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Here's another of my Bethune's men. Fisher survived the war but died "by his own hand" the inquest referring to the incident as an accident. A sad way for a man to go.

Edward Seymour Fisher

Trooper, Bethune’s Mounted Infantry – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Tugela Heights and Relief of Ladysmith to Tpr. E.S. Fisher, Bethune’s M.I.

Edward Fisher was a Colonial man born and bred in Cradock in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. Born on 28 December 1870 he was a late Christmas present to his parents Henry Christopher Fisher, a Trader by profession, and his wife Anna Francis. He was then baptised on 26 March 1871 in the small dusty town of Ficksburg in the eastern Orange Free State (today the cherry capital of South Africa) which fell under the Inter-parochial Diocese of Bloemfontein and he would have been unaware that the very land upon which he stood was to be foreign territory in twenty nine years from then.


The Fisher family - no-one is quite sure if Edward is among this group or not

At some point he made the trek to Barberton in the Eastern Transvaal where he pursued the occupation of Electrician in that fast-growing town – reminiscent to many as the “Wild West” of the Transvaal. On 1 April 1896 the Barberton Hospital admittance register recorded that a 26 year old Fisher, Single, born in Cradock in the Cape Colony and a member of the Church of England was admitted for a Sprained Ankle and, having recovered, was discharged on 6 May 1896.

In October 1899 the peace prevailing in the Transvaal (and elsewhere in South Africa) was about to come to an end. The wizened old President Paul Kruger of the South African Republic had entered into a pact with his Free State neighbour whereby, should hostilities commence between himself and the might of the British Empire, the Orange Free State would declare war as well. The reasons for the Anglo Boer war that erupted on the landscape on 11 October 1899 are many and are not the subject of this work.

Immediately making his way south to Durban in Natal Fisher, on 20 October 1899, was one of the first to enlist with the newly-formed Bethune’s Mounted Infantry being assigned the rank of Trooper and no. 241. Edward Cecil Bethune had raised the Corps at Durban the previous day, on 19 October 1899. The regiment had been present at Willow Grange on the night of 22 November 1899 and had done good service. 500 strong they were also present at the battle of Colenso.

When General Buller commenced the movement by which he attempted to turn the right of the Boer positions between himself and Ladysmith, Bethune's Mounted Infantry was split up, a squadron being left under General Barton at Frere and Chieveley, in which district they were constantly employed on reconnaissance duties, and had some sharp casualties. The remainder of the corps accompanied their commander to Potgieter's Drift, where they were attached to General Lyttelton's Brigade, and had skirmishing on various occasions. On the 24th January, when the bloodbath atop Spion Kop was underway, General Lyttelton sent the 2nd Scottish Rifles, the 3rd King's Royal Rifles, and Colonel Bethune, with two of his squadrons, to assist.

The 3rd King's Royal Rifles seized the Twin Peaks, north-east of Spionkop; the Scottish Rifles ascended the latter mountain and were put into the firing-line on the summit, where they did very fine work, but although Colonel Bethune offered to lead his men on to the plateau, they were kept in reserve by General Talbot Coke, probably because the role of lining the trenches was rather that of the infantry present. Fisher wasn’t to know it then but this decision probably saved him from serious harm.

During the Vaal Krantz operations the corps continued to do patrol work, chiefly on General Buller's right and rear. On 11th February Colonel Bethune was ordered to take his men to Greytown, in order to watch the Boers near the Zululand border, and also with the view of ultimately co-operating from Greytown in any movement towards Dundee. The regiment thus missed the fierce fighting which took place near Colenso between 13th and 27th February.

Fisher’s time with the regiment was almost at and end and, on 17 March 1900 – just over two weeks since the Relief of Ladysmith – he took his discharge having earned the Queens Medal with clasps Tugela Heights and Relief of Ladysmith for his efforts. The war over there was now time to wed - Fisher, aged 31 and resident in Barberton, married 28 year old Sophia Anna Wainwright in the Wesleyan Church in Barberton on 19 August 1902. His wife had been born at the Mac Mac Falls near Lydenburg.

