Hollingsworth, Frederick Edgar (brother of Percy)

Lance Corporal, Trumpeter 3361

3rd (Kings Own) Hussars

Survived

Frederick was born in Fulham on the 6th of June 1879. This date was taken from the 1939 register. He was the son of Alexander and Emily nee Johnson. He was the 7^th child of eight born to the couple. Frederick’s father was employed as an umbrella maker.

When the 1881 census was taken the family were living at 3, Britannia Place, Chelsea, and Frederick was aged two. Charles Booth described this street as the worst in the area, filthy with many prostitutes. The houses had broken windows and children in the street were all dirty and unkempt. The road was coloured dark blue on the poverty map signifying very poor, casual, and people suffering chronic want.

In 1886 Frederick’s father died and by 1891 Frederick was resident in Beechholme then known as the Kensington and Chelsea District School having been transferred there on the 18th of July 1890 from the  branch school.

He was discharged to the army on the 29th of May 1893 and enlisted on the same day in London. His attestation gives his age as fourteen years and eleven months and his occupation was listed as musician. He was 4 feet 10 ¾ inches tall and weighed 96 pounds. He was fair complexioned with brown eyes and auburn hair. He had a scar on his left forearm. His next of kin was given as his mother, and his younger brother Percy is mentioned.

The 3^rd Hussars regiment sailed from India arriving in Durban in December 1901. After being stationed in the Newcastle district of Natal for a short time, they and the 20^th Hussars were brigaded under Colonel Nixon and were employed in the last great drives chiefly in the extreme north east of the Orange River Colony when many of the enemy were taken. This column was responsible for many of those captured, and in Lord Kitchener’s despatch of the 8^th of April 1902 he mentioned that “ Colonel Nixon reported the discovery of 3 Krupp field guns which were found hidden in the bed of a tributary of a vlei ( a shallow minor lake)” Dealing with an earlier drive Lord Kitchener stated that Colonel Nixon had on the night of the 26^th of February 1902 “ successfully repulsed an attack by a large enemy upon the line of the Cornelius river”.

From the “UK Military Campaign Medals and Awards “courtesy of Ancestry, Frederick was awarded the Queen’s South African medal with South African clasp 1902. It also states that he was invalided home. His pension records confirm that he was non-effective from 13/3/1902 at which time he held the rank of Lance Corporal. However, he must have recovered as he was then transferred to the 18^th Hussars later that year holding the same rank. He completed twelve years of service remaining at home up until the 3^rd of February 1906 when he was discharged as “free” . During this time he was awarded a long service medal and three good conduct medals.

On the 13^th of February 1906 Frederick re-enlisted into the Coldstream Guards where he continued serving, but remained in this country.

His records reveal that his mother was living at 66, Fulham Road. His younger brother Percy was serving with the 8^th Hussars and an older brother Charles was serving with the Cameroon Highlanders.

Frederick married Elizabeth Lacey at St Gabriel, Pimlico in 1907 and when the 1911 census was taken the couple were living at 130, Alderney Street, Pimlico. Frederick’s occupation is given as musician with the Coldstream Guards.

His service with the Guards ended in April 1917 when he was declared as being no longer physically fit for service.

Frederick’s first wife died in 1928 and he was to marry twice more and there do not appear to be any children from these marriages.

The 1939 register gives Frederick's address as 22, Margavine Gardens, Fulham where he was living with his wife Rose. His occupation was given as musician.

Frederick died on the 9^th of May 1952 in St Peter’s hospital. London. This hospital specialised in urological diseases, especially the treatment of bladder stones.

Frederick left £561 9s 11d to his surviving widow Alfreda.

Hollingsworth, Percy Rowland (brother of Frederick Edgar)

Lance Corporal, Trumpeter 3822

8th (Kings Royal Irish) Hussars

Survived

Percy Rowland Hollingsworth was born on the 20^th of December 1880 in Fulham. He was the youngest child of Alexander and Emily nee Johnson.

