| Royston | John Robinson | | Lieutenant Colonel | ROYSTON, JOHN ROBINSON, Lieutenant Colonel, was born 29 April 1860, son of William Royston, of Bellair, Natal. He first saw active service in the Zulu Campaign of 1878-79 (Medal with clasp). He also served in the South African War of 1899 to 1902, and was present in operations in Natal in 1899, including the actions at Reitfontein and Lombard's Kop; the Defence of Ladysmith, including sortie of 7 December 1899, and action of 6 January 1900. Sir A Conan Doyle thus describes the sortie from Ladysmith in 'The Great Boer War' page 169: "December 7 was marked by a gallant exploit on the part of the beleaguered garrison. Not a whisper had transpired of the coming sortie, and a quarter of an hour before the start officers engaged had no idea of it. O si sic omnia! At, ten o'clock a band of men slipped out of the town. There were six hundred of them, all irregulars, drawn from the Imperial Light Horse, the Natal Carabineers, and the Border Mounted Rifles, under the command of Hunter, youngest and most dashing of British generals. Edwardes and Royston were the sub-commanders. The men had no knowledge of where they were going or what they had to do, but they crept silently along under a drifting sky, with peeps of a quarter moon, over a mimosa-shadowed plain. At last in front of them there loomed a dark mass—it was Gun Hill, from which one of the great Creusots had plagued them. A strong support (four hundred men) was left at the base of the hill, and the others, one hundred Imperials, one hundred Borders and Carabineers, ten Sappers, crept upwards with Major Henderson as guide. A Dutch outpost challenged, but was satisfied by a Dutch-speaking Carabineer. Higher and higher the men crept, the silence broken only by the occasional slip of a stone or the rustle of their own breathing. Most of them had left their boots below. Even in the darkness they kept some formation, and the right wing curved forward to outflank the defence. Suddenly a Mauser crack and a spurt of flame—then another and another! 'Come on, boys! Fix bayonets!' yelled Karri Davies. There were no bayonets, but that was a detail. At the word the gunners were off, and there in the darkness in front of the storming party loomed the enormous gun, gigantic in that uncertain light. Out with the huge breech-block! Wrap the long, lean muzzle round with a collar of gun-cotton! Keep the guard upon the run until the work is done! Hunter stood by with a night-light in his hand until the charge was in position, and then, with a crash which brought both armies from their tents, the huge tube reared up on its mountings and toppled backwards into the pit. A howitzer lurked beside it, and this also was blown into ruin. The attendant Maxim was dragged back by the exultant captors, who reached the town amid shoutings and laughter with the first break of day. One man wounded, the gallant Henderson, is the cheap price for the best-planned and most dashing exploit of the war. Secrecy in conception, vigour in execution—they are the root ideas of the soldier's craft. So easily was the enterprise carried out, and so defective the Boer watch, that it is probable that if all the guns had been simultaneously attacked the Boers might have found themselves without a single piece of ordnance in the morning". He also took part in operations in Natal, March to June 1900, including action at Laing's Nek; operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, July to October 1900, in command of the West Australian Mounted Infantry; operations in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony 30 November 1900 to 31 May 1902; operations on the Zululand Frontier of Natal in September and October 1901. He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 17 and 25 April 1902, and 4 December 1903]; received the Queen's Medal with four clasps; was created a CMG, and was also created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 28 January 1902]: "J R Royston, Lieutenant Colonel, West Australian Mounted Infantry. For ability and dash in the capture of laagers on 14 December 1901, and 4 January 1902, in Ermelo District". The Insignia were presented by HRH The Prince of Wales, Horse Guards' Parade, 1 July 1902. He was given the Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel; became Major, Border Mounted Rifles, 3 October 1904. In the Natal Native Rebellion of 1906 he raised and commanded Royston's Horse; was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 25 June 1907]; received the Medal and clasp, and was given the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Army 28 June 1907. He retired with this rank. During the European War he became Honorary Brigadier General; was awarded the Russian Order of St Stanislaus, 3rd Class with Sword, in 1916.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | West Australia contingent |
