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James Swallow made a name for himself on the sports field but it was to be a life cut short and one of unfulfilled potential.

James Stuart Swallow - Died in Service 17 November 1916

Trooper, Loch’s Horse
3rd Class Trooper, South African Constabulary – Anglo Boer War
Sergeant, 4th South African Horse – WWI

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony and Orange Free State to 182 Tpr. J.S. Swallow, Loch’s Horse
- British War Medal to Sjt. J.S. Swallow, 4th S.A.H.
- Victory Medal to Sjt. J.S. Swallow, 4th S.A.H.

To truly get to grips with James Swallow we need to first make our acquaintance, albeit fleetingly, with his father. This is best done by quoting liberally from the obituary in respect of that worthy that appeared in Engineering publications in 1890.

‘In 1873 Sir Charles Hutton Gregory offered Mr Swallow the appointment of Assistant Engineer on the Cape Government Railways, which was accepted. In this service he remained until December 1880. On the completion of his work his employment at the Cape terminated; but an extension of railways having been authorised, an opportunity arose for a renewal of his services and he re-entered the department in June 1882 as District Engineer for Railway Surveys and Construction on the Midland system, being afterwards employed to survey the proposed lines between Mossel Bay and Outdtshoorn. In June 1884 Mr Swallow returned to England on urgent family affairs. After a short stay in England, he went to India as Engineer on the Southern Mahratta Railway, returning thence on the completion of the works on which he was engaged, in the autumn of 1888.

Shortly after his return home from this post he went to Uruguay. On the 6th April 1890, after a short illness of 10 days, he died at Rocha, Uruguay, and thus terminated at the early age of 40, a career full of brilliant promise.’

As can be seen from the above Mr Swallow wasn’t around much during his children’s formative years and he died when James, in particular, was of a young age. He was to depart this earth without knowing that his son was to be as able a man as he himself promised to be, only to have his life cut short before it burst into full flower.

James Stuart Swallow (Stewart in some reports) was born on 19 February 1879 in Uitenhage in the Cape Colony in a small hamlet known as Middleton near to the Great Fish River to James Stuart Swallow and his wife Eugenie Louise (Van Ryneveld) who was Cape-born of a very prestigious family. Returning with his father and the rest of the family to the United Kingdom Swallow became a pupil at Bedford Grammar School where the register reflects that he was present until 1897.

The 1891 England census shows that the family, headed by Eugenie in the absence of her husband, lived at 122 Foster Hill Road in Bedford. Aside from a 12 year old “Stewart” as he is referred to in the census return were siblings (Thomas) Charlton, 9 and William, 6. There immediate needs were being catered for by Alice Abbott a 17 year old servant girl.

It was whilst at Bedford Grammar that he began to show early signs of sporting promise. The local newspapers, from as early as 1896 when he was 17 years old (Bedfordshire Times and Independent, Saturday, January 4th, 1896), began to report on his doings as a Rugby player - a three quarter for the Bedford Wanderers who began to play an increasingly important role in the success of the team.

His efforts were not without incident as reported in the Bedfordshire Mercury of Friday, March 24, 1899 under Football Notes,

“Then complaint was made by Northampton that J.S. Swallow had been guilty of offensive and threatening conduct that afternoon. We all know “Jimmy” is a peppery little chap but seeing that the referee had to caution one of the Saints on the ground for undue roughness, this complaint came with rather bad grace. But the Committee directed that the Bedford captain should caution Swallow and so that matter ended.”

