TOPIC:

Rory - The Gloucesters weren't in action at Wagon Hill. They were manning the perimeter defences on that day.

Neville - I have the QSA clasp Defence of Ladysmith to 5192 Cpl. C. Stainer mortally wounded by the shelling 22/12/1899. He died of wounds two days later.

David

Rory
Not an awful lot in Maurice (OH) regarding the 1st Glosters in Defence of Ladysmith. However, there is one interesting reference on page 583 of OH; in that "On (the) night of the 27th, after Pieters Hill, White again offers co-operation (with Buller)". A degree of panic amongst the besiegers was started by an attempt by a detachment of the Gloucester regiment to destroy the entanglements around Gun Hill. When that detachment "...fell upon the Boers, ... a furious discharge of rifles, beginning at midnight, ran completely around the investing lines and continued for half an hour. It was the farewell from the besieging forces."
Regards
IL.
.

My thanks to the respondents. I feel that I am now in a position to embark on Pte. A. Spiers' story, equipped with what has been so generously provided.

Regards

Rory

I believe the attack on Gun Hill on 27 February 1900 was commanded by Lieutenant H C W Theobald.
Lt Theobald was awarded the Distinguished Service Order during the Boer War.
I am not sure if it was for this action or a subsequent action.

Aria
The book "The Distinguished Service Order" says that the London Gazette of 8th November 1901 records that his DSO was "In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". However, the details of his service in the same book say that the Decoration was for the night sortie on Gun Hill. He had an interesting career overall and later today I will post a cut of details of his service.
Regards
IL.