On the 1881 census Percy was two months old and living at 3, Britannia Place.

After the death of his father in 1886 Percy was living at home with his mother Emily in 3, Ernest Street, Kensington. This house was shared by three other families.

From Poor Law records Percy was admitted to the branch school on the 14th of August 1891 and transferred to Beechholme on the 11th of December the same year. His next of kin was given as his widowed mother Emily of 20, Uxbridge Street. Percy was discharged to service on the 28th of April 1896 to the 8th Hussars.

Percy enlisted on the 30^th of April 1896 at Leeds. His age was given as 15 years and 4 months and his occupation listed as musician. He had attended Banstead industrial school . He was 5 feet 1 inch in height and weighed 89 pounds. He had a fresh complexion with brown eyes and hair.. He had a mole in his left armpit and a scar behind his left knee.

He was appointed Bandsman on the 6^th of August 1897, Trumpeter on the 28^th of May 1898 and Lance Corporal on the 1^st of April 1906.

His South African service was from the 13^th of February 1900 until the 18^th of November 1903.

The 8^th Hussars sailed in February 1900 and arrived in South Africa at the beginning of March. Along with the 7^th Dragoon Guards and 14^th Hussars they formed the 4^th Cavalry Brigade under Brigadier General Dickson. The 4^th brigade  took part in the movement to the south east of Blomfontein commencing about the 21^st of April 1900 with the object of clearing the way to Wepener, then besieged that  place having been relieved on the 24^th of April. The cavalry under French marched to Thabanchu to clear that stronghold . The 4^th brigade were on the left in the action at Thabanchu and had a rather hard task. On the 1^st of May there was further fighting at Haut Nek, in which the 8^th Hussars had heavy work and did it well.

The 4^th brigade rejoined the main army on the 8^th of May along with the 1^st brigade and were both on the extreme left on the way to Pretoria. By the 10^th of June it became embarrassingly clear to Lord Roberts that the republican armies were not going to surrender despite the fall of their capitals. If that was not bad enough De Wet seemed to be spearheading some sort of resurgance in what is now called the Orange River Colony. So on the 11^th of June he attempted to crush the only significant force left in the Transvaal by doing battle with Louis Botha. If De Wit could breathe new life into the Burghers of the Free State then Louis Botha was doing his best to work the same miracle with the Transvaalers. Botha had managed to pull together about 4,000 men against Roberts’ 20,000. The two sides met at Diamond Hill 30 kilometers east of Pretoria and fought hard for 2 days. Roberts’ force was too strong and Botha retreated, but it was a positive Boer retreat. The casualties were light and the Boers had managed to thwart Roberts’ desire for a decisive result.

In the first quarter of 1901 the regiment was in the column of Colonel E.C.Knox, one of those which starting near Springs swept to the Swazi border. During the later phases of the war the eastern Transvaal to the borders of Zululand were the principal scenes of the 8^th Hussars operations, but a portion was for a time employed in the Orange River Colony.

Percy was awarded the Queens South African medal, the Kings South African medal with Johannesburg , Diamond Hill, Cape Colony and Orange Free State clasps.

Percy spent 52 days in hospital in Pretoria with a bad case of influenza but recovered and was discharged on the termination of his first period of engagement on the 29^th of April in 1908 at Colchester. His next of kin was given as his mother Emily who was living at 11, Buckingham Terrace, Westbourne Grove, Bayswater. His character was described as being very good. He had served in South Africa from the 13^th of February 1900 until the 18^th of November 1903.

On the 1911 census Percy was single and living at 14 Rutland Street, Knightsbridge with his married sister. He was aged 30 and a musician.

Percy never married and he re-enlisted on the 9^th of June 1916. He was a reservist and was called up for service on the 24^th of the same month into the Sussex Yeomanry as a yeomanry cyclist, probably as a messenger. He was living in Brighton at this time. There is no evidence that he served overseas during the Great War as no medal index card could be found.

