HAROLD JENNINGS SEDGWICK and CLAUDE HAROLD ANNESLEY are the same person.
No doubt Claude/Harold would never in his wildest imagination have thought that his past would catch up with him.
From research it would seem that Soldier Number 20333 could have originally enlisted in the King’s Dragoon Guards. At the time of the outbreak of the Boer War, and Prince of Wales Light Horse Brigade were in Australia. Had he heard tales from other members about Australia?
They returned to South Africa and joined with the King’s Dragoon Guards to form the Prince of Wales Light Horse Brigade.
In 1902 he was promoted to Second Lieutenant. In January 1903 he was court marshaled and cashiered out of the Army.
What happened to Harold at this stage in his life? Did he now become the "black sheep" of the family, and do what hundreds of others did, hopped on a ship and hoped to begin a new life in a new country with a new name.
He wasn't the first to do so.
The Hon Arthur Annesley listed above was a 2nd Lieutenant, in the 10th (Prince of Wales’s Own Royal) Hussars. Arthur was born around 1881, never married and was killed in WWI in 1914.
He could not possibly have been Claude’s father.
Lord Valentia was seconded for service with the Imperial Yeomanry in the Second Boer War,and left for South Africa in the SS Scot in late January.
************************************************
The conflict is commonly referred to as The Boer War but is also known as the South African War outside South Africa, the Anglo-Boer War among most South Africans, and in Afrikaans as the Anglo-Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog ("Second War of Liberation" or lit. "Second Freedom War") or the Engelse oorlog (English War).
The Second Boer War and the earlier, much less well known, First Boer War (December 1880 to March 1881) are collectively known as the Boer Wars.
From the Anglo Boer War Website in relation to the Prince of Wale's Light Horse.
http://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/south-african-units/455-prince-of-wales-light-horse
In the despatch of 8th March 1901 Lord Kitchener dealt with the entry of De Wet into Cape Colony in the beginning of February, the pursuit by British columns, and his subsequent expulsion.
Lord Kitchener mentioned that the 1st King's Dragoon Guards, newly arrived from England, the Prince of Wales's Light Horse, then recently raised at Cape Town, and 'G' Battery RHA, had been put under Colonel Bethune, and had assembled at Naauwpoort. The Prince of Wales's Light Horse was engaged near Colesberg about 12th February. The 3rd Dragoon Guards afterwards joined the column.
When De Wet moved west from the Colesberg district, Bethune's force also crossed the De Aar line, and the pursuit was continued through Britstown, and afterwards in a northerly direction to the Hopetown district. In this pursuit all De Wet's waggons, his guns, and most of his ammunition were taken. The hard riding involved a terrible strain on the pursuing columns, horses falling daily by the score. The newly raised and newly arrived troops naturally felt the strain very severely, but all stuck to their work well.
The despatch of 8th May mentioned that Colonel Bethune's brigade "left Orange River on 1st March, and two days later attacked and dispersed a body of about 1000 Boers at Open Baar. The brigade moved north-east, and reached the Modder River, near Abraham's Kraal, on the 8th. On this date the Boers attacked an empty convoy returning from Colonel Bethune's column to Bloemfontein. The escort held its own, and being reinforced by a detachment of the Prince of Wales's Light Horse, drove off the enemy".
Colonel Bethune's Brigade now moved to the northeast of the Orange River Colony, where, under the general direction of Major General Elliot, they and numerous other columns took part in many operations (see despatches of 8th July and subsequent dates). During March and April the corps suffered casualties on several occasions. On 31st March Lieutenant C F Berry was killed.
The despatch of 8th July shows the Prince of Wales's Light Horse to have been 500 strong shortly before that date. The corps was afterwards taken to Cape Colony, where they had a good deal of skirmishing, and on 14th November suffered casualties near Brande Kraal and Vogelfontein, including Captain E T Chittinden wounded.
Captain F B Hughes was mentioned in the despatch of 8th December 1901 for dash and gallantry.
Lt-Col E. C. Bethune, commanding
Bethune's Mounted Infantry. Bethune
was an unusual cavalryman having lost
his right hand earlier in pre-war India.
(From Robinson's Celebrities of the Army, 1900).
Many Australians joined in the Boer War, and in fact many joined the same regiment as Harold.