The Northampton Mercury of Friday, October 27, 1899 carried an article under the banner “Rugby County Championship – East Midlands vs Midlands” wherein J.S. Swallow was named as one of those selected to represent the County but it was the fact that the insert was dwarfed by the news of the Battle of Elandslaagte and the Fighting near Kimberley that was the most telling. Swallow’s sporting career was about to be placed on hold whilst he, along with thousands of others, answered the call of the Empire to arms. The next newspaper article carrying his name was that of the Buckingham Advertiser and North Buckingham Free Press of Saturday, February 3rd, 1900 where under a column entitled “Imperial Yeomanry – Formation of another company at Buckingham” Swallow’s name appeared alongside that of his brother Thomas as having attended at the barracks, been medically examined, found fit and been duly enrolled “as members of the Imperial Yeomanry.” Swallow’s tenure with the Bucks Yeomanry was to be a short-lived one – the Bedfordshire Mercury of Friday 23rd February 1900 noted under Local War Notes that,

“J.S. Swallow, the erstwhile popular three-quarter of the Town Rugby football team, has been transferred from the Yeomanry to Lord Loch’s Scouting Force. He came down on Wednesday evening on leave for a farewell visit home, and returned to barracks at Camberwell, on Thursday evening. His company will sail tomorrow in the “Mexican”, and on arriving at Cape Town they are ordered to at once proceed to the front to join Robert’s Horse.”

Swallow was 21 years old when he arrived in South Africa completing the Attestation Papers for service Loch’s Horse in Cape Town on 10 March 1900. Assigned no. 182 and the rank of Trooper he was placed with “B” Squadron and commenced service immediately providing his mother of 136 Fosterhill Road, Bedford as his next of kin (it must be remembered that his father had died in 1890 when he was a boy of 11)

Loch’s Horse had been raised by Lord Loch in February 1900 and it was said that having been largely recruited in England it was not a Colonial force, but in the official army lists Loch's Horse was always included among the South African Irregulars.

After the occupation of Bloemfontein (on 13 March three days after Swallow had joined) Loch's Horse, strength about 220, was stationed in the line of outposts beyond Glen Siding. They shared in the advance from Bloemfontein to the Transvaal as part of the 8th Corps of Mounted Infantry commanded by Colonel Ross of the Durham Light Infantry. The 8th Corps were part of the advance guard or screen to the centre of Lord Roberts' army, and had a lot of scouting and skirmishing in the northward march. Colonel Henry's men, including the 1st and 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles, South Australians, Tasmanians, Lumsden's Horse, Loch's Horse, and the 4th Mounted Infantry Regulars, were among the first to cross the Vaal, and had very stiff fighting before the infantry got up, particularly at the mines in the neighbourhood of Vereeniging, about Elandsfontein, and outside Pretoria. Their work was highly praised by the Generals and by the correspondents.

After the occupation of Pretoria on 5 June 1900 Loch's Horse were chiefly employed about Springs and Irene, and in the neighbourhood of the Vaal; later they were moved a little farther south, and the remainder of their campaigning was chiefly done between Kroonstad and the Vaal. Swallow was with them throughout and it was only through ill-heath - he contacted Enteric Fever – that he was discharged as medically unfit at Rosebank in Cape Town on 7 July 1900 – having served for 115 action-filled days. His conduct was described as Good and his address after discharge was provided as c/o Mrs Swallow, The Cottage, Norsey Road, Billencay, Essex.

What was Swallow to do? He returned home to convalesce but was soon up and about and raring to get back into uniform. The opportunity that presented itself came in the form of a call for men to join the ranks of the newly constituted South African Constabulary. This august body, eventually numbering almost 10 000 men from all corners of the Empire, was called into being to assist with policing duties in the newly “liberated” Boer Republics of the Transvaal and Orange Free State. Aside from this they were to be deployed in an active fighting capacity alongside their Regular Army colleagues.

Swallow completed the application forms for enlistment with the S.A.C. in London on 20 November 1900. Confirming that he was now 21 years and 9 months old he was 5 feet 8 inches in height and weighed 9 stone with a fair complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. As referees to his appointment (this was a prerequisite) he provided the name of Mr. Sydney Farrar of 54 Old Broad Street and, in respect of those who “would recommend as regards Loch’s Horse” he provided Admiral Martin Dunlop of “The Cottage”, Maidenhead Thicket, Berkshire and Surgeon Colonel Sexton of Glanmyre, Kimbolton Avenue, Bedford. By trade of profession he stated that he was a “Late Trooper, Loch’s Scouts” and he confirmed that he had been born in South Africa and could read and write French “but not perfectly” and had studied German. He also confirmed resigning from Loch’s Scouts “owing to Enteric”

