 11th and 15th Bengal Infantry.

3rd Brigade: 8th Mountain Battery RA; No. 2 (Derajat) Mountain Battery; 1st, 4th, 6th Companies Bengal Sappers and Miners; 1/Buffs; 2/Seaforth; 25th Punjabis; 2/4 Gurkhas.

Lines of Communication troops: 11th Bengal Lancers; Guides Cavalry; 1/East Lanes; 23rd Pioneers; 13th Rajputs; 30th Punjab Infantry.

Also present: 9th Bengal Lancers; 15th Field Battery RA; 1st Kashmir, Mountain Battery; No. 4 (Hazara) Mountain Battery; No. 7 (Bengal) Mountain Battery; 1st PWO Sappers and Miners; RE and Indian Medical Service; 26th, 29th, and 30th Punjab Infantry; 34th Pioneers; 2/1, 2/3, 2/5 Gurkhas; Gwalior and Jodhpore Carrier Corps; Kurram and Border Military Police. Medals are also known to the 2/Royal Irish and Dorset Regiments.

By 3 April they had reached the Malakand Pass and were attempting to force it.

As he did not know when they would reach Chitral, Lieutenant-Colonel J. G. Kelly, already in the area of operations, went out with a small relieving force of about 500 native infantry and two mountain-guns. The force left Gupis on 28 March, carrying only the barest necessities and with only enough sunglasses for a small proportion of the men, so that practically everyone suffered from painful snow-blindness. The mules carrying the guns and stores found the going very hard, and half-tamed yaks requisitioned from villagers were no more satisfactory. After ten days of incredible hardships over wild and precipitous country thick with snow, the guns and ammunition having to be either carried on poles or towed on improvised sledges by men suffering from both snow-blindness and frostbite, Kelly's force had their first engagement with the enemy on 9 April. The tribesmen were in a very strong position, stretched across the narrow Chakalwat Valley, and their defensive sangars had to be put out of action by gunners who were so handicapped by snow-blindness that they were unable to lay the guns properly. Every shell counted: the guns, under very heavy fire, had to be brought up to within 400 yards of the sangars. Excellent co-operation between artillery and infantry turned the enemy out of his strong position, and Kelly's men were able to man-handle their guns across the fast-flowing river and move down to Mastuj. Here they relieved Lieutenant Moberly and some native infantry who had been besieged in a small stone fort. Kelly's men rested for two or three days until they received information by runner of the action fought by Low at the Malakand, when they calculated that if they hurried they could still arrive at Chitral before the larger force got there.

The siege of Chitral fort had been proceeding throughout this period, marked by a resolute and aggressive resistance by the small defending force. The stone fort, only 80 feet square, with walls 8 feet thick, had been vigorously attacked by the tribesmen who had even run a mine to within a few feet of the walls, covering the sound of digging by playing native bagpipes and tom-toms. A raiding party from the fort, about 100 strong, attacked the mine with the bayonet and blew it up at a cost of 8 killed and 13 wounded, whilst about 60 tribesmen were left for dead in the crater of the exploded mine.

Eight miles below Mastuj, Kelly's small force came upon a large number of enemy tribesmen well positioned in one of the most famous natural defensive positions in the country, reputed to be impregnable. Again, the little mountain-guns did sterling work in destroying enemy sangars before Kelly's men finally put the enemy to rout after an attack involving the descent of ravines by improvised rope-ladders and the climbing of steep and slippery goat-tracks. Then followed five days of skirmishing in the rock-strewn defiles in front of Chitral until, on the night of 18 April, the besiegers stole quietly away. Two days later, Colonel Kelly's column marched into the fort. The siege had lasted forty-six days, and one fifth of the garrison had been killed or wounded.