In 1920 Percy enlisted for one year into the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars a territorial force.

Percy never married and he died in 1927 in the registration district of Chelsea. He was forty six years old.

Hornsby, Thomas Charles

Trumpeter 4392

2nd Royal Scots Greys (Dragoons of the Line)

Survived

Thomas Charles Hornsby was baptized on the 7^th of June 1883 at St Thomas Stepney. He was the only apparent child of Thomas and Martha nee Sparrow. At the time of his baptism the family were living at 16, Exmouth Court and Thomas senior was employed as a brush maker. By the time the 1891 census was taken young Thomas was living with his maternal grandparents Charles and Esther Sparrow also in Exmouth Court. Tragedy has struck young Thomas’ life as his mother Martha died in 1885 at the age of twenty-two. His father remarried and went on to have further children with his new wife but seemingly did not have any input in his young son’s upbringing as young Thomas had a spell in the workhouse in Stepney. It is not known when he was a resident in Beechholme and it seems unusual as he appears to reside out of the normal catchment area. He may have been a distant relation of Charles Hornsby whose name appears on the World War One school panel.

Thomas enlisted on the 11^th of August 1897 and his apparent age was 15 years and 6 months. This means that he was likely born in 1882 but not baptized until the following year. He stated that he didn’t know where he was born and his next of kin was given as his grandmother Mrs Sparrow. Thomas was described as being 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 87 pounds. He was dark complexioned with brown hair and eyes. He had a scar on his right eyebrow.                              

                                     Cap badge of the Royal Scots Greys.

The Royal Scots Greys history can be traced back to 1678 when three troops of mounted dragoons were raised in northern Britain. The regiment soon became known for its grey horses and the name stuck. Indeed during World War One it was recorded in a newspaper that because the colour of the horses stood out so much they were painted khaki! Another interesting fact about the regiment is that Tsar Nicholas II the last emperor of Russia was the Colonel In Chief until his execution by the Bolsheviks in 1917. In mourning for his death the regiment today wears a black felt backing behind their cap badge.

The motto of the regiment is “Nemo Me Impune Lacessit” which means “ Nobody touches me with impunity”

The regiment sailed on the British Princess Ranee and one other vessel arriving at the Cape about the 7^th of December 1899.

For a time they were employed in patrol work and in protecting the lines of communication between the Orange and Modder rivers. In 1900 when Lord Roberts was ready to move they were put into the 1^st Cavalry Brigade under Brigadier General Porter along with the 6^th Dragoons and two squadrons of Australians who were attached to the Greys. With the rest of the brigade the Royal Scots Greys took part in the Relief of Kimberley, the fighting on the way to Blomfontein and in the advance to Pretoria.

Outside Kimberley on the 16^th of February the regiment was engaged very heavily and Lieutenant Bunbury was mortally wounded. In July 1900 the Greys were ordered to occupy and hold certain passes in the Megaliesberg region. One squadron was left at Nitral Nek (a nek is a mountain col) where it was joined on the 11^th by Colonel Roberts and five companies of the Lincolns. Colonel Roberts took over the command and the disaster which occurred was due to the defective disposition of the officer in command. The troops made a good stand but the enemy captured nearly the whole company plus two guns of “O” Battery. Major Scobell fortunately escaped in a storm of bullets. Seeing that the Nek was only 18 miles from Pretoria it does seem strange that help could not be sent in time. Henceforth the regiment did excellent work with the Dragoon Guards in taking Barbeton in September 1900. Major Scobell and sixty of the Greys carried out a daring raid when vehicles containing hundreds of rifles and much ammunition was captured.

In the second phase of the campaign the Greys lost five killed and thirteen wounded on the 30^th of December 1901 at Gronfontein. In early 1902 being heavily engaged at Klippan, a portion of Scots Greys detached to one flank were surrounded, partially captured and suffered some casualties.

Thomas was awarded the Queens South African medal with Transvaal, Orange Free State and Cape Colony Clasps. Also the Kings South African medal with 1901 and 1902 clasps.

