TOPIC:

Capt M.J. Wood 1st City Volunteers (1861-1934)

Matthew James Wood was born in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape on the 27th November 1861 and was baptized on the 1st December 1862. His entry number 402 is recorded in the Trinity Presbyterian Parish Records in Grahamstown. Matthew James Wood was a descendent of the original Wood family who settled in the area in 1820. He was the Son of William Samuel Wood (known also as Samuel) and Sarah Wood (born Pitt).

Matthew Wood enlisted into the Grahamstown Volunteer Horse Artillery on the 01/06/1878 (as per the muster rolls) as a Gunner at the age of 16 years and 6 months. Wood although on strength of the Grahamstown Volunteer Horse Artillery did not serve in the 1877-8-9 wars and is not found on the SAGS Roll. He did serve however, in the Basutoland Campaign of 1880-1881 also known as the “Gun Wars”.

According to the following references:

1) “South African Settlers” web site.
2) Page 48 of the “First City” a saga of service by R.Griffiths.
3) Page 41 of the “Prince Alfred’s Guard” by Neil Orpen.
4) South African Military History Society Vol 1 No 5 - 1969, Basutoland Roll of Honour 1851-1881.

Matthew’s father, Colour Sergeant W.S Wood was killed in action during the attack on either Lerothodi’s Village or Mafeteng. The dates and places in the various publications differ somewhat. His date of death is stated in some publications as the 31st October 1880 (which is confirmed in his death notice and which also states Lerothodi’s Village as the place of death) whilst the actual attack on Lerothodis’s Village occurred on the 22nd October 1880.

Neil Orpen’s book also has a rather gruesome story to tell.

“There were six Volunteers, four of them sons or grandsons of 1820 Settlers. The youngest (Bugler) Wood aged 17 hid in a bush and watched his father and the others being slain and their hearts cut out, which the Basutos ate with relish, believing that they would inherit the courage of the white man. (Bugler) Wood received a medal from Captain Nelson for his bravery, in returning with a party to the spot to retrieve the bodies”.


No trace or description of this medal has been found however, I believe that this medal could be the Cape of Good Hope General Service medal. His name is typed onto the published roll for the Grahamstown Horse Artillery not under the list of Gunners but rather right at the end below Driver Norton!!


On the 16th January 1881 a force of 74 Officers and Men left Grahamstown to relieve the 1st City detachment currently serving in Basutoland. This relief force or relief contingent No 2 as it is sometimes called was under the command of Captain G.Young with Lieut R.Mundy and Sub Lieut R.Tillard. The relief contingent No 2 reached Basutoland on the 11th February 1881 and joined up with their comrades, this unit now being under the overall command of Captain Sampson (his medals were sold in 2009 by City Coins).

The Grahamstown Volunteer Horse Artillery and the Kaffrarian Volunteer Artillery of King William’s Town were also called upon to provide Officers and Men to proceed to Basutoland. Wood’s name was selected and added onto the final nominal roll of the Volunteers (page 50 of the “First City” a saga of service by Reginald Griffiths).

On Sunday the 13th February, the First City Regiment as a whole went into action at the Battle of Wittkoppies. There were no casualties as the Basutos fled before a resolute charge and only a few long range shots were exchanged. The second relief contingent was involved in further engagements at the Battle of Boleka on the 22nd March 1881 and on the 11th April 1881 during the fight for the Pokqwani Ridge which proved to be the last action of the Basutoland Campaign. The 2nd relief contingent did, after a long and grueling march, arrive back home in Grahamstown on the 19th May 1881.

It looks as if Matthew Wood was discharged on the 27/07/1882 (as per the muster rolls) and then joined the Reserves on the 03/06/1883.

Little further is known of Wood’s life from 1882 until he attested into the 1st City Grahamstown Volunteers on the 05/01/1900. I suspect however, that he was Farming in the area as this was his occupation stated on his Death Notice.

Wood as mentioned above attested into the 1st City Grahamstown Volunteers on the 05/01/1900 as 713 Corporal and was part of a detachment that left Grahamstown on the 23rd January 1900 for Cradock. This detachment comprised 57 men and 37 horses. They were deployed in the Naauwpoort area and also on scouting duties in the Colesberg area of the Northern Cape.

The 1st City Mounted Sections also later known as Marshall’s Horse (due in part to the confusion of the Regiments name with that of the CIV, City Imperial Volunteers) were involved in many smaller actions in the Orange Free State and stationed for a time outside Jacobsdal.

The 1st City Mounted Sections (also known as Marshall’s Horse) were involved in many actions during 1900 which included Poplar Grove, the advance on Bloemfontein, Modder River and actions into the Transvaal.

During this time however, the Infantry Sections of the Regiment were involved with duties along the lines of communication from Cradock to Port Alfred and where there were approximately 140 men occupied with railway guard and garrison duties. It can be assumed then, that Wood was part of this as he only has the confirmed Cape Colony clasp to his QSA which would show that he spent his time in the Cape Colony either on Line of Communication and Guard duties or in the Naauwpoort/Colesberg area.

Matthew Wood must have impressed his superiors or perhaps it was the Wood Family’s status within the Grahamstown Community, but either way, he was promoted to the rank of Captain during 1900 (his exact date of promotion to Captain is unknown) and it can also be assumed that he would have taken his discharge before the end of 1900 as he is not found on the Supplementary rolls for the SA 1901 or the SA 1902 date clasps nor is he found in the KSA roll for the 1st City or Marshall’s Horse.

After the Boer War, Wood married his first wife Kate Amina (born Swinbourne) and together they had 6 Children. Kate passed away in 1922 in the Transvaal (archive reference for her death notice shows 1922 whilst Matthew Wood’s death notice states that Kate passed away in 1926). In 1930 Matthew married his second wife Elizabeth in Kimberley. Interestingly Elizabeth Wood (born Townsend) was previously married to Robert Buckingham Wood who died in 1927. Robert was Matthew’s brother. By the time that his marriage to Elizabeth took place Matthew Wood was 68 years old!!

The final part of the Wood story is that he retired from farming and moved with Elizabeth to Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia. Matthew passed away on the 1st September 1934 in the Salisbury General Hospital at the age of 72 years and nine months (72 years and eight months according to his death notice). His wife, Elizabeth passed away on the 9th January 1943 also in Salisbury aged 69 years and 4 months. The death notices were both found in the archive repository in Pretoria.

The CGHGS medal roll confirms his medal with the Basutoland clasp, 1 of 14 to the Grahamstown Volunteer Horse Artillery.

The QSA with CC clasp confirmed on Roll WO100/248.

The Pair is confirmed as his full entitlement. He was approximately 53 years old at the commencement of WW1.

A few pictures of the naming on the QSA to Wood.

Regards
Adrian

That was quick work, Adrian! The tea cups must have hardly cooled when you took those photographs! It is good to know that Wood's medals have found a home where they are appreciated.

Regards
Brett

Brett,

Thank you, it was very nice to have had a cuppa earlier and a good chat.

Brett, you played a major part in these medals ending up in my care for which I thank you again.Hopefully I can dig out a good story in time for our next meeting.

Regards
Adrian

Finally managed to get the write up completed, well for the time being anyway !!!

This chap continuously throws up the odd surprise.

Regards
Adrian

Hello Adrian,
That is a wonderful pair, I like the QSA and the naming in particular, it is always nice to see engraved naming for a colonial officer, moreover, they seldom get any better than your example that you show here.
Kind regards Frank