Low's force arrived some four or five days later, after a great deal of very heavy fighting which began on 3 April, when the mountain-guns shelled the enemy positions along the crests bordering the Malakand Pass (the lowest of them was 3,000 feet above the valley). Then Sikhs and Guides carried the sangars on the left and worked their way along the crest to turn the enemy's flank; they were nineteen hours under arms and they lost many officers. The Scottish Borderers and the Gordon Highlanders worked up the centre of the Pass with the King's Royal Rifles, the Bedfords and native infantry in support. After a precipitous climb, when the men had to haul each other up, the village on the summit was carried with the bayonet and left in flames; the enemy was driven across the ridge into the Swat Valley beyond. British casualties were 8 officers and 61 men. It was estimated that the enemy massed about 12,000 men and had sustained some 5,000 casualties.

Next day the advance encountered the enemy on a high ridge. The guns came into action as the infantry advanced under fire from the heights and repeated attacks from large parties of tribesmen. Two companies of the Bedfords were attacked by vastly superior numbers of natives but magazine-fire at short range halted them in their tracks and sent the survivors scurrying for cover. Although they were working over most unsuitable country, the Guides cavalry distinguished themselves here against the tribesmen who would face magazine-rifle fire but did not like lances.

The Swat River had to be crossed under fire from a ridge of hills completely dominating the only ford. The Sappers who attempted to bridge the river were forced to withdraw but the mountain-guns and the Maxim gun of the King's Own Scottish Borderers did good work against enemy positions on the ridge. Finally, the Sikhs and the Borderers were committed while the Bengal Lancers and the Guides forced the fast-flowing river under heavy fire. Once the Lancers got on the far bank of the river they dispersed the enemy with the lance although invariably he put up a stout resistance. The Scottish Borderers, linked arm-in-arm, forded the Swat higher up and, covered by the mountain-guns, carried a small fort, while the Sikhs crossed lower down and occupied two villages. This arm-linking method of river-crossing was only possible with brass cartridges and breech-loading rifles; in the old days of paper cartridges the musket and pouch had to be held above water. Casualties at the crossing were few, considering that the enemy had assembled 4,500 men and had suffered heavy losses.

On 12 April Colonel Battye and his Guides passed over the Panjkora River to form a covering force on the right bank, but before daybreak the river, swollen with melted snow, rose suddenly and tribesmen sent down logs which swept away the bridge. The Guides were ordered to march down the right bank to a further crossing 2 miles lower down but, owing to a misunderstanding, they marched out of sight so that they could not be covered by the fire from the left bank. Dividing his force into three, Battye retired slowly down the river bank, himself remaining with the last party to cover the retreat until he was mortally wounded. The Guides, unable to cross the river that day, made a fortified camp on the river bank and spent a long night surrounded by at least 2,000 of the enemy who were discouraged from attacking them by star-shells fired across the river and the presence of some Sikhs and a Maxim gun that had been floated across the river on a raft made of inflated animal skins. At daybreak the tribesmen retired, leaving about 500 bodies behind while the Guides lost 2 officers and 3 men killed and 22 wounded.

Although there was constant skirmishing, no further major engagements took place as the infantry, cavalry and guns cleared the hills and slowly advanced towards Chitral. On 18 April General Gatacre, with the Buffs, Gurkhas, half a mountain battery, two Maxims and twenty days' supplies, was sent forward to make a dash for Chitral. When, on 21 April, news came that the fort had been relieved by Colonel Kelly he was ordered to halt and General Low, securing his communications as he marched, steadily advanced and a few days later entered Chitral.

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India - The Tirah Campaign

The general object of this expedition was to invade Tirah and exact reparation for the unprovoked aggression of the Afridi and Orakzai tribes; Tirah was their summer home and had never before been entered by a British force. The mountainous country was difficult and to a great extent unknown, and the men had to meet well armed and war like tribes whose fighting men were numbered by tens of thousands - the Afridis alone were believed to be able to put 30,000 men into the field, at least half of them armed with modern rifles.

In October 1897 a force of 44,000 men, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir William Lockhart, assembled at Kohat. In addition to fourteen battalions of native infantry and mountain artillery, the force included the Royal West Surrey Regiment; the Devonshire Regiment; the Yorkshire Regiment; the Royal Scots Fusiliers; the King’s Own Scottish Borderers; the Dorsetshire Regiment; the Sherwood Foresters; the Northamptonshire Regiment; the Derbyshire Regiment: and the Gordon Highlanders. The Punjab was scoured for transport-animals and 60,000 camels, mules, bullocks and donkeys were assembled.

