More information on Charles James Frank Skyring Rundle above.
QSA: TR, LN – 840 Tpr: F.S. Rundle. Natal Carbners: (WO 100/242 p. 181)
KSA: 1901,1902 – Lt: F.S. Rundle, Natal V.C.R. (engraved) (WO 100/363)
PoW 21 August 1900 at Dewaals (Confirmed in Palmer’s Boer War Casualty Roll)
With Cap Badge; shoulder titles and photo of recipient.
Charles James Frank Skyring Rundle was born on 12 August 1869 to Aldborough and Emily Rundle in the Bombay Presidency. He attended Rugby. He initially served in the Colonial Scouts as 21 Trooper FS Rundle, and then as 840 Trooper F.S. Rundle, Natal Carabineers from 22 March 1900 to 1 October 1900 when he transferred to the Volunteer Composite Regiment as an officer. He served in the NCVR as 286 Lt. F.W. Rundle from 1 October 1900 until it was disbanded on 31 July 1903. He was MID by Kitchener and gazette on 15 November 1901(p. 7377). The citation was for “marked good work near Nondweni, Zululand on July 28th 1901”. During the 1906 Natal Rebellion, Rundle served as a Lt in the Northern District Mounted Rifles, which was not involved in the Boer War, but was in the Natal Rebellion. He was awarded the Natal Medal with 1906 clasp.
If anyone knows the whereabouts of Rundle’s Natal Medal, please contact me as I would like very much to reunite his medals. Thank you.
He married Helen Florence Mary Lloyd of Waverley, Vryheid, Natal on 5 October 1910 in Vryheid. He farmed at “Kambula”. They had a son, Aldborough Tom Rundle who was born on 18 April 1915 in Vryheid, Natal, and educated at Michaelhouse, Natal and a King’s School Canterbury (1929-1931) where he was in Langley House. He returned to SA after leaving school and went into farming. He served in the Umvoti Mounted Rifles as 5241 WO CII and at 29 was KIA* on 18 October 1944. He is buried at Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa, Plot 1 Row D, Grave 2. He died on 28 July 1929 in Durban, Natal and is buried in Isipingo Cemetery.
*On 17 October, A.T. Rundle and four others went into Chiavari to capture a fascist. They were ambushed and captured, sentenced to death and executed by firing squad the next day along with a partisan, “Vito” whose hands were untied while the pair knelt side by side to allow a priest to give them a blessing before they were shot. When the blessing was finished, Rundle leapt to his feet and ran. Six shots were fired at him as he fled, but all missed until the captain of the firing squad fired his machine gun which killed Rundle. The two bodies were placed in a tomb and the villagers of Carasco gathered around it in vigil through the night. He was exhumed when the allied forces arrived months later and was reburied with full military honors. He was posthumously mentioned in dispatches for his work in escape, evasion and special operations. (LG 20 Sept. 1945).
