The rise and fall of T/Lt C.J.Busher West Yorks M.C

[RaySearching]

T/Lieutenant CHARLES JOSEPH BUSHER MC

11^th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales Own)

A career soldier Charles enlisted aged 18 and 8 months on the 4th June 1887 at Duncannon stating that he had previously served with the 3^rd Royal Rifle Regiment He was placed with the 2^nd Bn West York’s Regiment, Promoted through the ranks he attaining the rank of Colour Sergeant, Charles served throughout the Boer Wars and was decorated with the medal for distinguished Conduct in the Field, (D.C.M) Ashanti Star and Queens South African Medal with four bars MID L/G 10/9/1907

On the 9^th February 1903 Busher was in confinement awaiting trial to answer charges of fraud by a General Court Martial

On 12^th March 1903 9807 Colour Sergeant Busher appeared before the Court Martial at York to face three charges of fraud and false entry on regimental pay sheets in connection with several sums which came into his hands as company pay sergeant

(Sergent Robert Clark of the same regiment pleaded guilty of forgery in August)

Captain Logan the prosecutor stated the facts which were that Busher drew a cheque for £5 (five pounds)

In favour of private Chapman which Captain Cummings the officer commanding K company signed and Busher then forged the endorsement in Chapmans name and cashed the cheque

When Busher was arrested he wrote to Chapman a reservist living at Malton and asked him to say he had received the money, promising to pay him

(Sentence was to be promulgated in due course)

Sentence was announced at the end of the trial in March 1903 Busher was sentenced to be reduced to the ranks “as Private”

To forfeit 2 years service for the purpose of determining pension

He will forfeit the whole of his general campaign badges, medals, and decorations

Charles again rose through the ranks attaining the rank of Lance Sergeant before being discharged from service after having claimed it and after giving three months notice on the 30^th November 1908

He was the son of ( parentage presently unknown) and the husband of Margaret Isabella (Bella) Busher (nee McKinnon born Moy Inverness) The couple married in Rangoon Burma in 1894

Charles can be found on the 1911 census residing with his wife and six children at 2A Victoria Terrace Heslington Road York, His occupation is given as a Military Clerk (army pensioner) On the 1901 Scottish census He wife Bella and his oldest daughter can be found residing with Bella’s mother at 210 Berkley Street Sandyford Glasgow , Charles in 1901 was with the 2^nd Bn West Yorks on active service

Shortly after 1911 the family moved to 29 Edward Street North Ormesby Middlesbrough where Charles gained employment at the shipyard of Sir Raylton Dixon and Co as a Commissionaire at the yard

On March 17^th 1914 Charles appeared before the magistrates in Middlesbrough charged with misappropriating a quantity of mahogany and oak timber the property of his employers worth 5 shillings and sixpence

After hearing the evidence and taking into consideration Charles’s military service

The Stipendiary Mr Wilfred Fry took a lenient view He said the defendant had abused a position of trust though the offence was not a serious one, Charles was fined 15 shillings or 14 days imprisonment

Shortly after the outbreak of the war on the 16th September 1914 Charles re-enlisted in Middlesbrough giving his occupation as a blast-furnace man his age as 45 and his place of birth as Monamolin near Gorey

He rejoined the West Yorks and was posted to the 11^th Bn West Yorks (Pte 9807) promoted to Sergeant on the 21^st September 1914, He embarked for France with the Battalion landing at Le Havre on the 26^th August 1915 Charles as a Temporary Lieutenant was awarded the M.C (For conspicuous gallantry and ability near Rue du Bois on the night of October 21-22 1915, Accompanied by a sergeant of his battalion he carried out a very difficult reconnaissance at great personal risk and obtained valuable information at the enemies defences)

Charles was wounded in action whilst the battalion in trenches holding the line in the St Eloi sector, evacuated to a casualty clearing station where he died of his wounds aged 47 on the 30^th January 1916

Born 1869 near the village of Fern Monamolin Wrexford Ireland

BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

Footnote

In September 1916, Charles Busher’s widow Bella and family were presented with a life sized portrait of Charles in oils framed in English gold by the local branch of the National Reserve, An enlarged framed photo were also presented to the National Reserve North Ormesby Club and another to the North Ormesby Cycling Club of which Lieutenant Busher was a member of The presentation was made by Waynman Dixon Esq in the Gem Picture House in North Ormesby on the 13^th September 1916

His widow Bella later resided at 10 Heath Crescent Linthorpe Middlesbrough (as MIC)

( Bella died aged 84 at Bromsgrove Worcestershire in 1950)

Regards Ray

I have searched for a photo to no avail if anybody comes across one I would be only to pleased to see it

[will]

Hi Ray,

Hope You are still on this forum. Charles Joseph Busher was My Grandfather and I have the painting in it's frame, I also have a photograph and  the cane in the picture.