A communication from the Recruiting Office dated 4 December 1900 requested him to attend for inspection by the Recruiting Officer at Chapel Place on “any day this week at 11 – 1 o’ clock”. On 5 December Swallow signed the Articles of Agreement and, having sailed for South Africa, completed and signed the Attestation Paper on 13 January 1901 whereupon he was assigned no. E491 and the rank of 3rd Class Trooper. Immediately deployed in the field it wasn’t long before his latent potential began to shine through and he was promoted to 2nd Class Trooper on 1 May 1901. This was followed by promotion to 1st Class Trooper on 1 August 1901 and all the signs were there that Swallow was going to make a success of his S.A.C. career.

It hadn’t all been plain sailing though – on 11 March 1901 he had been fined 15 shillings for Neglect of Duty whilst at Kolverfontein. He had trumped this incident with another on 18 March at Virginia in the Orange Free State where he had been fined 10 shillings for “Insolence to an N.C.O.” This had been followed by two further incidents where he had been found Guilty – the first was at Rietpoort on 9 November 1901 where he had been accused of “Speaking disrespectfully of an N.C.O.” and, on 26 November 1901 of “Insolence to an N.C.O.” at Sannas Post. On these occasions the punishment had been more severe – he was reduced first to the rank of 2nd Class Trooper and then to 3rd Class Trooper – back to where he had started. Had the “peppery” Jimmy surfaced again?

The witness statements for these last charges don’t reveal much – the Defence’s Second Witness. Trooper Hedley Evans of 9 Troop stated that:
“At the outspan on the 26th Sgt. Drew asked if I saw anything between him and Swallow. I told him “No”. On the way to Sannas’ Post he told me I was for a witness in orderly room. I know nothing about the case whatever, I cannot give any evidence whatever. I did not hear Sgt. Drew make Tpr. Swallow a prisoner”

At that stage it was noted that the Prisoner (Swallow) declined to make a statement in his defence.

Another witness, Trooper Osborne, claimed that, “I only heard Tpr. Swallow and Sgt. Drew talking, I did not hear Sgt. Drew tell Tpr. Swallow to consider himself a prisoner. I said to Tpr. Swallow “You are riding with your rifle. Are you supposed to be a prisoner?”

It was noted that Trooper Osborne “objects to sign the above on the grounds that Lt Jackson asked him certain questions in order to bring our further evidence to show how it was that at one time he could hear Sgt. Drew and at another time he could not hear him. The evidence he gave after this question was crossed out but he was still dissatisfied and considered he should have been cross examined. He does not appear to understand that the officer taking a summary has to collect all evidence both for and against the prisoner.”

Swallow’s S.A.C. career never recovered after his demotion and he was discharged Time Expired on 18 January 1903 after 2 years and 9 days service whilst stationed at Brandfort in the Free State. His discharge was thanks to a letter written by George Hay an Agricultural and Milling Engineer of Ladybrand in the Orange Free State – this worthy wrote to the O.C. 11 Troop, Brandfort on 31 October 1902 stating,

“Sir – This is to certify that I offer Trooper J.S. Swallow permanent employment at Ladybrand in the capacity of clerk and traveller at a monthly remuneration of £20 (twenty pounds), and wish him to take up his duties as soon as possible.”

His character on discharge was rated as “Indifferent”.

This wasn’t to be the last that the S.A.C. heard from Swallow – writing from “Herndale”, Annerley Road, Rosebank, Cape Town to the Chief Staff Officer, S.A.C. Johannesburg on 21 February 1904 in connection with War Medals he said,

“Dear Sir

I beg to communicate with you in reference to my War Medal. I served in two Corps during the late War; with Loch’s Horse from 15 March 1900 to 7 July 1900, and with the S.A.C. from the 9th day of January 1901 to 18th day of January 1903. Thus making my total term of service 2 years and 124 days. This fact I think entitles me to both the Queens and Kings Medals.