In January 1901 The King’s Dragoon Guards returned to Aldershot prior to embarking on the 8th of that month in the ‘Maplemore’ for South Africa, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Mostyn Owen. But a detachment of the KDG commanded by Lieutenant Wayte Wood had gone to Australia to take part in the Centennial celebrations, as part of the Imperial Representative Corps. On 1 January 1901 they ‘processed through the streets of Sydney - received great reception - unparalleled enthusiasm of people - crowds, on the 17th they were in Brisbane, where they received a telegram from the War Office, ‘Detachment K.D.G.s proceed Cape direct as soon as possible'.
However, from Brisbane they went to Hobart and then Melbourne, where they boarded the Orient on 15 February, arriving at Cape Town on 8 March. It was July before this detachment caught up with the main body of the regiment up country.
Ten months later, in November 1901 the Queen’s Bays sailed in the troopships ‘Orotava’ and ‘Fortunants’ from Southampton for South Africa. They landed at Cape Town on 6 December with strength of 24 officers and 513 men, 43 chargers and 445 troop horses. Lieutenant Colonel Dewar was in command, with lieutenant Colonel Fanshawe, Major J. A. Walker, and Captains T. Ward and R. D. Herron as the senior officers.
The King’s Dragoon Guards on arrival, like all other reinforcements, had to move north by rail to join the army. The first sign that they were nearing the field of operations was their coming to the railhead of De Aar, described by one officer:
At its best De Aar is a miserable place. Not made - only thrown at the hillside, and allowed by negligence and indifference to slip into the nearest hollow. Too far from the truncated kopjes to reap any benefit from them.
Close enough to feel the radiation of a sledgehammer sun from their bevelled summits - close enough in summer to be the channel of every scorching blast, in winter every icy draught. Pestilential place, goal of whirlwinds and dust devils, ankle-deep in desert drift, as comfortless by night as day.
Here the KDG were formed into a cavalry brigade with the Prince of Wales’s Light Horse, and ‘G’ Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery, who had come down from Pretoria; the whole under command of Colonel E. C. Bethune. The brigade, later joined by the 3rd Dragoon Guards, was to be employed in chasing the elusive Boer Commando commanded by De Wet.
The KDG concentrated at Naauport in the Orange Free State, with two squadrons detached to reinforce the column commanded by General Plumer. De Wet had invaded Cape Province with from 2,500 to 3,000 men plus some artillery, and Plumer had located him at Philipstown, scaring him into a retreat towards De Aar and the Orange River Railway. Kitchener thought that he had managed to surround the area in which De Wet was operating, but the Boer leader, doubling back on his tracks, was too wily to be caught.
Late in the afternoon of 13 February Plumer found De Wet laagered at De Put. The weather had broken and both sides halted knee deep in water. The rain continued to pour down all night. The following morning Plumer attacked the Boers, holding them to their position, with The King’s Dragoon Guards and the Imperial Light Horse containing them in front while he turned the Boer line from the west. The Boers then sent off their waggons, following them round to Bas-Berg, but the pursuit was bogged down by yet another storm and progress on the veldt hampered by mud two feet deep.
On 16 and 17 February the chase was continued, but De Wet had doubled back north towards the Orange Free State, where he was briefly contacted by Plumer as he rested his tired commando at Gras-Pan. The contact was made by a small party of the KDG, who attacked a Boer rearguard position unsupported and were all captured. The pressure on De Wet was such, however, that once he had disarmed the prisoners and taken their horses, he let them go.
On the 21st intelligence was received that De Wet’s guns were just ahead of the column at Slyp-Steen, and that their animals were exhausted. The troop horses of the KDG were also near foundering, but the advance was pushed on, with the KDG in the lead.
After a chase of three hours Colonel Mostyn Owen sighted two guns ahead on the road to Disselfontein, surrounded by a body of Boers. In spite of the fact that the pace of the pursuit had foundered many of the regiment’s horses, at the sight of the column bearing down on them as they prepared to laager, the Boers panicked and fled.
By nightfall, when Plumer’s column had joined Bethune’s at Disselfontein, two guns and their ammunition carts and 102 burghers had been captured.
Harold Jennings Sedgwick certainly was in the Boer War, but whether he was medically unfit, or suffered from malaria, or any other condition, those records are not available..
