TOPIC:

James William Montgomery

Aka Horace Monto “The Singing Soldier” – Tommy Atkins at Play

Private, 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal (Cape Colony/Tugela Heights/Relief of Ladysmith/Transvaal/South Africa 1901/Orange Free State) to 2504 PTE. J.W. MONTGOMERY. 2:R.SCOTS FUS: - with sterling silver top buckle.

James Montgomery was born on 13 April 1871 in Lancaster, Lancashire the son of Joseph Montgomery, Derry born and a Mason by trade, and his wife Sarah. He was baptised on 7 May 1884 in the Parish Church of St John’s in Lancaster. Montgomery was to enjoy an immensely successful solo act as a Music Hall Artiste after his time in uniform was up, going under the name “Horace Monto” the last being a play on his actual surname. Also billed as “The Original Versatile Soldier”, he almost always wore his Queens South Africa medal, complete with silver buckle, on his chest during performances.



Three years earlier than his baptism, according to the 1881 England census, the family were living at 3 Bailey Court in Lancaster. James, the oldest child at home (there was an older brother Joseph), was a schoolboy of 9 years of age; followed by siblings John (6) and Margaret (3)

In what was probably no more than a schoolboy prank gone wrong, James, along with five other “accomplices” of varying ages, was in a spot of bother with the law at a young age – the Lancashire Gazette of 3 May 1882 carrying the story of “The Theft from Dale’s Vaults,” in part, as follows:

“James Montgomery, eleven, was brought up on remand charged with breaking and entering Dale’s Vaults on the 9th ulto, and stealing therein three bottles of whisky, a bottle of spruce beer, a quantity of cigars and three boxes of matches.” The trial revealed that some of the stolen goods were imbibed and smoked by the perpetrators who became ill and drunk as a result. Montgomery not considered a ringleader, was sentenced to six strokes. “The punishment to be inflicted by P.C. Brown, in the presence of P.S. Winder.”

None the worse for wear and having completed his schooling, an 18 years and 6 months old James Montgomery completed attestation papers for service with the Militia at Preston on 25 October 1888. A Labourer employed by a Mr Storey of Lancaster; he was living in the parental home at 17 Mason Street. Physically he was 5 feet 5 inches in height with a fair complexion, brown hair and brown eyes and weighed 112 lbs. He had a tattoo of an anchor on his left forearm. Having been declared Fit by the Doctor he was assigned no. 1569 and posted to the 4th Battalion North Lancs Regiment.

Having completed 56 days of drill he decided that a life in the army was for him and, on New Year’s Day 1889 he joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers. This required the completion of another set of attestation papers. These revealed nothing of interest save for the fact that he now weighed slightly more and sported a mole “at the inner end of his left eyebrow.” What had become of the anchor tattoo was not mentioned. Having been pronounced as Fit by the Doctor he was assigned No. 2504 and the rank of Private.

Initially assigned to the Depot, he was posted to the 2nd Battalion on 29 August 1892 – by which time he had been promoted to Lance Corporal only to revert to Private a few months earlier. After a spell of Home Service he was posted to the East Indies where he spent the next six years before being posted back to the United Kingdom on 29 November 1896. This was followed by a transfer to the Army Reserve on 7 December 1896.

This allowed for the pursuit of affairs of the heart and, on 7 February 1898 at Christ Church Parish in Lancaster, he wed 18 year old Teresa Gainey. Described as a 26 year old Oil Boiler by trade, he was living at Thurnham Street in Lancaster. His father, Joseph, a Fish Hawker at the end of his life, had passed away before the nuptials.

With war clouds between the two Boer Republics of the Orange Free State and Transvaal versus Great Britain looming, Montgomery was recalled to the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers on the 9th October 1899 – two days before war between the belligerents erupted. The 2nd Battalion sailed on the Pavonia about 22nd October 1899, arrived at the Cape about 18th November, and was immediately sent round to Durban. Along with the 2nd Royal Fusiliers, 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers, they formed the 6th or Fusilier Brigade under Major General Barton.



Buller’s first attempt to relieve Ladysmith came at Colenso on the 15th December, when the brigade were on the right of the infantry, the Royal Scots Fusiliers having four companies present in the firing line, the remainder of the battalion having been ordered to detail a guard for the baggage. In his account of Colenso Mr Bennet Burleigh, the famous War Correspondent said: "The Queen's and others of the 2nd Brigade with a few of Barton's, chiefly the Scots Fusiliers, were quite near the iron bridge and the river. Regardless of the wildest fusilade ever heard from an enemy our men tried to bore in farther" and again, speaking of the men lost as prisoners, he said: "The Scots Fusiliers in that connection had very bad luck, for they got left in an untenable position and were surrounded". The battalion had 12 men killed, 20 wounded: 6 officers and 39 men taken prisoners.

It certainly was very hard on the battalion and on the 2nd Devons that the somewhat unnecessarily precipitate abandonment of the attack (Buller recalled his forces ordering them to withdraw) should have left those stranded and helpless who had pushed in with most magnificent courage.

On 23rd January 1900 the battalion was taken to Spearman's Farm as corps troops, and about 1st February was moved to a camp between Mount Alice and Doornkloof, finding picquets for Swartz Kop prior to and during the action of Vaal Krantz. The Scots Fusiliers also assisted in "the formation of a road to the top of a very precipitous hill and the occupation of its summit by guns". The general said, "I must bear witness to the admirable way in which the Naval Brigade, the Royal Artillery, the Royal Engineers, and the Royal Scots Fusiliers worked at this arduous duty". In reference to this 'Linesman' says, "Along the terraces and in the dense woods of Swartz Kop men were straining and hauling all night at steel hawsers, until with almost superhuman labour heavy ordnance was actually perched on the flat summit, a sight almost as wonderful to behold as the terrible work they did next day".

