TOPIC:

BIRTH: 28 April 1875
Liverpool, Everton, England

DEATH: 21 December 1899 (Died of Enteric Fever)
Ladysmith, Natal, South Africa

Parents:

Father: Robert Nesbitt, b: 1831
Mother: Letitia Nesbitt, nee Freeman, b: 1833

Early Life:

The Nesbitt family, originally from Ireland, moved to Liverpool about 1859. Joseph was the youngest of 7 sons and the family worked in the stables as porters, carters and errant boys. Unfortunately there is currently no record of his family after 1891.

Military Service:

Joseph Nesbitt attested with the 1st Battalion Liverpool Regiment on the 29th January 1895; in December 1896 his Battalion was sent to Barbados before transferring to South Africa in November 1897. As a result, the 1st Battalion Liverpool Regiment were in Ladysmith when war was declared.

On the 24th October 1899 Sir George White being anxious to engage the attention of the Boers and prevent them from attacking General Yule's column, that was retreating from Dundee, moved out of Ladysmith and took part in the action of Rietfontein.

Sir George threw out the Lancers and Hussars to seize some ridges and protect his right. The Gloucesters advanced on the left and the 1st Liverpools on their right. Before 2 pm firing had ceased, the Boers had withdrawn westwards, and the danger of that part of their army attacking General Yule was prevented.

On the following three days the Boers concentrated to the north of Ladysmith and on the 29th October 1899 General White resolved to once again take the initiative and undertook the action known as Lombard's Kop/Farquhar's Farm.

Colonel Grimwood was to be the main attacking force which included the 1st Liverpool. The original plan was for his brigade to turn half-left and work inwards towards Pepworth Hill but before he could do this he was heavily attacked on his right.

As a result he turned in that direction, extend his front greatly, threw his whole force into the firing line, and when that was done he had the greatest difficulty in maintaining his position. Even with re-enforcements the situation was untenable and the order to withdraw was given and the Battalion returned under siege to Ladysmith.

Siege of Ladysmith

During the siege of Ladysmith the Liverpools were located on the north side of the town. On the night of the 7th December 1899 Colonel Mellor and three companies of the Liverpools seized Limit Hill, "and through the gap thus created" a squadron of the 19th Hussars penetrated some four miles to the north, destroying the enemy's telegraph line and burning various shelters, etc.

Unfortunately Joseph died of enteric fever (typhoid) at the Intombi Military Hospital in Ladysmith on the 21st December 1899.

Intombi Cemetery:

Below is a photograph, courtesy of Neville_C, of the cemetery taken shortly after the end of the siege; Josephs grave is identified below:

BACK ROW (circled)
4765 Private J. NESBITT, 1st Bn. Liverpool Regiment (21/12/1899)





In addition he is commemorated on the (King's) Liverpool Regiment Boer War memorial in St John's Gardens, Liverpool, England.