Lockhart’s main column was to invade Tirah from Kohat by way of Sampagha and Arhanga Passes, while two subsidiary columns from Peshawar were to act in support. Before the main column moved off, it was necessary to make the road fit for their transport; this meant that tribesmen had to be dislodged from the village of Dargai and the ridges around it from where they could fire upon the road-parties. Dargai itself, 6,000 feet high, was only approachable over its last half-mile by a climb up sheer, broken and shelving cliffs over a narrow track with an entrance on the far side of a completely exposed coverless area of ground. The tribesmen were not in great strength on the position and British infantry and Gurkhas swarmed up the steep ascent and took the position at a cost of only 2 killed and 13 wounded. During mid-afternoon the position was abandoned because of difficulties of supply and water. The enemy closely pressed the rearguard and was only held off by mountain-guns, and in what turned out to be a difficult operation an officer and 7 men were killed; 5 officers and 29 men were wounded.

The main force left Kohat on 20 October, and had to retake Dargai, which was now strongly occupied by about 12,000 tribesmen. Covered by long-range fire from the Gordon Highlanders and the Maxim-gun detachment, together with mountain batteries, the Gurkhas formed up under cover about 500 yards from the cliff and then burst out on to the open ground in the face of extremely accurate and rapid fire. Reaching some broken ground about 100 yards on, after losing 3 officers and 50 men, they were pinned down by heavy fire. The Dorsets and the Derbyshires were put in to try to rush the ridge and each lost between 40 and 50 men without succeeding. The Gordons and the 3rd Sikhs were ordered up and the artillery maintained a rapid, concentrated fire for three minutes; then the Gordons followed by the Sikhs and all the other troops dashed across the open ground. They swarmed up the steep slope so decisively that the enemy did not wait for the final assault but fled in all directions, followed by long-range volleys. Five Victoria Crosses were awarded for the Dargai action in which British casualties amounted to 4 officers and 34 men killed, 14 officers and 147 wounded.

On 29 October the Queen's and the King’s Own Scottish Borderers stormed a ridge to take the Sampagha Pass and on 31 October, the Arhanga Pass was captured with little opposition. Throughout the advance, foraging parties and baggage were constantly under attack - on 25 October a man was killed and 36 wounded when a foraging party was attacked. On 1 November in a night attack on a convoy, the tribesmen captured thirteen boxes of ammunition and the Queen's Regiment's treasure-chest, and inflicted some losses. On 9 November, the Northamptons lost heavily as they retired from destroying enemy villages: they lost touch with their supporting Sikhs while they were carrying wounded down craggy cliffs. Trapped in a nullah under heavy fire, they were extricated by Sikhs and Gurkhas with total losses of 2 officers and 18 men killed, 4 officers and 44 men wounded. Sikhs and two companies of the Dorsets, who remained out in the darkness collecting stragglers, were cut off by Afridis and only managed to fight off the tribesmen at the bayonet point by capturing some partly burned houses and making a stand. The Dorsets were overwhelmed and lost their officers; the survivors were brought into camp by the senior sergeant. Total casualties in this affair were 4 officers and 25 men killed; 6 officers and 38 men wounded. On 22 November, a column which included the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and the Yorkshire Regiment went out to explore the approaches to the Bara Valley and, as they returned, their rearguard became heavily engaged; they lost 1 officer and 4 men killed, 2 officers and 28 men wounded.

Because of the cold, the force was now obliged to evacuate the Tirah valley and the 3rd and 4th Brigades under Brigadier-General Westamacott, proceeding down the Shaloba defile to Dwa Toi down the Bara valley, experienced some of the heaviest rearguard fighting ever encountered in an Indian frontier campaign. Progress was slow for the roads were deep in mud, and, on the morning of 11 December, a thick mist allowed the Afridis to get in close and pour a heavy fire on to the crowded and helpless transport-animals and followers. As the transport tried to get off the track, it was bogged down in the fields and nullahs. The enemy attacked the rearguard with great boldness and the fighting continued throughout the day; casualties became so numerous that the fighting-line was seriously weakened by troops having to carry the wounded, for the dhoolie bearers were too terror-stricken to perform their duty. There was no water-supply at that night's camp after a day when over 70 men had become casualties during a relatively short march. The tribesmen only ceased their attacks on the next day, when the Peshawar force was met some four miles from Sawaikot.