Transcripts from Court Martial of Harold Jennings Sedgwick
From the National Archives Kew, England
Judge Advocate General’s Office
7 Victoria Street
Westminister S.W. 17 December, 1902
My Lord
I have the honour to enclose the proceeding of the General Court Marshal held for the trial of the Officer named in the margin and I have to acquaint Your Lordship that I have, in a written communication, submitted to The King my opinion that the Proceeding, Findings and Sentence of the Court were legal.
I have etc,
(Sd) J. Scott
D.J.A.G.
Commander in Chief.
(Named in the margin 2nd Lieut H.J. Sedgwick, Army Service Corps.
The documents are written on a dark background, probably sepia or parchment, and do not scan very well. The writing style is certainly quite beautiful, and fully legible considering this happened 110 years ago. KH
Journal Entry
Where received
|
Rank
|
Name
|
Regiment
|
Where held
|
Date of trial
| |
Dec 15
|
2nd Lieut
|
H.J. Sedgwick
|
A.S.C.
|
Pretoria
|
Nov 19
| |
Laid before the King
|
Nature of Charge
|
Sentence
|
Remitted
| |
Embezzling public money
|
Cashiered Forfeiture of medals
| ||
The following information was sent to the King:
Proceedings of a General Court Martial held in the trial of the under mentioned officer most humbly submitted to Your Majesty be The Right Honourable, The Judge Advocate General.
2nd Lieut H.J. Sedgwick,
Army Service Corps
Issued at Pretoria
19th November 1902
Charges
First – When charged with the care of public money embezzling the same in that he, at Pretoria on the 3rd October 1902 having received a cheque for Fifteen Hundred Pounds for public purposes, applied the cash to his own use
Second – When charged with the care of Public money, embezzling the same, in that her, at Pretoria between 15th September 1902 and 4th October 1902, when charged with the care of public money, having received the sum of Fifty four, Seven Hundred and Forty seven pounds twelve shillings and two pence to cash for public purposes applied Six hundred and three pounds and eight pence of the above amount to his own use.
Finding
The prisoner 2nd Lieut. H.J. Sedgwick, Army Service Corps is found guilty of all the charges.
Sentence
The Court sentence the prisoner 2nd Lieut H.J. Sedgwick, Army Service Corps, to be Cashiered, and to forfeit the Queen’s South African Medal and three Clasps, and the King’s South African Medal and two clasps to which he is entitled.
The Deputy Judge Advocate General humbly begs permission to inform Your Majesty that the proceedings, finding, and sentence are in his judgment legal.
********************************************************************************What happened to Harold at this stage in his life? Did he now become the "black sheep" of the family, and do what hundreds of others did, hopped on a ship and hoped to begin a new life in a new country with a new name.
He wasn't the first to do so.
But why did he choose to create an alias based on Hon Arthur Annesley as his father?
An Alias and a father’s name
Was there a Relationship between Claude Harold Annesley and Hon Arthur Annesley?
Not according to any historical resources. The only link between the two could have been during the Boer War.
The following members of the Annesley Family were enlisted in the Boer War.
Annear
|
John Charles
|
31
|
Occupation: Estate Agent. Address: Scallon Street .
Source: Attestation paper in WO126 | ||
Annear
|
Joseph
|
29068
|
Sergeant
|
Source: Nominal roll in WO127
| |
Annear
|
Samuel
|
31
|
Attested: Aug 1894. Source: CMP1
| ||
Annenberg
|
H B
|
Source: WO100/284
| |||
Annenson
|
I K
|
Source: QSA and KSA rolls
| |||
Annercan
|
F
|
A Division
Source: QSA and KSA medal rolls | |||
Annersen
|
K
|
Source: QSA and KSA rolls
| |||
Annesley
|
Arthur James P
|
Captain
|
No known Company. Served in 25th Btn IY
Source: QSA Medal Rolls | ||
Annesley
|
F D J
|
Captain
|
Source: QSA Medal Rolls
| ||
Annesley
|
Hon Arthur
|
Second Lieutenant
|
QSA (3).
Source: QSA medal rolls | ||
Annesley
|
J
|
4653
|
Private
|
5th Battalion
Source: QSA roll | |
Annesley
|
James Howard A
|
Captain
|
QSA (6).
