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 Surname   Forename   No   Rank   Notes   Unit 
Digby-JonesR J TLieutenantDemise: Killed in action 06 Jan 1900
Place: Ladysmith, Wagon Point
Source: In Memoriam by S Watt
Royal Engineers, Field Company, 23rd
Digby-JonesRobert James ThomasLieutenantDIGBY JONES, ROBERT JAMES THOMAS, Lieutenant, was born 27 September 1876, son of Charles Digby Jones and Aimee Susanna Digby Jones (nee Christie).  He was educated first at Alnmouth, Northumberland, and afterwards at Sedbergh School, Yorkshire.  A notice in 'Rouge et Noir' (the Wilson's House periodical, published at Sedbergh) for February 1900, says: 'The death of R J T Digby Jones ... will have been received by all Wilsonites, past and present, with deep regret, though doubtless mingled with a certain sense of pride for an old schoolfellow who gave up his life in his country's cause; for the fact that he died the best of all deaths, fighting with con­spicuous bravery for the Queen and the Flag, brings unbounded honour to Serbergh and to the House, which will always, we feel sure, be justly proud of him.  He was a member of this House from May, 1800, till December 1893.  He was in the House Eleven for two, and the Fifteen for three years, gaining his 1st Twelve Colours before he left.  He was also a member of the House Eight, a strong swimmer and an excellent skater, and gained his 2nd Eleven Cap for his bowling in 1893.  He also obtained the Sedgwick Mathematical Prize in the same year.  In a word, he was a capital all-round athlete; twice in succession he won the boys' Scratch Gold Medal at North Berwick.  He passed into Woolwich in 1894, thirty-fourth in order of merit, and was fifth when bifurcating for the Royal Engineers; passing out sixth in the Royal Engineer Division, and obtaining his commission on 5 August 1896.  After a course of instruction at Chatham he was posted to the 23rd Field Company, Royal Engineers.  While at Chatham he was Secretary of the Royal Engineers' Football Club, and one of its foremost players.  He was also Secretary of the Royal Engineers' Golf Club, forming one of the team in the annual inter-regimental matches with the Royal Artillery in the years 1897,1898 and 1899, and doing the best round for the Sappers in 1899.  He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1899.  He accompanied the 23rd Field Company, Royal Engineers (under the command of Major S R Rice, RE) to Natal in June, 1899, proceeding straight to Ladysmith, where he was employed in the construction of a hospital in the Camp (afterwards abandoned when the siege began), and afterwards on the defences of the town.  At Ladysmith, he speedily made a name for himself by blowing up with gun-cotton a 4.7 howitzer mounted on Surprise Hill, which threw a 40 lb shell and had been causing much annoyance to the garrison.  Early on the morning of the 11th December, five companies of the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, under Colonel Metcalfe, and some Sappers and Engineers under Lieutenant Digby Jones, marched out, and reached the foot of the slope before being challenged, when the order was given to fix bayonets and charge, and, under a heavy fire, the rifles moved up the slope with admirable steadiness.  The Boers did not wait for the cold steel, but fled, removing the howitzer before they went, which caused a short delay.  It was, however, soon found on the crest of a hill ten yards distant.  Protected by a ring of rifles, Lieutenant Digby Jones and his Engineers fixed charges of gun-cotton to the muzzle and breach of the howitzer and applied the fuse.  Two minutes—the length of the fuse—three minutes, five minutes passed, and there was no explosion.  Something must have happened to the fuse.  Lieutenant Digby Jones went back and lighted another.  Two minutes later the muzzle of the howitzer split into fragments with a roar and a brilliant flame.  The work was done, and with a loud cheer the companies of the Rifle Brigade began their march back to camp.  Their return was, however, barred by the Boers, who had had plenty of time to reinforce their beaten comrades.  But, using the bayonet freely, they burst through, losing 2 killed, 25 wounded, and the same number missing.  The Boers admitted they had lost 28 men killed; so their actual losses must have been heavier than ours'.  The following account of the enemy's attack on Wagon Hill is contained in a report from Major S R Rice, Officer Commanding 23rd Field Company, to the Chief Engineer, Natal: 'At 6.30 pm , on the 5th January 1900, a party of 33 NCO's and men of the 23rd Company left our camp at Ladysmith for night work on Wagon Hill, Lieutenant R J T Digby Jones was the Officer in Charge.  