On 29 January Lockhart sent out columns to capture the flocks of the Afridi tribes in the hope of bringing them to terms. All columns carried out their task without encountering any opposition, except the 4th Brigade from Mamanai, who had to fight one of the hardest actions of the campaign. 600 men of the Yorkshire Light Infantry and the 36th Sikhs with two guns advanced along a pass, occupying heights on either side as they moved forward. Then, through a misunderstanding, the native troops evacuated the heights on the west of the pass and these were immediately occupied by tribesmen who poured a heavy fire into the troops below. With difficulty the Yorkshire Light Infantry managed to cover the withdrawal until they were met at the mouth of the pass by a force sent out from camp. Owing to the hilly ground and the nature of the operation it was impossible to bring out the dead, but the rifles and the ammunition were saved. Total casualties were 5 officers and 28 men killed, 3 officers and 34 men wounded. This was almost the last fight of the campaign. The Afridis tendered their submission and by the end of June only a single brigade remained in the Khyber Pass. In 1900 regular troops were withdrawn and the Pass was handed back to the Khyber Rifles.

India - The Punjab Frontier 1897-1898

In August 1897 an expedition was mounted to punish the Mohmands and to prevent any violation of Dir territory which might imperil the safety of the Chitral road. The Mohmand Field Force under Brigadier-General Elles consisted of two brigades, including Somerset Light Infantry and Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, together with native infantry, Bengal Lancers, mountain artillery and a Maxim-gun detachment of the Devonshire Regiment.

After a long and unopposed march in conditions of intense heat, the troops met Sir Bindon Blood with the Malakand Field Force on 22 September and the two force combined to take the Bedmanai Pass. It was thought that the pass was strongly held, but opposition was not very heavy and the British lost only 1 man killed and 3 wounded. On 24 September all the villages and towers in the Mitai Valley and the Suran Valley were destroyed, and on the following day in another action, involving the Somerset Light infantry and the Gurkhas, fortified villages in the Shindarra gorge were destroyed at a cost of 2 men killed and 17 wounded. On 27 September, a column moved against nine fortified villages occupied by the Koda Khel Baezai tribe. In the action that followed, the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, together with the Gurkhas, played a prominent part in dispersing the enemy, while the sappers and pioneers demolished the towers and forts.

The march continued slowly. The tracks were difficult and needed a good deal of work, but by 4 October all the offending tribes had paid their fines and submitted. The object of the expedition had been accomplished.

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South Africa – The Boer War

On 4/5th January 1900 the 1st Battalion, The Kings Own Scottish Borderers sailed for South Africa and the Boer war in the Troopship SS Braemar Castle. On board were 29 Officers, approximately 1,000 men, 3 companies of the Army Service Corps and details of Royal Engineers and Royal Army Medical Corps.

The Battalion arrived in the Cape about 26th January 1900. Together with the 2nd Norfolk, 2nd Lincoln and 2nd Hampshire Regiments they formed the 14th Brigade under Brigadier General Chermside. This is turn came under 7th Division under the command of Lieutenant General Tucker.

The 7th Division took part in the advance from Modder River to Bloemfontein. On 11th February the Division moved from Enslin and Graspan to Ramdan; on 12th to Dekiel Drift on the Riet River. The 13th was occupied in getting wagons across the river. On the 14th the Division moved from Dekiel Drift to Waterval Drift, where, that day, Lord Roberts had his Headquarters.

In the fighting between which took place between 18th February – the Battle of Paardeberg – and the 27th February, when Cronje surrendered, The Kings Own Scottish Borderers were several times sharply engaged. Particularly on the 23rd and did most excellent work in repelling and defeating the Boer forces coming to Cronje’s assistance. Two Officers, 2 non-commissioned Officer and 1 Private were mentioned in Lord Roberts’ dispatch of 31st March 1900.