In the fighting between 13th and 27th February the battalion took a full share of the task in hand.

On 18th February the battalion was first line in the attack on Green Hill, which was "well carried by the Royal Scots Fusiliers". In his telegram of 20th February the Commander-in-Chief mentioned three infantry regiments as doing specially noticeable work, one of these being the Royal Scots Fusiliers.

In the final assault on Pieter's Hill General Barton's force was the Royal Scots Fusiliers, Royal Irish Fusiliers and Dublin Fusiliers. In his telegraphic despatch of 28th February General Buller said, "They crept about one and a half miles down the bank of the river, and ascending an almost precipitous cliff of about 500 feet, assaulted and carried the top of Pieter's Hill". It will be remembered that after taking the summit, which, as so often happened, was found to be larger than anticipated, General Barton's force was heavily attacked from the north and east and south-east. As to this General Buller said: "General Barton's force had to bear a heavy attack for a considerable time single-handed. His dispositions were extremely good; his three regiments were very well handled; his men fought most gallantly, and stubbornly maintained their position".



The battalion's losses were in the fourteen days' fighting approximately, 4 officers and 26 men killed, 9 officers and 72 men wounded. The road to Ladysmith was now clear and the town was relieved on 1 March 1900.

The brigade having been brought round to the Cape Colony about the middle of April 1900, was concentrated at Dronfield, north of Kimberley, about the 22nd, as a component part of the Xth Division under Sir Archibald Hunter. On 5th May the battle of Rooidam was fought, and the Boers driven across the frontier as a preparatory step in the relief of Mafeking. The brigade then marched to Fourteen Streams, Christiana, Taungs, and Vryburg; then, leaving the Mafeking Railway, across a poorly watered country to Lichtenburg, Frederickstad, and Potchefstroom. The brigade was now broken up, and the Royal Scots Fusiliers and Royal Welsh Fusiliers remained with General Barton in the Krugersdorp district of the Transvaal, in which they were to see a great deal of fighting.

After De Wet had broken out of the Brandwater basin in July 1900 he made for the rugged district south of the Vaal. On 7th August he crossed the river. Barton's force took part in the pursuit. On 5th October General Barton left Frederickstad, the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers forming part of his column. He engaged the enemy at Muller's Drift, Tweefontein, Dewar's Vlei, Welverdiend, and the Gatsrand hills. In a fight on the 15th "the Scottish Yeomanry” under Sir James Miller and the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers behaved with great gallantry. On 17th October Barton marched to Frederickstad, fighting the whole way, and on the 20th came in contact with De Wet in command of some 3000 men.

On the 25th Barton attacked the enemy facing him. Three companies of the Scots and half a battalion of the Welsh Fusiliers delivered the attack "and scattered the Boers in all directions". They left 24 dead and 19 wounded, besides 26 prisoners. On the 25th, the day of the battle, Barton was joined by the 1st Essex, 2nd Dublins, and some Imperial Light Horse with a convoy of ammunition and stores. These reinforcements did not take part in the action. In November the battalion was about Frederickstad.

From December 1900 to May 1901 the battalion was part of the garrison of Johannesburg, forming the outposts for the defence of the town, and holding the water-works, twenty miles outside,—and in the latter month was sent to the Krokodil Valley, holding Nelspruit and other posts, and occasionally coming into action against Boers attempting to blow up the line. In November 1901 the battalion replaced the 2nd East Kent in the column which had been under Colonel Benson, and was taken over by Colonel Mackenzie.

It was at this time that Montgomery’s South African odyssey came to an end – on 24 December 1901 he was repatriated to England and, after serving another few days to round his total service up to 13 years – was discharged on 31 December 1901. For his efforts he was awarded the Queens Medal with the relevant clasps – the Orange Free State and Transvaal clasps being applied for and awarded later.

Now free from the shackles of a uniform Montgomery wasn’t about to forget his military endeavours, instead, he saw an opportunity to capitalise on his experiences and, a natural born performer, turned to the stage in order to do so. Adopting the stage name of Horace Monto and styling himself as “The Singing Soldier” he started what became a very successful and renowned music hall act in which he would not only sing in a fine baritone but also play a number of musical instruments as well as juggling clubs in the process.



This found favour with audiences throughout England and elsewhere in the British Isles and he would seem, judging from the newspaper coverage he received, to have flourished. He almost always wore his Queens Medal with pride, not least of all when he was delivering his act “Tommy Atkins at Play” wherein he borrowed heavily from his time in South Africa. Seeing no military service during WWI – he, famously, advertised that he was ineligible for further service.

At the time of the 1921 England census he was living at 68 Grasmere Road, Lancaster with Teresa where he was described as a “Music Hall Artiste.” There must have been a bit of a lull in his career as the enumerator called round as he was “Out of Work” despite, no doubt, the best efforts of his Variety Agent, Mr Syd Herman. Interestingly he gave his Place of Work as “No Fixed Place.”

This interesting man passed away in 1936 at the age of 64 – his mortal remains were interred in the “Lancaster” Burial Grounds on 8 January of that year. It was left to “The Stage” of 4 February 1937 (a year after he had passed) to have the last word. In an insert entitled “Death Levy” they remarked that, “The sad yearly duty of recording the names of members who have passed over to the Great Beyond. We lament that it was necessary to call 22 levies which were in respect of the following:
……. Horace Monto.”

Acknowledgements:
- FMP/Ancestry for census data, military papers etc.
- Various newspapers accredited in the work above
- The Scottish Military Research Group fb page