From Thomas’s pension records it is clear he was a career soldier and was re-engaged in 1909. He had married Hannah Davison Baston in Edinburgh in 1907 and the couple would have five children together. On the 1911 census the couple were living in York and Thomas is described as being a musician and Lance Corporal. He had risen through the ranks and by the time he served overseas in World War One he had risen to the rank of Sergeant. Thomas sailed with his regiment and landed in Le Havre on the 17^th of December 1916. The regiment were initially involved in piecemeal fashion. Like other cavalry regiments they contributed a troop to the frontline. In two months of action this line troop was active in raids and countering raids by the German army. In 1917 they were involved in action at Arras and CambraI and in 1918 in the fighting at St Quentin, the Retreat of the British after Operation Michael and the “100 Days”. The 100 days was the final phase of the war during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers from the 8^th of August 1918 until the 11^th of November 1918 . Beginning with the Battle of Amiens this offensive essentially pushed the Germans out of France forcing them to retreat beyond the Hindenberg Line and culminated in the Armistice.

From Thomas’s pension records it is clear that he was a well respected and well disciplined soldier. He incurred one minor injury during World War 1 that needed a brief hospital stay and right at the end of the war he contracted influenza. Again he was fortunate in that although he was hospitalised for three weeks he suffered no adverse affects . This at a time when fifty million were dying from the effects of the Spanish flu pandemic.

He was discharged from the army on the 19^th of June 1919. He was awarded a good conduct medal and a long service medal and for his service in the Great War the British and Victory medals.

From shipping records held by Ancestry Thomas and his wife and children emigrated to South Africa on the 16th of September 1921. They sailed on the SS Briton. His occupation was given as a musician.

Passenger ship records show that Thomas and Hannah Hornsby arrived at Southampton on the 8th June 1951, on the Pretoria Castle. Their port of departure was Durban, South Africa, and they gave an address in Edinburgh (c/o 34 Baronscourt Terrace) as their temporary place of residence. Thomas gave his occupation as a caretaker.

The couple retuned to CapeTown, South Africa, on the 13th August 1953 on the same vessel.

Thomas' date of death is unknown.

Horobin, Stanley William (probably known as William)

Trumpeter Private 4391

2nd Royal Scots Greys (Dragoons of the Line)

Survived

Stanley William Horobin was born on the 11^th of December 1883 in Kensington; this information was taken from Poor Law records. His older brother Reuben’s army pension records show his parents details. Stanley was the 6^th child of nine born to George Horobin and Sophia Ernestine nee Cliquet. He was known as William throughout his early years and his name is listed as William on the Boer War Panel. His father was almost twenty years older than his mother and had been employed in various jobs as a clerk, a warehouseman and a labourer.

Stanley was admitted into the Fox Road school Kensington on the 4^th of June 1888 and  was discharged from this school on the 15^th of January 1889.

William was then admitted to the branch school at Hammersmith in January 1889 and transferred to Beechholme on the 8^th of March. He was removed the following day by his father.

William’s father died in 1890 followed in 1896 by his mother.

William was readmitted on the 11^th of July 1890 and transferred immediately to the infirmary.

On the 1891 census  William, was resident in the Kensington and Chelsea District Branch School Marlesford Lodge at 253, Kings Street Hammersmith and from there was sent to Beechholme on the 10^th of July that same year. All of his brothers were at one time or another resident in Beechholme and all of them served in the military.

William was sent out from the school on the 11^th of August 1897 to the 2^nd Dragoons at Edinburgh. He was fourteen.

It is noticed that his military number was one following Thomas Hornsby of the same regiment, and his story of  Boer War service will be the same as that of Thomas Hornsby.

From his army service records of World War One it is noted that he had been discharged from the Royal Scots Greys by purchase on the 14^th of November 1905. He was awarded the Queens South African medal with Cape Colony, Transvaal and Orange Free State clasps. Also the Kings South African medal with 1901 and 1902 clasps.

