TOPIC:

ANGLO-BOER WAR 1899-1902

QM/Sgt. PERCY DUGMORE HUNTER
Old boy of Kingswood School, Bath and the second
Assistant Teacher to be appointed to the College Staff in
1895. Killed in action while serving with the Indwe
Mounted Rifles at Labuschagnes Nek on 4 March 1900

Tpr HENRY BENSON
New England Mounted Rifles. Killed in action while on a
scouting patrol seeking Fouche's Kommando a few days
before he was due to return to Kingswood for his last year
in January 1902

ZULU REBELLION - 1906

Tpr. ALBERT POWELL
Kingswood Staff 1900-1902 and Officer in charge of the
Kingswood Cadets during the alarm in 1901. Killed
while serving with the Natal Mounted Rifles by a
Tshokobezi Impi at Oglesby's Store on the Qtimati River
while on wagon escort duty between Stanger and
Mapumulo on 18 June 1906


Thank you to Kingswood College for the photo and permission to use it; copyright remains with Kingswood College.

Re. Henry Benson - "...a further loss was reported in the School magazine of March 1902: 'We have with deep regret to record the death in action during the last holidays of Henry Benson. He entered the college in July 1898 and latterly had been a prominent member of both Cricket and Football Teams. He was to have returned to College in a few days but was killed in action with [ actually against ] Fouche's Commando a day or two before the time came for his return. It seems...he got permission to join the New England Mounted Rifles and was scouting in the Barkly East District.' What a waste!"
www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/EarthPig_demo...013060401/62.html#62

Percy D. Hunter - www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/EarthPig_demo...013060401/62.html#55

and a picture of him - www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/EarthPig_demo...013060401/62.html#54

Probably a picture of George Powell - www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/EarthPig_demo...013060401/62.html#53

Berenice

Thank you for another interesting post.

Powel was one of only 25 Colonial soldiers killed in action during the Natal Rebellion. Another five died of wounds. The Zulu dead were numbered in thousands. 'The Official Natal Mounted Rifles History' by Eric Goetzsche (Published in Durban by the Regiment) gives a detailed account of the role played by the NMR in the Rebellion, including the incident that resulted in Powell's death.

Regards
Brett

Poor Henry Benson, I was interested to see that his school actually described his tenure with the NEMR, given, that he had been killed, as a "tragic waste" on the one hand, I am very sure they thought it was, but, I do not feel it really helped to put it quite like that, it almost cheapens his service and in particular any courage he might have displayed.