Source: QSA medal rolls | ||
Annesley
|
James Howard Adolphus
|
Captain
|
ANNESLEY, JAMES HOWARD ADOLPHUS, Captain, was born 3 March, 1868, son of Captain F G Annesley, 28th Regiment, and cousin of the 5th Earl Annesley. He was educated at Eastman's Royal Naval Academy; joined the 18th Hussars, and served five years and thirty days in the ranks; became Second Lieutenant 15 February 1893, and was promoted to Lieutenant 6 April, 1898; served as ADC to GOC, Tirah Field Force, throughout the Expedition, 1897-98, being present at the actions of Chagra Kotal and Dargai; capture of the Arhanga and Sampagha Passes; reconnaissance of the Saran Sar and action of 9 November 1897; operations at and around Dwatoi and action of 24 November 1897; operations against the Khani Khel Chamkanis; operations in the Bara Valley 7 to 14 December 1897; operations in the Bazar Valley 25 to 30 December 1897 (Despatches [London Gazette, 5 April, 1898]; Medal with two clasps). He was ADC to the Lieutenant Governor, Punjab, 5 March 1897 to 3 October 1899; became Captain 4 July 1900.
He served in the South African War as Adjutant, Bethune's Mounted Infantry, 20 November 1899 to November 1900, and was afterwards employed with the Imperial Yeomanry. He was present at the Relief of Ladysmith, including the action at Colenso; operations of 17 to 24 January 1900 and action at Spion Kop; operations of 5 to 7 February 1900, and action at Vaal Kranz; operations on Tugela Heights 14 to 27 February 1900; operations in Natal, March to June 1900, including action at Laing's Nek; operations in Orange River Colony, May to 29 November 1900; operations in the Transvaal, May and July 1901; operations in Orange River Colony, February 1901, to 31 May 1902; operations on the Zululand Frontier of Natal in September and October 1901; operations in Cape Colony, February 1901. He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 8 February 1901]; received the Queen's Medal with six clasps, the King's Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 19 April, 1901]: "James Howard Adolphus Annesley, Captain, 3rd Dragoon Guards. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The Insignia were presented by His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall and York 14 August 1901. He served as Captain, Imperial Yeomanry, from 27 July 1901 to 13 March, 1902. Captain Annesley was promoted Major into the 6th Dragoon Guards 11 October 1905, being at that time Staff Captain, Pretoria Sub-District, South Africa, 16 May 1904 to 10 February 1906. Major Annesley was Brigade Major, India, 13 August 1906 to 16 February 1909; DAAG, India, 17 February to 3 September 1909, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, 6th Dragoon Guards, 1 May 1913. He served in the European War as Camp Commandant (graded as AAG) from 29 November 1914; special appointment 17 February to 13 June, 1915; AA and QMG from 14 June, 1915. For his services in this war he was created a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. He was wounded. Lieutenant Colonel J H A Annesley married Helene Marie, daughter of C E Johnston. He died 22 April 1919.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | ||
Annesley
|
William Richard Norton
|
Lieutenant
|
He was born at Colchester 12 June 1863, eldest son of Major General W R Annesley and Isabel, daughter of the Honourable and Reverend James Norton, of Anningsly Park, Ottershaw. He was educated at Cheltenham College, and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and joined the Yorkshire Regt 6 February 1884, as Lieutenant, and was transferred to the Royal West Kent Regiment 27 February 1884. He was employed in the Egyptian Army 27 November 1888 to 6 October 1890, and served in the Sudan in 1885 and 1880 with the Frontier Field Force, and was present at the attack on Ambigole Wells and the action at Ginniss. He was mentioned in Despatches, received the Medal, the Bronze Star, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 26 November 1886]: “William Richard Norton Annesley, Lieutenant, Royal West Kent Regiment. For the action at Ginniss”. He was Staff Officer at Assouan for the operations at Toski. He became Captain 15 July 1891, and Major 16 July 1902, and retired 15 December 1905, joining the Reserve of Officers. He died 29 November 1914.
DSO (gold), Egypt (0) undated (Lt 1/RWK Regt), Khedive Star 1884-86. Glendining May 86 £1,600. Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | ||
Annett
|
A
|
1156
|
Trooper
|
Source: Nominal roll in WO127
| |
Annett
|
Arthur
|
Source: QSA and KSA medal rolls
|
The Hon Arthur Annesley listed above was a 2nd Lieutenant, in the 10th (Prince of Wales’s Own Royal) Hussars. Arthur was born around 1881, never married and was killed in WWI in 1914.