On the 7th on March the battle of Poplars Grove. In his dispatch of 15th March Lord Roberts said “The 14th Brigade of the 7th Division, with its Brigade Division of Field Artillery, Nesbitt’s Horse and the New South Wales and Queensland Mounted Infantry was ordered to march East along the South bank of the river for the purpose of threatening the enemy, distracting attention from the main attack on Table Mountain and assisting the Cavalry in preventing the Boers from crossing the river at the Poplar Grove Drift”

The army halted at Poplars Grove on the 8th and 9th March whereupon Lord Roberts issued his instructions for the next advance in three columns on Bloemfontein. Lieutenant General Tucker commanded the right or southern most column consisting of the 7th Division, 3rd cavalry Brigade and Ridley’s Brigade of Mounted Infantry and he was commanded to march via Petrusburg, Driekop, Panfontein to Venter’s Vlei, 18 miles from Bloemfontein, in four marches. After the battle of Driefontein or Abraham’s Kraal had been fought on 10th March by the Left and Centre columns Lord Roberts asked Lieutenant General Tucker to halt his force at Driekop. The Division did not reach Bloemfontein until 14th March, Lord Roberts having entered the town on the 13th March 1900.

In the action at Karee Siding, fought on the 19th March 1900, to clear some hills held by the Boers North of Bloemfontein, the KOSB had very heavy work losing 1 Officer and 14 men killed and 3 Officers and 42 men wounded.

In July 1900 a fresh Brigade was put together under Colonel G G Cunningham DSO of the Derbyshire Regiment. This Brigade consisted of the KOSB, 2nd Berkshire, 1st border and 1st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Regiments. Along with Hickman’s mounted Infantry, the Canadian and Elswick batteries this force was placed under the command of Lieutenant general Ian Hamilton. His force was ordered on 16th July to go 25 miles North of Pretoria then swinging to its right it formed the extreme left of the Army for the Eastern advance. On 22nd July the force was 7 miles North of Bronkhorst Spruit and on the 15th Balmoral was occupied.

Immediately after this Hamilton’s force was ordered back to Pretoria to operate against the Boers in the Rustenburg District. He left Pretoria on 1st august and on the 2nd had some stiff fighting at Uitval’s Nek where “the troops behaved splendidly”.

The KOSB got back to Pretoria about the end of August after a march which all who took part in it will remember on the account of the extreme modesty of the rations. So scanty was the supply that before Pretoria was reached the health and fitness of the Brigade was becoming affected. After two days rest and refitting the column set off towards another destination, Belfast on the Delagoa line. The Battalion like many other Reg9iments was told off to garrison some stations and posts on that railway line. Twelve Officer and twenty non-Commissioned Officers and men were mentioned in Lord Roberts’ final despatch.

During the course of the war the battalion were awarded 1 Victoria Cross, 1 commander of the Bath, 7 Distinguished Service Orders and 13 Distinguished Conduct Medals. The Battalion was involved in major operations at Waterval Drift, Paardeberg, Poplar Grove, Karee Sidings and Vlakfontein. They suffered 7 Officers and 45 Other Ranks Killed In Action, 4 Officer and 81 Other Ranks dying of disease, 5 Officers and 90 Other Ranks wounded and 18 other Ranks missing or taken prisoner.

In 1901 the Battalion was brought into Pretoria and early in May was taken to Krugersdorp. At Nauwpoort Nek they joined a column under Brigadier General Dixon, himself an old Borderer. At Vlakfontein on 29th May 1901 the force was fiercely attacked. Four companies of the KOSB were present at during this attack. Colonel Kekewich who had commanded at Kimberley took over the column which continued to hunt the kloofs, dongas and spruits of the Megaliesberg with wonderful success.

In September 1901 the Battalion relieved the West Yorkshire Regiment on the Mooi River blockhouse line. In January 1902 the battalion garrisoned a new blockhouse line on which several attacks were made during the Months of April and May. On the 13th May President Shalk-Burgher, Generals Delarey, Kemp and Celhers and other prominent Boers, came into the blockhouse line and were escorted to Krugersdorp on the way to the peace discussion.