Their duties were to make a second (or upper) emplacement for a naval 12-pr gun; to assist in mounting a 4.7-inch gun, which was coming that night from Junction Hill, in the sunken emplacement already prepared; and to fix a platform in the lower 12-pr emplacement.  A working party of 50 Infantry was also provided for Lieutenant Digby Jones.  They joined at Wagon Hill without arms, and left at 2.30 am on the 6th on completion of the work required of them.  A party of 10 RN under Mr Sim, RN, assisted by a working party of 100 infantry, was detailed for the movement of the 4.7-inch gun.  In addition, an escort of 70 infantry was provided.  The permanent garrison of that end of Wagon Hill consisted of 25 Imperial Light Horse, with 2 officers.  At about 5 am on the 6th a report reached our camp that the enemy were on Wagon Hill, and that Lieutenant Jones's detachment had been captured.  This was the first intimation we (RE) had of any attack.  The firing of guns had been heard for some time previously, but at that period of the siege this was not an unusual occurrence.  In case of attack the orders were for the CRA, CRE, etc, to proceed to head­quarters.  But in view of the report I thought it best to ascertain personally what had occurred, so I rode out as quickly as possible, meeting Lieutenant Digby Jones on the top of Wagon Hill at 5.45 am.  Our men were then lining the front ridge of the plateau (Wagon Hill, W), exchanging a hot fire with the enemy on their front and left flank; and Major Miller-Wallnutt, Gordon Highlanders, was present and in charge.  Second Lieutenant G B B Denniss, the RE officer detailed by me for duty with that section of the defences, had already arrived.  Lieutenant Digby Jones gave me a very clear and full report of what had occurred within his observation up to the time of my arrival.  I have also heard the statements of various NCO's and men of his party.  In the following brief account of what occurred throughout the day I have relied on these reports in connection with anything recorded that did not come within my personal observation.  On the arrival of the various parties at Wagon Hill, W, on the night of the 5th, work proceeded as usual until 2.45 am on the 6th, when, without previous warning, musketry fire was opened on them from the outer crestline of Wagon Hill proper, on their left flank, at a distance of about 150 yards.  At that time Lieutenant Digby Jones and about 25 of his party were working at the upper 12-pr emplacement.  The remaining 8 were fixing the platform in the lower 12-pr emplacement at the W extremity of the hill, distant about 70 yards.  Digby Jones at once ordered the party to stand to their arms, which were piled by them; kicked over the lanterns, which were evidently attracting the enemy's fire; extended his men from right to left, and opened fire in return on the place whence they were being fired upon.  The RN who were near the 4.7-inch emplacement also stood to their arms, under Mr Sim.  The party of Imperial Light Horse also fell in with their officers.  Some of the Gordon Highlanders fell in with Digby Jones' party.  Naturally a good deal of hurry and confusion occurred at first; but none of the parties mentioned above ever left, or were driven off, the top of the hill.  Both ILH officers were wounded almost at once, and Lieutenant Digby Jones took command, remaining in charge of the various parties until 5.15 am, when reinforcements (ILH and Gordon Highlanders, under Major Miller-Wallnutt) commenced to arrive.  Shortly after the action opened Digby Jones pushed his men forward about 40 yards, with bayonets fixed, and occupied the outer crest of the hill; the ILH also moved forward; and the RN party, with 8 sappers, occupied the lower 12-pr emplacement and the outer crest of the right flank.  Royal Engineers
DiggardDavid43 TrooperSource: Nominal roll in WO127Bushmanland Borderers
DiggardLouis31 TrooperSource: Nominal roll in WO127Bushmanland Borderers
DiggardMarthinus47 CorporalSource: Nominal roll in WO127Bushmanland Borderers
DiggedenE P1st Battalion
Source: QSA and KSA rolls
Imperial Light Horse
DiggedenEdward Patrick830Corporal1st Battalion
Source: Nominal roll in WO127
Imperial Light Horse
DiggedenFPrivateCGHGSM (2) Basutoland Transkei
Source: Roll of the CGHGSM
Nesbitts Light Horse
DiggedenFW Squadron
Source: QSA and KSA medal rolls
Cape Colonial Forces
DiggedenJohn21455 TrooperSource: Nominal roll in WO127Marshall's Horse
DiggedenTD Squadron
Source: QSA and KSA medal rolls
Cape Colonial Forces
DiggedenTerence81CorporalSource: Nominal roll in WO127Rhodesia Regiment
DiggendenEdward Patrick TrooperSource: Nominal roll in WO127Colonial Scouts
DiggensA6th MI
Source: Medal rolls
Bedfordshire Regiment
DiggensEdward John32066TrooperSource: QSA Medal Rolls58th Company, 15th Btn, IY
Page 11763 of 50206
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