Captain Hon. Arthur Annesley, 10th Hussars, who has been killed in
action, is the eldest son of Viscount Valentia, and entered the service
in April, 1900, being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant the following
year and obtaining his Captaincy in 1907.
He served in the South African
War, taking part in the operations in the Transvaal from October to
November, 1900, also in the Transvaal from the 30th November, 1900, to
July, 1901. He was in Cape Colony from July, 1901, to March, 1902. He
was awarded the Queen's Medal with three clasps and the King's Medal
with two clasps.
He could not possibly have been Claude’s father.
Harold Jennings Sedgwick was enlisted in the Prince of Wales Light Horse Brigade. His soldier number was 20333. Was this where he had met an Hon Arthur Annesley? Were they friends in the Boer War? Or had he had some dealings with Arthur's father, another Hon Arthur Annesley,
Lord Valentia was seconded for service with the Imperial Yeomanry in the Second Boer War,and left for South Africa in the SS Scot in late January.
From his service record it indicates he was in the Welsh Regiment and/or 1st Brabant’s Horse.
The Second Boer War (Dutch: Tweede Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: Tweede Vryheidsoorlog or Tweede Boereoorlog) was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) and the Orange Free State. It ended with a British victory and the annexation of both republics by the British Empire; both would eventually be incorporated into the Union of South Africa, a dominion of the British Empire, in 1910.The conflict is commonly referred to as The Boer War but is also known as the South African War outside South Africa, the Anglo-Boer War among most South Africans, and in Afrikaans as the Anglo-Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog ("Second War of Liberation" or lit. "Second Freedom War") or the Engelse oorlog (English War).
The Second Boer War and the earlier, much less well known, First Boer War (December 1880 to March 1881) are collectively known as the Boer Wars.
From the Anglo Boer War Website in relation to the Prince of Wale's Light Horse.
http://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/south-african-units/455-prince-of-wales-light-horse
In the despatch of 8th March 1901 Lord Kitchener dealt with the entry of De Wet into Cape Colony in the beginning of February, the pursuit by British columns, and his subsequent expulsion.Lord Kitchener mentioned that the 1st King's Dragoon Guards, newly arrived from England, the Prince of Wales's Light Horse, then recently raised at Cape Town, and 'G' Battery RHA, had been put under Colonel Bethune, and had assembled at Naauwpoort. The Prince of Wales's Light Horse was engaged near Colesberg about 12th February. The 3rd Dragoon Guards afterwards joined the column.
When De Wet moved west from the Colesberg district, Bethune's force also crossed the De Aar line, and the pursuit was continued through Britstown, and afterwards in a northerly direction to the Hopetown district. In this pursuit all De Wet's waggons, his guns, and most of his ammunition were taken. The hard riding involved a terrible strain on the pursuing columns, horses falling daily by the score. The newly raised and newly arrived troops naturally felt the strain very severely, but all stuck to their work well.
The despatch of 8th May mentioned that Colonel Bethune's brigade "left Orange River on 1st March, and two days later attacked and dispersed a body of about 1000 Boers at Open Baar. The brigade moved north-east, and reached the Modder River, near Abraham's Kraal, on the 8th. On this date the Boers attacked an empty convoy returning from Colonel Bethune's column to Bloemfontein. The escort held its own, and being reinforced by a detachment of the Prince of Wales's Light Horse, drove off the enemy".
Colonel Bethune's Brigade now moved to the northeast of the Orange River Colony, where, under the general direction of Major General Elliot, they and numerous other columns took part in many operations (see despatches of 8th July and subsequent dates). During March and April the corps suffered casualties on several occasions. On 31st March Lieutenant C F Berry was killed.
The despatch of 8th July shows the Prince of Wales's Light Horse to have been 500 strong shortly before that date. The corps was afterwards taken to Cape Colony, where they had a good deal of skirmishing, and on 14th November suffered casualties near Brande Kraal and Vogelfontein, including Captain E T Chittinden wounded.
Captain F B Hughes was mentioned in the despatch of 8th December 1901 for dash and gallantry.
Many Australians joined in the Boer War, and in fact many joined the same regiment as Harold.