The Mounted Infantry Company of the regiment did much hard work and had some stiff fighting particularly at Lambrechtfontein, Orange River Colony, 18th may 1901 where they had eight casualties. In the final despatch three Officers and 3 non-commissioned Officers of the Battalion were mentioned. During the course of the war the battalion were awarded 1 Victoria Cross, 1 commander of the Bath, 7 Distinguished Service Orders and 13 Distinguished Conduct Medals. The Battalion was involved in major operations at Waterval Drift, Paardeberg, Poplar Grove, Karee Sidings and Vlakfontein.

They suffered 7 Officers and 45 Other Ranks Killed In Action, 4 Officer and 81 Other Ranks dying of disease, 5 Officers and 90 Other Ranks wounded and 18 other Ranks missing or taken prisoner.

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 MEDICAL INFORMATION

The following medical information was taken from Medical History records recorded during Sergeant George Heath’s time in the service:

Location or Ship----------Date of Arrival--------------Ailment--------No of Days------Treatment- Date of Discharge

Loos-------------------25 Sep 1915----------------GSW Left Leg--------7-----------------1 October 1916

Hospital Ship: St George----2 Oct 1915-----------------GSW Left Leg--------1-----------------2 October 1916

Derby Royal Infirmary-----3 Oct 1915-----------------GSW Left Leg-------388---------------26 October 1916

Total number of days in Hospital: 396

Treatment for the gunshot wound to his left leg involved a total of 396 days during his period of military service.

MARRIAGE AND PERSONAL INFORMATION

At some point after his return from South Africa in 1902 George Heath married Charlotte Ann. Research is very incomplete in this area of his life at present. However, research is still ongoing.

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DISCHARGE

Upon Sergeant George Heath’s final discharge from the British Army his total service was reckoned as shown in the table below:

Home or Overseas From: To: Years Days

Home 9 April 1890 9 December 1890 0 Years 245 Days

Malta 10 December 1890 6 March 1892 1 Year 88 Days

India 7 March 1892 23 March 1898 6 Years 17 Days

Home (Army Reserve) 24 March 1898 17 December 1899 1 Year 269 Days

Home 18 December 1899 3 January 1900 0 Years 17 Days

South Africa 4 January 1900 26 June 1902 2 Years 174 Days

Home 27 June 1902 2 July 1902 0 Years 7 Days

Home 10 September 1914 11 May 1915 0 Years 244 Days

F&F 12 May 1915 2 October 1915 0 Years 144 Days

Home 3 October 1915 19 October 1916 1 Year 17 Days

F&F 20 October 1916 9 January 1918 1 Year 82 Days

Home 10 January 1918 26 March 1918 0 Years 76 Days

Total Overseas Service: 11 Years 140 Days

Total Service: 15 Years 285 Days

POST SERVICE LIFE

Sergeant George Heath had three ‘bouts’ of Post Army life, being recalled to the Colours twice (for the Boer War and First World War).

At the end of his first period of engagement in 1898 he joined The Corps of Commissionaires, London Division. His employment began on 19th April 1898 and he was allocated The Corps number 784. Unfortunately for Commissionaire George Heath his employment was interrupted by the Boer War in South Africa. He was recalled to the Colours and posted to the 1st Battalion the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and left for South Africa on 3rd January 1900.

The Corps of Commissionaires as an employer of only ex-military men kept his job in London open for him for his safe return from South Africa. He returned to this job and his second ‘bout’ of Post Army Life, in London on 2nd July 1902. At this stage George Heath decided to resign from The Corps of Commissionaires with effect from 29th August 1902. Unfortunately The Corps of Commissionaires historical records are kept by the Local Authorities in London and are not catalogued nor is there any prospect of this being done in the near future.

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FURTHER FAMILY INFORMATION

From initial research carried out from the Census Records it would appear that George Heath came from a family that devoted much service to the British Army. His Grandfather, Joseph Heath, was known to have served with the 23rd Regiment of Foot, The Royal Welch Fusiliers from 1813 until wounded at Waterloo and discharged from service in 1815. His occupation is listed on the 1841 census as being a Chelsea Pensioner. The 1901 Census records list his brother Gideon Heath occupation as that of Commissionaire. At this stage in The Corps of Commissionaires history they only employed ex-military men.

