Description
Sudan and Khedive’s Sudan, QSA, 3 bars, KSA, 2 bars, 2659 Bombardier William Hancock, 4th Battery Royal Field Artillery. Dangerously Wounded in action at De Klipdrift, 7th March 1902.
During the Boer War, William fought at the disastrous Battle of Tweebosch, aka De Klipdrift where he was lucky to escape with his life, the battle is also known as the “Lord Methuen Disaster”.
He was amongst those who fell having been “Dangerously Wounded” by a “Gunshot to the Stomach”, it was noted that the fearless gunners were sitting there as “a mark for a thousand Boer riflemen” and kept going until the last man standing, lying wounded next to him was his commanding officer and even General Lord Methuen, alongside his entire crew who almost all fell wounded.
The Royal Field Artillery was there, where Hancock was in 4th Battery under Lt Gordon Ralph Venning DSO, killed in action.
Meanwhile next to them was the 38th Battery R.F.A. under Lieut T.P.W. Nesham, also killed in action.
During the battle Lieut T.P.W. Nesham “single handedly continued to fire his gun at the Battle after the rest of his crew were killed. When the Boers called upon him to surrender, Nesham replied ‘I prefer death to surrender’, the Boers shot and killed him.
An interesting battle, Mr Hancock being one of those brave Gunners who were shot down and taken prisoner (only to be treated, fed and released on the other side of Lichtenberg), Lt Venning DSO who was in command of Hancock was also amongst those severely wounded leaving both Artillery Commanding Officers killed on the day.
Lord Methuen was also wounded whilst in command of the column, and having been wheeled off to Klerksdorp courtesy of the Boer General Koos De La Rey who supplied his personal cart, Methuen wrote his official despatch from his hospital bed on 13th March 1902 where he writes:
‘I remained with the guns, 4th Battery, and Infantry, until my horse was killed and my thigh fractured by a bullet. They held out in a most splendid manner until about 09h30 when all the men around the guns had been shot down, and Lieutenant Venning, commanding the section had been killed. I would also call attention to the gallant manner in which Lieutenants Nesham and Venning, Royal Field Artillery, stuck to their guns.’
This was apparently the only time a British General was taken by the Boers as a Prisoner of War during the entire war.
Sudan officially engraved: “2659 Gr. W. Hancock, R.A.”
QSA officially impressed: 2659 Br: W. Hancock, 4th Bty. R.F.A.”
KSA officially impressed: 2659 Bomb: W. Hancock. R.F.A.”
Khedive’s Sudan impressed in typical depot style: “2659 GR. W. Hancock. 32 F.B. R.A.” Also entitled to Khartoum Clasp for Omdurman.
William Hancock was born in Clapham, Surrey, London during 1875 and Enlisted for service during 1894.
Service:
Home, 14th Feb 1894 – 22nd Feb 1895
Egypt, 23rd Feb 1895 – 12th Nov 1898
Home, 13th Nov 1898 – 14th Nov 1899
South Africa, 15th Nov 1899 – 5th June 1902
Home, 6th June 1902 – 13th Feb 1906.
Discharged on 13th Feb 1906 on completion of his 12 year contract.
An excellent article was written about this battle Julian Orford titled “The Dust of Conflict” published in the SAMHS Journal Vol 5 NO 4 – December 1981 where he notes:
You can read it in full here:
http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol054jo.html
The column moved off in two divisions from Tweebosch on 7 March 1902, the ox-convoy starting at 03h00, escorted by Cape Police, the Yeomanry, all the Infantry and Lt Venning’s guns. The main column moved out at 04h00, escorted by the Cape Special Police, Ashburner’s Light Horse, with one pom-pom forming the advance guard, and Dennison’s Scouts and the Diamond Fields Horse the rear guard. Lt Nesham’s guns were with this column.
By about 05h00 the head of the column had reached de Klipdrift on the Great Harts River, when the Boer attack opened on the rear-guard. The fire put down by Nesham’s guns and the second pom-pom was effective for a while, but not for long. At 05h30 the ox-column was ordered to halt, and at 06h00 the attack assumed serious proportions when, in addition to attacking the rear of the column, a movement was made against the column’s right flank. Methuen, in accordance with a previous arrangement, took post with the Infantry. Major Paris, commanding the mounted troops, reinforced the rear while Metheun extended the Infantry and brought Venning’s guns into action. Lines of charging Boers, firing from the saddle, in extended order, disregarding the heavy fire directed at them, pushed forward. After a small measure of resistance nearly all the Colonial troops broke and fled. The regulars, or the handful that were left, and Nesham’s gunners, stood fast. One by one the men of the 38th Battery were shot down, but the guns remained in action. Burgher Willem Richards took up a position behind the guns and shot six gunners. One gun only, served by Lt T. P. W. Nesham, entirely on his own, remained in action. The Boers, admiring the young officer’s coolness and courage called on him to surrender. He refused to comply, shouting out: ‘I prefer death to surrender.’ He, too, was shot down.
Venning’s battery suffered the same fate, but continued in action until he fell mortally wounded while serving a gun. At about 09h30 Methuen was hit in the thigh. He dismounted and lay down next to his horse. It was hit, wounded a second time, and fell on him, breaking his leg. Colonel E. Townsend, the column’s Principal Medical Officer, splinted Methuen’s leg with two rifles, and was hit three times in rapid succession.
The fight was over and surrender was inevitable.
General De la Rey arranged for Methuen to be attended by Civil Surgeon John Prentice, and his own ambulance commander, Dr. Karl von Rennekampf. It was agreed that Methuen and Townsend should be sent to Klerksdorp for medical attention. After some trials and tribulations they reached Klerksdorp at noon on 13 March, in an ambulance (which still exists) driven by De la Rey’s nephew, Thomas Leask, junior.
All the wounded (including Lt Venning) and prisoners were gathered together near Coetzee’s house on the farm de Klipdrift 235. The Boers provided a burial party and bodies were located and buried in batches, while prisoners were fed and later released on the other side of Lichtenburg. One of the houses on the farm was turned into a hospital, and the ambulance men and Mrs. Hessie Coetzee did what they could for the wounded. At this point the Boers mixed up Colonel Wilson and Lt Venning, referring to them as Colonel Venning and Lieutenant Wilson. Both men died of their wounds in the hospital and Wilson, before he died, turned to Mrs. Coetzee and said ‘God bless you.’
Lord Methuen’s offical despatch is dated 13 March 1902, and was dictated from his bed at Klerksdorp. He gave a general account of the action and wrote : ‘I remained with the guns, 4th Battery, and Infantry, until my horse was killed and my thigh fractured by a bullet. They held out in a most splendid manner until about 09h30 when all the men around the guns had been shot down, and Lieutenant Venning, commanding the section had been killed. I would also call attention to the gallant manner in which Lieutenants Nesham and Venning, Royal Field Artillery, stuck to their guns.’