Those soldiers receiving both Queens medals ( Queen Victoria) and Kings medals (Edward VII) had served throughout the 2^nd Boer War campaign.

On the 1911 census Stanley was employed as a police constable and was residing at the police station at Canon Row, Westminster.

On the 1^st of June 1912 he married Gladys Rose Essex at Westminster. The couple would have four children together including a set of twins.

Stanley, now going under his correct first name enlisted  with the Army Veterinary Corps as a horsekeeper on the 17^th of March 1915 at Woolwich. His date of entry overseas was the 6^th of June 1915. His regimental number was SE/5101. The SE denoting  Special Enlistment. He would have enlisted by choice as the police force was a reserved occupation. His role would have been to look after the horses' wellbeing and assist in their care following surgery and treatment. The care of the horses during the Boer War had been poor, leading to the spread of diseases which was hugely detrimental to the army’s operational efficiency. The government with the royal college of veterinary surgeons, politicians and the general public sought reforms. In 1903 a warrant created an army veterinary corps of non commissioned officers and men employed in veterinary duties. In 1906 it combined with the army veterinary department. At the outbreak of World War 1 there were 364 Army Veterinary Corps officers, many more being commissioned during the conflict. The expansion of other ranks was encouraged and rose considerably.

Stanley was promoted in the field to the rank of corporal on the 1^st of July 1915, and then to the rank of lance sergeant on the 31^st of October 1915, and finally to acting sergeant on the 25^th of February 1916.

Stanley was admitted to a military hospital suffering an ulcerated cornea on the 14^th of October 1918 and he spent 45 days as a patient there. He was then invalided home to  England. There is a letter in his service records stating that he had an operation carried out in 1919 by a Dr Etherington in England. It does not state what this was for.

His army disciplinary record was excellent and he was awarded the 1915 Star, British and Victory medals.

It is not known whether he returned to the police force but his eye problem could have prevented it.

 He lived in London for a while and when the 1939 register was compiled Stanley William was living at 64, York Street, Twickenham with his wife and a married son and his wife. His occupation was given as a musician.

He died within the registration district of Richmond in 1974 aged 90.

Hughes, Albert Edwin (Twin brother of Arthur William)

Trumpeter 3644

8th (Kings Royal Irish) Hussars

Survived

Albert Edwin Hughes was born on the 1st of June 1879 and baptized on the 22nd of the same month at St James Norlands along with his twin brother.

Albert was the 6^th child, along with his brother, of at least nine, but probably more, born to William Hughes and his wife Georgina (maiden name unknown) William was employed as a labourer and when the boys were baptized the family were living at 16, Tobin Street, Notting Hill. 

Tobin Street was described thus by Charles Booth “ cement paved small houses with yard door at the side. Was a great place for pig-keeping! Poor, hardworking. Many faces of pronounced gipsy types with coal black hair and eyes and dark complexions.

A mixture. Some have built their own houses and own the freehold”

By the time  the 1881 census was taken the family were living round the corner at 14, Thresher’s Cottages.

Charles Booth described these cottages as “two storey houses, both sides cement paved with wall between the two. The W.C.’s of the southern block are against the wall.”

Albert’s father died in 1886,and the Poor Law records show that the boys were admitted to Beechholme on the 15th of October that year. The two boys were both resident in Beechholme aged 11 when the 1891 census was taken. Their mother Georgina was employed as a laundress at this time and living in shared accommodation with an older son and daughter and a younger daughter. The two oldest children were employed as a woodchopper and a laundress respectively.

Both boys have consecutive army numbers in the 8th Hussars as they were sent out together from Beechholme on the 3rd of October 1893 to the army at the age of fourteen. A follow up report on Albert by the school dated the 12th of August 1896 states "Bandmaster states his conduct has given every satisfaction".

Much has been written in other soldiers stories about the work of the 8^th Hussars in the Boer War so instead this section includes a piece on the background of the two armies.  It would be difficult to find two such contrasting armies as those that went to war.