TROOP TRANSPORTS

SS Braemar Castle

The Braemar Castle was built on the Clyde by Barclay, Curle and Co for the castle Line shipping company in 1898. She was an intermediate steamer of 6266 gross tons, 450 foot in length and a 52.2 foot beam. With one funnel, four masts, single screw with a top speed of 15 knots, she carried 60 1st class and 120 2nd class passengers. She was principally used on the UK – South Africa service. In 1900 she was employed as a troop transport ship for the Boer War. She stayed in service for the duration. In 1909 she was used as a peacetime troopship principally to the East Indies.

At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 she became a cross channel trooper for the British Expeditionary Force and in 1915 took part in the Gallipoli Campaign before being converted to a 421 bed Hospital Ship. She was mined in 1916 and repaired in La Spezia. During the Russian Civil War she was stationed at Murmansk and in 1921 evacuated sick, wounded and non-Russian medics from Archangel. During her time as a Hospital Ship she carried an amazing 2,600,000 patients. She was scrapped in Italy in 1924.

REFERENCES

Sources: Printed Works:

Woollcombe, Robert, All the Blue Bonnets, The History of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, London : Arms and Armour Press, 1980.

Official Documents and Records:

The National Archives: WO Series

Medal Index Cards: Ancestry.co.uk

Soldiers Service papers: Ancestry.co.uk

Census Records: Ancestry.co.uk

post-11-1218358526.jpg

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FURTHER INFORMATION

Joseph Heath: Grandfather

A copy of Joseph Heath's Discharge papers was obtained from the National Archives. These are transcribed below:

PAGE 1

His Majesty's 23rd Regiment of Foot (or) Royal Welch Fusiliers, whereby General Richard Grenville is Colonel.

These are to certify that Private Joseph Heath in Captain ????? Company in the Regiment aforesaid; born in the Parish of Wantage in or near the Town of Wantage in the County of Berks - hath served in the said Regiment for the space of three years and twenty four days as likewise in thee ???? according to the following statement but in consequence of a gun shot wound in the head received at the Battle of Waterloo 18 June 1815 is considered unfit for further service and is hereby discharged.

Having first received all just demands of Pay, Clothing etc from his entry into the said Regiment to the date of this discharge as appears by the receipt on the back hereof. And to prevent any improper use being made of this discharge by its falling into other hands the following is a description of the said Private Joseph Heath. He is about twenty two years of age, five foot five and a half inches in height, brown hair, grey eyes, fresh complexion and by trade a weaver.

Statement of Service

Paid - From - 1 April 1813

Paid - To - 24 April 1816

Private - 3 years 24 days

Total Service - 3 years 24 days

Given under my hand and seal of the Regiment at ????? this 24th day of April 1816

Signature

Lt Col

Private Joseph Heath has not been clothed at the Regiment for the present year 1816

PAGE 2

23rd Foot

General Grenville

Joseph Heath

Aged 22

Served 3 5/12 }

Waterloo 2 } 5 5/12

Wound in the head received at Waterloo

Wantage Berks

Weaver

I Joseph Heath do acknowledge that I have received all my Clothing, Pay, Arrears of Pay and all just ???? whatsoever from the time of my enlisting in the Regiment mentioned on the other side to this day of my discharge.

As written my hand this 24th day of April 1816

Signatures J Heath & ????

I do hereby certify that the cause which has rendered ???? to discharge the above mentioned Joseph Heath as stated on the opposite side has not arisen from vice or ???? and that he is not to my knowledge incapacitated by the cause ???? ???? of a General Court Martial from receiving his Pension.

Signature

Lt Col

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  • 9 years later...

That's an excellent group Graeme, K.O.S.B. and Corps of Commissionaires, can't think of anything else much more up your street, Sergeant Heath certainly did his bit for the Empire. 

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  • Kenny Andrew pinned this topic

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