TOPIC:

Queens South Africa medal with clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State & Transvaal
[Kings South Africa medal with clasps: 1901 & 1902]
[1914/1915 Star, BWM, Victory Medal& Plaque]

BIRTH: 1880
Cowley, Oxfordshire, England

DEATH: 25 September 1915 (Battle of Bois Grenier)
France and Flanders

Parents:
Father: Archibald Edmund Henry Harris, b: 1854
Mother: Eliza Worth b: 1855 d: 1921

Military Service:
Unfortunately Fredericks Attestation Papers could not be located and so it’s not certain if he was part of the 2nd Battalion that was stationed in the Cape Colony at the start of the Anglo Boer War.

What is known is that in 1911 he was working as a Labourer having married Lillian Mary Wharton in 1908.

Between 1908 and 1914 they had 5 children together; in 1914 he rejoined the 2nd Battalion Berkshire Regiment and was deployed to France in 1914/1915.

Battle of Bois Grenier:
While the French launched the Third Battle of Artois, the British were to support this by attacking in the Loos area. Supplementary to this, on the same day, 25 September 1915, a number of operations were to be made along the British front, at Givenchy, Aubers Ridge, Bellewaarde Ridge and by the 8th Division at Bois Grenier.

Here, where the line was approximately 1,600 yards (1,500 m) south east of Bois Grenier, the aim was to capture 1,200 yards (1,100 m) of German trench opposite a re-entrant that bulged inwards into the British line, and link it into the British line, which in some places was only 100 yards (91 m) from the German's.

The 25th Brigades 2nd R.B. on the right, 2nd R. Berks. in the centre and 2nd Lincs. on the left were to make the assault with 1st R.I.R. holding the trenches to their left and 1/1st London and 1/8th Middlesex in reserve. 24th Brigade held the trenches to the right and 23rd Brigade was divisional reserve.

The 2nd Lincs. and 2nd R. Berks linked up, but a gap of 200 yards (180 m) remained to the 2nd R.B., this section contained a communication trench to the German rear. By 06:30 the 2nd Lincs. had to retire from the second line due to heavy German counter-attacks, and the supply of grenades running low. The grenade issue was also affecting the other battalions, with 12 different types of grenade then being used at the time, with the troops often forgetting how to use then in the heat of battle.

The situation was not helped by the rain, which made lighting those grenades that had fuses that needed to be lit difficult to use properly. In spite of reinforcement from 1st London and grenadier platoons from 24th Brigade, the British were gradually bombed out of the centre and left of the line by 14:00, and despite making a stand and even advancing toward the centre of the attack, being resupplied more frequently, the 2nd R.B. and its reinforcements were forced to return to the British line shortly after.

The only gain was to push forward the line, filling in the re-entrant, and taking 123 prisoners for 1,398 casualties of which Frederick Harris was one of them; he was survived by his wife and 5x children.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

DSO VR s/g;
Egypt (2) Suakin 1885, Tofrek (Lieut. E. Rhodes. 1/Berks. R.);
QSA (5) Belmont, Modder River, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Transvaal (Major E. Rhodes. D.S.O. 2/Rl. Berks. Rgt.);
KSA (2) (Maj. E. Rhodes. D.S.O. Rl. Berks. Rgt.);
Khedive’s Star, dated 1882

DSO London Gazette 26 November 1886: ‘For action at Ginnis.’ The insignia above is probably a later replacement as the awards for Ginnis should be in gold, not silver gilt.

Elmhirst Rhodes was born on 28 April 1858, son of the Rev. F. W. Rhodes, Rector of Bishop’s Stortford, and was the youngest brother of Cecil J. Rhodes, who established Rhodesia. He was gazetted to the Royal Berkshire Regiment on 25 May 1878, and served in the Egyptian War of 1882, being present at the surrender of Kafr Dowar (Medal and Bronze Star). He again saw active service in the Sudan Expedition of 1885 at Suakin, and was employed in the Signalling Department. He was present at the reconnaissance to Hasheen; actions at Hasheen and Tofrek; operations at and destruction of Tamai (Despatches London Gazette 25 August 1885; two clasps to Egypt medal). He served in the Sudan 1885-86 with the Frontier Field Force, and was employed in the Signalling Department at Kosheh, and in the action at Ginniss (Mentioned in Despatches, and created a Companion of the DSO London Gazette 26 November 1886). The Insignia of the Order were presented to Captain Rhodes by Queen Victoria.

He became Major on 30 August 1893. Major Rhodes served from 1899 to 1900 as Director of Signalling to the South African Field Force and afterwards as Station Commandant. He was present in the advance on Kimberley, including: the actions at Belmont, Enslin, Modder River and Magersfontein; operations in the Orange Free State between February and May 1900, including operations at Paardeberg (17-26 February) and actions at Poplar Grove and Driefontein; operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, from July to November 1900; operations in the Transvaal, west of Pretoria, in July and August 1900, including actions at Zilikat's Nek (slightly wounded); operations in Orange River Colony from May to July 1900; operations in the Transvaal between November 1900 and July 1901; operations in Cape Colony from July 1901 to 31 May 1902. He was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 26 January 1900, and 7 May and 10 September 1901) and received the Queen's Medal with five clasps, and the King's Medal with two clasps.

He was present at the bedside of his elder brother, Cecil John Rhodes, when he died at Muizenburg on 26 March 1902. Major Elmhirst Rhodes retired on 3 October 1903, and died at Brighton on 27 April 1931, aged 73.