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Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (2) Belmont, Modder River (268392 E:R:A: W. Mogridge, H.M.S. Doris)

William Mogridge was born at Tiverton, Devon on 14 August 1867 and was a fitter by trade upon his joining the Royal Navy on 19 January 1895. He joined Doris on 29 December 1897 and was landed as a Bluejacket with her Guns during the Boer War, serving with the ship until 31 May 1901. His Medal and 2 clasps (these noted sent loose) were sent to him at Vivid on 20 March 1902. Mogridge was 'Discharged Dead', the result of tubercular laryngitis and secondary syphilis, at Plymouth Hospital on 8 September 1904.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

E&W Africa 1887 (1) Benin 1897 (H. J. Edwards, S.BA, HMS St George.);
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein (H. J. Edwards, S.B. Std: HMS Doris);
[ BWM ];
Royal Navy LS&GC EdVII. (350304 H. J. Edwards, S.B. Std, HMS Victory)

Sold with an interesting original letter home to England, the envelope marked

‘On Active Service - Stamps not Obtained’: ‘Royal Naval Brigade
at Bloemfontein
Orange F. State

March 18th 1900 Dear George & Em, Just a few lines at last as it was not until late last night that I got your address and that after being on the way out since the 30th of Nov ‘99. Consequently I could not write you before. This letter has been chasing me round to the following ships and places where I have never been viz. “Terrible” “Powerful” “Doris” “Tartar” Durban Peter Martizburg Point Natal Stormberg Colesburg and the RN Hospital Simons Town which last place it was sent on after me. I can assure you the envelope is quite a curio and shall keep it as such. Moreover it contained an Xmas Card from dear Jean and Dad which remained intact and unbroken. I had given it up for lost.

Well dear George we have been ashore now for two months tomorrow Monday the 19th and am pleased to say feels none the worse for it being in the best of health and spirits. Hoping that Em and all the family are quite well and that you are getting along allright in London. We are attached to Lord Roberts Column and came up to this place from Modder River via Enslin marching about 160 miles; the City Imperial Volunteers being with us all the way. They are a fine lot of fellows and are enduring the hardship or fortunes of war. Manly was present at capture of Jacobsdal and at Paardeberg where the hated Cronje was bombarded and where finally he surrendered to Lord Roberts with between 3 and 4 thousand Boers. My doctor and myself were engaged all the following day dressing the Boers wounds the sights being too horrid to describe. We then after resting to recruit our health etc for 3 days moved on to this place with but very little opposition and occupied this place on the 14th. As you know ere this per papers at home. I have read with pleasure the way in which the news of the relief of Kimberley, surrender of “Cronje”, relief of Ladysmith etc etc has been received at home.

Dear George, the sights of the firing of the 4.7 at night time and the rattle of rifle fire were awful but grand. I cannot find words to express it, but I never want to be in such places again. This is a very nice place containing some handsome buildings and nicely laid out. Government House (Steyn’s late residence) is now occupied by Roberts and staff and it does ones eyes good to see the Union Jack proudly flying over it as well as over the two large forts which are garrisoned by the Coldstream Guards as well as from almost every house in the town...’

Henry John Edwards was born in Pembroke on 29 March 1872, and enlisted in January 1895, giving his occupation as ironmongers assistant. Within two years he saw action aboard HMS St George during the Benin expedition, and two years later he landed from HMS Doris, seeing action at Paardeberg and Driefontein with the Naval Brigade. At the end of the Boer war he was serving on the hospital ship Maine. He received his LS&GC medal on 11 January 1910, and in 1913 he was rated Chief Sick Berth Steward. During the Great War he served at R.N. Hospitals Malta and Haslar to gain entitlement to the BWM and was discharged to pension as S.B.C.P.O. in 1920.

Thank you David
Such fascinating and surviving detail
Brings events to life and how young some people were when they attested
Clive

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

Distinguished Service Medal, GV (191473 H. C. Wright, Lg. Sean. HMS “D7” Atlantic Ocean 12th Sept. 1917);
QSA (1) Natal (H. C. Wright, A.B., HMS Doris) impressed naming;
1914-15 Star (191473 H. C. Wright, L.S. R.N.)