Apart from the Artillery Corps, the two Boer republics had no standing armies and relied on the mobilization of every man between sixteen and sixty when the time came. There was no uniform, no money and no formal training. All that was required of each burgher was that he had a horse, saddle and bridle, a rifle plus thirty rounds of ammunition and enough provisions for eight days. If any of those things was lacking, the government provided them. The Boer was often to be seen with a Bible in one hand and a rifle in the other. More than eighty percent of burghers on commando were members of the Dutch Reformed church and a common saying was “ If God is for us, who is against us?” The Boer citizen armies were split into commandos of between 500 and 2,000 men who generally speaking came from the same area. Their commanding officers were elected by the members of the commando, and all officers, regardless of their rank had an equal say in war councils.

Such an egalitarian system meant that the Boers did not enforce the kind of military discipline that was so familiar to the British army. To complete the picture of an  unmilitary army, the burghers often travelled with their possessions, and their families would pitch their wagons nearby in large encampments known as laagers.

The British army on the other hand was strictly hierarchal and spent much of its time drilling on the parade ground. While the Boer army was an army of  individuals each acting as he saw fit, the British army was dependent on orders and textbook advances.  The Boer in battle would strike quickly, and retreat quickly. The British would advance slowly in close order, wait for the command, fire strictly in volleys and then fix bayonets. Whereas the Boers were essentially mounted infantry armed with modern rifles, the proportion of British mounted troops was only about ten percent. Most of these were cavalrymen dependent on the traditional sabre and lance.

There was a culture of complacency among the British exemplified by the fact that only two intelligence officers looked after the whole of the colonial Empire. The budget for the intelligence division was just £11,000 per annum compared with the Transvaal’s £90,000 per annum. Deficiencies in intelligence would make themselves painfully clear throughout the course of the war.

The advance in weapons technology in the years prior to the war were vital in determining how this war would be fought. Smokeless powder now meant that a man  could fire without giving away his position, and the latest rifles could now rapidly discharge a number of bullets before it was necessary to reload. The Maxim machine gun introduced in the 1880’s fired for as long as the trigger was squeezed, but, although they were widely available, the British sent relatively few of these guns to South Africa, believing them to be not quite the thing for civilized warfare.

The British would send almost 450,000 soldiers to South Africa in order to defeat a force that never numbered more than about 35,000 at any one time.

It was a war that as Kipling remarked, “taught the British no end of a lesson”.

Albert was awarded the Queens South African medal  with 1901 and 1902, Transvaal and Orange Free State clasps.

He was discharged from the army by purchase according to the UK Army Military Campaign medals held by Ancestry.

On the 1911 census Albert is living with his wife  Mary in Leeds. They have two children and his occupation is given as professional musician in music halls.

His date of death is unknown.

Hughes, Arthur William (Twin brother of Albert Edwin)

Corporal, Trumpeter 3645

8th (Kings Royal Irish) Hussars

Survived

Arthur William Hughes was born on the 1st of June 1879 and baptized on the 22nd of the same month at St James Norlands along with his twin brother.

His family and census information is told in his brother’s story.

The brothers had consecutive army service records in the 8th Hussars and were sent out together from Beechholme on the 3rd of October 1893 to the army. From his army service records Arthur is described as being five feet six inches tall l and weighing eighty five pounds.

He had a fresh complexion with grey eyes and brown hair. He had a scar on his left collarbone. His occupation or trade was given as a musician. An annual report by the school dated the 12th of August 1896 reads " Bandmaster states his conduct has given every satisfaction".

His service in South Africa was from the 13^th of February 1900 until the 30^th of  June 1903.

He was discharged by purchase in 1903.

Sadly nothing further is known of him.

His next of kin was given as his mother Georgina of Thomas Mews, London. Two sisters, an older brother and Albert in the 8^th Hussars are mentioned.

His medal entitlement was the same as his brother.

Sadly nothing further is known of him.