If you will kindly inform me on this point I shall be greatly obliged. Now I have already received my Medal, the Queens Medal from Loch’s Horse. On the rim of the Medal is engraved “182 J.S. Swallow, Loch’s Horse” with two bars, O.R.C. and Cape Colony. As I served in the Transvaal with the S.A.C. during the latter part of the war, I am entitled to a Transvaal bar, will you kindly let me know what steps I shall have to take to get one. During the General advance I was also in the Transvaal, but received no bar.

I have my discharges from Loch’s Horse and from the S.A.C. so that if you will require them, I can send them per return, on hearing from you.

Thanking you in anticipation, I am dear Sir etc. etc.”

The last word on the matter came from the Divisional Commandant, Orange River Colony on 26 February 1904 wherein he wrote that “Writer informed that his name is in Kings Medal Rolls and asked to produce certificate for Transvaal clasp.” This was seemingly never done as Swallow only had the Queens Medal with clasps Cape Colony and Orange Free State.

Freed from the shackles of war and with his family having returned to live in South Africa Swallow applied himself to his civilian career securing a position as a Clerk with the South African Railways in East London, not far from where he had been born. Peace also enabled him to continue to pursue sport and it wasn’t long before he was beginning to make a name for himself in cricketing circles. He played three first class matches for Border between March 1907 and March 1909 – the first against Transvaal on 30 March 1907 at the Jan Smuts ground in East London. He scored 8 in his only innings the match being drawn. His second match was against Western Province on 19 March 1909 in the Currie Cup and played at Newlands Rugby Ground in Cape Town. He scored 7 and 0 Western Province winning by 2 wickets. His final first class match was played against Eastern Province on 26 March 1909 where he scored a “Duck” and took 2 catches to help Border win the match.

Turning from sport he focused his energies full-time on his work and enjoying a modicum of success on that front. The world’s hard earned peace was to be shattered however. On 4 August just 12 years after the Boer War had come to an end conflict erupted on a far large scale and the world was at war. South Africa sided with the British Empire against the might of Imperial Germany and many a man, stirred by patriotism, enlisted for service. Swallow, no longer young at the age of 36, was to bide his time before completing the Attestation Papers for service with the 4th South African Horse in German East Africa at Johannesburg on 1 December 1915.

Confirming that he was still single he provided his mother of 5 Harbour Reserve in East London as his next of kin. Physically he was now 5 feet 7 inches in height and weighed 140 pounds with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. Having been passed as Fit by the Doctor he was assigned no. 54 and the rank of Acting Corporal with “D” Squadron of the 4th S.A. Horse. Two weeks later he was promoted to Sergeant and entered the theatre of war in that rank.

In May 1916 he was part of the advance on Kondoa against the German Askaris under Von Lettow Vorbeck and in October of that year was part of the advance on Mororgoro. Early on in the campaign it had become painfully evident that the climate in East Africa was anything but conducive to good health with men of European descent bearing the brunt of the pestilential conditions. Almost to a man the troops succumbed to either malaria or black water fever sapping the life from their very bodies. Swallow was to be no different and, ere long, he contracted Black Water Fever at Mororgoro.

Admitted to 52 Casualty Clearing Station on 9 November 1916 his condition steadily worsened from dangerously ill on 16 November to critically ill the next day. In fact it was on the 17th November 1916 in the jungles of far-away German East Africa that James Stuart Swallow – a man with so much promise – breathed his last. Buried in the cemetery at Mororgoro a cross bearing his name inscribed is all that today remains of him. His British War and Victory Medals were sent, posthumously, to his grieving mother in 1922.



I will leave it to an entry in the book the Final Wicket by Nigel McCrery to best sum up Swallow’s contribution. It’s a quote from someone whom I imagine was a contemporary of Swallows – he said “A more decent fellow I never met” – a fitting epitaph.



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Magnificent medals (ribbon needs to be replaced! ) any QSA actually named to Loch's Horse is actually very scarce indeed.

Fantastic research, Rory!

I can start breathing again....... Rory is Back.......

Great research and to have a book GREAT !!!!!!!!

Mike