In January 1901 The King’s Dragoon Guards returned to Aldershot prior to embarking on the 8th of that month in the ‘Maplemore’ for South Africa, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Mostyn Owen. But a detachment of the KDG commanded by Lieutenant Wayte Wood had gone to Australia to take part in the Centennial celebrations, as part of the Imperial Representative Corps. On 1 January 1901 they ‘processed through the streets of Sydney - received great reception - unparalleled enthusiasm of people - crowds, on the 17th they were in Brisbane, where they received a telegram from the War Office, ‘Detachment K.D.G.s proceed Cape direct as soon as possible'.
However, from Brisbane they went to Hobart and then Melbourne, where they boarded the Orient on 15 February, arriving at Cape Town on 8 March. It was July before this detachment caught up with the main body of the regiment up country.
Ten months later, in November 1901 the Queen’s Bays sailed in the troopships ‘Orotava’ and ‘Fortunants’ from Southampton for South Africa. They landed at Cape Town on 6 December with strength of 24 officers and 513 men, 43 chargers and 445 troop horses. Lieutenant Colonel Dewar was in command, with lieutenant Colonel Fanshawe, Major J. A. Walker, and Captains T. Ward and R. D. Herron as the senior officers.
The King’s Dragoon Guards on arrival, like all other reinforcements, had to move north by rail to join the army. The first sign that they were nearing the field of operations was their coming to the railhead of De Aar, described by one officer:At its best De Aar is a miserable place. Not made - only thrown at the hillside, and allowed by negligence and indifference to slip into the nearest hollow. Too far from the truncated kopjes to reap any benefit from them.
Close enough to feel the radiation of a sledgehammer sun from their bevelled summits - close enough in summer to be the channel of every scorching blast, in winter every icy draught. Pestilential place, goal of whirlwinds and dust devils, ankle-deep in desert drift, as comfortless by night as day.
Here the KDG were formed into a cavalry brigade with the Prince of Wales’s Light Horse, and ‘G’ Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery, who had come down from Pretoria; the whole under command of Colonel E. C. Bethune. The brigade, later joined by the 3rd Dragoon Guards, was to be employed in chasing the elusive Boer Commando commanded by De Wet.The KDG concentrated at Naauport in the Orange Free State, with two squadrons detached to reinforce the column commanded by General Plumer. De Wet had invaded Cape Province with from 2,500 to 3,000 men plus some artillery, and Plumer had located him at Philipstown, scaring him into a retreat towards De Aar and the Orange River Railway. Kitchener thought that he had managed to surround the area in which De Wet was operating, but the Boer leader, doubling back on his tracks, was too wily to be caught.
Late in the afternoon of 13 February Plumer found De Wet laagered at De Put. The weather had broken and both sides halted knee deep in water. The rain continued to pour down all night. The following morning Plumer attacked the Boers, holding them to their position, with The King’s Dragoon Guards and the Imperial Light Horse containing them in front while he turned the Boer line from the west. The Boers then sent off their waggons, following them round to Bas-Berg, but the pursuit was bogged down by yet another storm and progress on the veldt hampered by mud two feet deep.
On 16 and 17 February the chase was continued, but De Wet had doubled back north towards the Orange Free State, where he was briefly contacted by Plumer as he rested his tired commando at Gras-Pan. The contact was made by a small party of the KDG, who attacked a Boer rearguard position unsupported and were all captured. The pressure on De Wet was such, however, that once he had disarmed the prisoners and taken their horses, he let them go.
On the 21st intelligence was received that De Wet’s guns were just ahead of the column at Slyp-Steen, and that their animals were exhausted. The troop horses of the KDG were also near foundering, but the advance was pushed on, with the KDG in the lead.After a chase of three hours Colonel Mostyn Owen sighted two guns ahead on the road to Disselfontein, surrounded by a body of Boers. In spite of the fact that the pace of the pursuit had foundered many of the regiment’s horses, at the sight of the column bearing down on them as they prepared to laager, the Boers panicked and fled.
By nightfall, when Plumer’s column had joined Bethune’s at Disselfontein, two guns and their ammunition carts and 102 burghers had been captured.
Harold Jennings Sedgwick certainly was in the Boer War, but whether he was medically unfit, or suffered from malaria, or any other condition, those records are not available..
A great many soldiers were however extremely ill with dysentery.
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