Shortly after this, in 1903, Fisher’s father, the aforementioned Henry Christopher Fisher, lodged a claim with the authorities for compensation which read as follows,

“Statement by William Ralph McLachlan of 26th March 1903: I knew Mr. H C Fisher since 1875. He was always a British subject. He left a box of medicine at the farm at Onverwacht, Spitskop, Lydenburg. He was in the Cape Colony with the outbreak of hostilities. He came to Lydenburg at the end of the war. I had often seen his case of medicine. It was a very large one containing valuable drugs. Mr Fisher is an old man and thoroughly British in his sympathies. His address was at Rosetta, Box 185 Barberton. 74yrs of age. He was a Chemist/Druggist.

Statement of Henry Christopher Fisher on 29th August 1902: I Henry Christopher Fisher formerly of Onverwacht district of Lydenburg, now of Barberton, make oath and say that during the late war I had a case of medicine commandeered by Field Cornet P B Swart for the use of the troops of the late Transvaal. The value of the said case of medicine was £25 upwards. Valued by Dr Andrew M Neethling at £25.That I have received nothing in return for the same. That I am and was a British subject and have not since changed my status. Signed before the resident magistrate of Lydenburg Mr F H Damant.

Having returned to his pre-war activities in and around Barberton Edward Fisher soon took to farming acquiring the going concern known as “Kempstone”. Farming in those far-off days wasn’t plain-sailing and of challenges there were many with water or the lack of it being a perpetual problem.

On 7 July 1906 he wrote applying for the use of a No. 3 star drill which had been deployed to the Barberton Municipality but which could be “available for boring for private applicants who possessed the means.” This request was forwarded to the Director of Irrigation (from the Director of Agriculture) “who deals with these matters”. Whether or not Fisher ever had the use of the drill to bore for water on his farm is unknown.

On 7 June 1910 he wrote to Mr Turnbull the State Veterinarian as follows,

“Dear Mr Turnbull

I am sorry to have to report that the light dun (or mouse coloured) mule died yesterday afternoon – the second one you inoculated. I would have let you know earlier but did not know about it. I have not yet buried her as I did not know if you wanted to see her or not. Could you please get me the insurance money as soon as possible as I want to buy another one.

Would it do a mule any harm to be inoculated in town and led out just after, as if not I would be glad if you could do two for me as it would save a lot of trouble if you could do them in town?

Yours faithfully etc.”

The next day he followed this letter up with another as follows,

“The mule which died is the one you have on your list – a light chestnut mare with a faint band on right hind leg.”

On 13 June Turnbull wrote to the Principal Veterinary Officer, Pretoria as follows,

“Death of Mule – Compensation Claim

Attached please find claim for Mr E.S. Fisher for £15 compensation for a mule which died on 6 June, as a result on inoculation. I would recommend this claim be paid.”

Fisher was not destined to live a long life – even by early 20th century standards. On 2 June 1922 he passed away at his farm near Barberton at the age of 51 years and 5 months – his death being ascribed to a hunting accident. He was survived by his wife and three children, Leslie Seymour Fisher, Stanley Seymour Fisher and Pearl Seymour Fisher.

The Gold Fields News and Barberton Herald of Tuesday, 6 June 1922 carried the following obituary,

“The news of the very sad and fatal accident which befell Mr E. S. Fisher on Friday last, was received in Barberton with considerable regret. The deceased, it appears, had left his farm homestead about seven o’clock in the morning, taking a short single barrelled host gun with him, intending to shoot a wild dog which had made its appearance on his farm. Soon after he left a shot was heard, but it was not expected that anything amiss had taken place until later in the day. Mr Fisher not returning home, a search party was sent out about noon, and it was then found that Mr Fisher had slipped on the ground near the tennis court, not far from the homestead, and that, in his falling, his gun was discharged with fatal results, the shot passing through the heart. The funeral took place the following day, when the remains were brought to town and interred in the local cemetery. The Rev. J.R. Moffat conducted the service and a large number of farmers and townspeople attended.

Mr. Fisher came to Barberton from the Pilgrim’s Rest district about the early nineties and took a position as electrician at Moodies generating station. In later years he gave his attention to farming, his lands being situate on the north side of the Queen’s River, near to Moodies Estate. He took considerable interest in agricultural development, was a constant exhibitor at the local shows, and gave much of his time to the organisation of district exhibits at the Rand Show when these were in vogue. The deceased was in his fifty-first year and is survived by his wife and three children, to whom much sympathy is extended in their sad loss.

A fascinating read. Many thanks, Rory.