DSM LG 17 November 1917: ‘For services in action with enemy submarines.’ The recommendation states: ‘Sinking of German submarine U45 12 September 1917. Since joining the flotilla on 14 April Submarine D7 has done 99 days on patrol and 54 days in harbour, which I believe to be a record for any overseas patrol, and which has only been possible through the sustained and united hard work of the whole of the crew, and especially the engine room staff.’

‘It was not until September 1917 that a patrol submarine north of Ireland achieved a sinking. U-45 (Sittenfield) had sailed with U-88 and U-54 on the 5th; a week later she was on the surface west of the Shetlands when D-7 sighted her and dived to attack. Twenty minutes later a stern torpedo, fired at 800 yards, struck the U-boat just before the conning tower. One of the two survivors picked up by the British submarine was the radio operator, who had been about to send a message to Wilhelmshaven. He did not have time to do so, and the German command had no idea as to where U-45 was sunk.’

The commanding officer of D7, Lieutenant O. E. Hallifax, was awarded the DSO for this action, as well as one D.S.C. and two further DSMs to other members of the crew.

Herbert Charles Wright was born on 10 July 1881, and joined the Navy in July 1899. He joined the submarine branch in November 1912 and served aboard H.M. Submarine D7 from that date until February 1919. He served aboard E33 towards the end of that year and was Shore Pensioned in July 1921.

HMS Doris showing Gallery used by General Cronje when confined on board

Source: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/11-research/3...9-1900?start=0#88756

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (1) Cape Colony (Clerk J. M. L. Cusack, H.M.S. Doris);
AGS 1902 (1) Jubaland (J. M. L. Cusack, Clerk, R.N., H.M.S. Magicienne);
1914-15 Star (Payr. J. M. L. Cussack, R.N.);
British War and Victory Medals with MID (Payr. Lt. Cr. J. M. L. Cusack, R.N.);
Defence and War Medals 1939-45;
Russia, Order of St. Anne, 3rd Class breast badge, with swords, by Eduard, St. Petersburg, 36 x 36mm., gold and enamels, with manufacturer’s name on the reverse, ‘56’ gold mark on eyelet and kokoshnik mark on sword hilts;
Czechoslovakia, War Cross, mounted as worn

Together with a mounted set of related miniature dress medals,

James Meade Loughnan Cusack was born in Kilkenny in September 1880 and entered the Royal Navy as an Assistant Clerk in January 1898. Joining HMS Doris a few months later, and having passing his Clerk’s examination, he witnessed active service off South Africa in the Boer War, including time ashore in Cape Colony (Medal & clasp). Next joining the Magicienne, he added a rare Africa General Service Medal for Jubaland to his accolades, and was advanced to Assistant Paymaster in September 1901.

By the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, Cusack was serving as a Paymaster in the cruiser Yarmouth, in which capacity he was present at the battle of Jutland. As part of the Third Light Cruiser Squadron, and in the company of her consort Falmouth, she fought several duels, scoring some hits on the Lutzow and Derfflinger, and possibly the Seydlitz too; one of these, according to an officer on the bridge, making ‘a topping target and it was very pleasant to see salvo after salvo of our 6-inch hitting her’. Indeed so enthusiastic was the Yarmouth’s gunnery department that new ‘ammunition was sent up the hoists with so much energy as to accumulate a dangerous amount at the top’.

In Jellicoe’s subsequent despatch (London Gazette 15 September 1916, refers), Cusack was cited for good services in action and recommended for early promotion. He was duly appointed Staff Paymaster and, later still, awarded his 3rd Class Russian Order of St. Anne ‘for distinguished service rendered at the Battle of Jutland’ (London Gazette 5 June 1917). Moreover, he was awarded the Czechoslovakian War Cross (London Gazette 26 August 1921), an extremely rare accolade in terms of British recipients, let alone an RN officer.

Cusack ended the Great War as a Paymaster Commander in the cruiser Suffolk. Having then served on the China Station in the gunboat Bee in the mid-1920s, he was placed on the Retired List as a Paymaster Captain in September 1930. Recalled on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, he served at the RNH Chatham and in H.M.S. Flora, a parent ship at Invergordon. He died in Honiton, Devon in September 1961, aged 80 years.