There are a few discrepancies in Your article, I cannot find any ref to J C in the Boer war but there is a C Busher who is not My Grandfather

also they were married December 1894 in Ardee, Ireland and My Grandmother was not Margaret just Isabella McKinnon. I have a picture of Her next to His grave and I believe Her ashes were taken to France to be with Him. Unfortunately all the people involved have now passed away. When I was young I had little interest in  the family history now Iam desperately trying to  catch up(74).

Anyway that's  Enough rambling for the moment I'm gonna send this into the ether and hope you receive it. It would be great to hear from You.

All the best 

Will.

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum Will. @RaySearchingis still active on the forum so my tag will alert him to your post. 

[corisande]

Hello Will & welcome

@RaySearchingwill no doubt be along soon. But I can give a few details. His extensive service record is online - click

From that you get a lot of information.

• His marriage was at Rangoon. The dates do vary by a few weeks, but they were certainly married in Rangoon, and his service record shows him there in 1894
• 
• 
• .
• You can get the 1906 birth from Irish GRO
• 
• .
• He certainly served in South Africa, there are fuller details in his service record
• 
• .
• He was in South Africa from Oct 1899 to Mar 1902
• 
• .
• I cannot get a marriage cert in Irish GRO and I believe the marriage was in Rangoon
• .
• Oddly I cannot get a birth for him. Irish GRO runs from 1865, but all the Busher were registered in Wexford, not Ardee or Gorey

 

[will]

Hi Corisande,

Thanks for the information this opens up a new world for Me, having said that doing a family tree as You probably know it takes up a lot of time and I usually only do it when the weather is bad😶‍🌫️ so must get going before the fine weather 😀  again thanks for the information.

All the best. 

Will

[RaySearching]

Hello Will and welcome to the forum

As Corrisande says Charles's service records are on Find My Past and also on Ancestry

which are a goldmine of info

I will revise this old post and have another look at my records, and recheck my info sources 

I do have various newspaper clippings/articles regarding Charles which i will post later

would it be possible to photograph the painting and post the image on this thread

Its always nice to put a face to a name

 

Kind Regards Ray

 

 

[58 Div Mule]

Here’s some info taken from Ian McInnes and Mark Fraser’s book ‘Ashanti Star 1895-96’ :-

‘Page 98. 8121 Sgt C. J. Busher. MID Lord Kitchener 8.3.01 ‘in the attack on Bothwell, accompanying Lieut Canter to reinforce advance trenches, all the party except him were killed or wounded, he fought his way back killing Boer leader in doing so’. Clr Sgt in S. Africa. DCM LG 27.9.01 and AO 15/1902 MID 4.9.01 Lord Roberts. Medals forfeited but later restored.

DCM (EVII), Ashanti Star, QSA.’

IIRC the Ashanti Star was issued unnamed but those to the W Yorks were engraved privately on the rear of the star’s radials.

58 DM.

[will]

Hi Guys thanks so much for all Your responses. I am on Ancestry and if You go to Mylon /Busher/Emo tree You can see what I have. I will post the painting and the picture it was copied from. Frank Busher was My dad, all the children names are right.

Thanks again 

Will.

.

 

[RaySearching]

1 hour ago, 58 Div Mule said:

Here’s some info taken from Ian McInnes and Mark Fraser’s book ‘Ashanti Star 1895-96’ :-

‘Page 98. 8121 Sgt C. J. Busher. MID Lord Kitchener 8.3.01 ‘in the attack on Bothwell, accompanying Lieut Canter to reinforce advance trenches, all the party except him were killed or wounded, he fought his way back killing Boer leader in doing so’. Clr Sgt in S. Africa. DCM LG 27.9.01 and AO 15/1902 MID 4.9.01 Lord Roberts. Medals forfeited but later restored.

DCM (EVII), Ashanti Star, QSA.’

IIRC the Ashanti Star was issued unnamed but those to the W Yorks were engraved privately on the rear of the star’s radials.

58 DM.

Ian McInnes and Mark Fraser’s book  unfortunatly may have the incorrect service number for Busher

His service number was 1812  according to this source "Attestation Document"

Corresponding info as 58 Div Mule's post 

newspaper clipping 21 aug 1901 Shefield Daily Telegraph  note the typo Sgt E Busher

and here he is as 1218

 

Ray

 

[RaySearching]

Hi Will I have had a look at your tree 

I note you have C J Bushers father down as Henry Busher

I never did determine who Charles parents was

his service papers  list his next of kin as  Uncle Harry New York USA ?

Nothing in geneology is cast in stone !

 

Ray

[corisande]

1 minute ago, RaySearching said:

I never did determine who Charles parents was

That was something I found worrying. His birth should be on Irish GRO, but I cannot get it. In all modesty I would say I can usually  get most names out one way or another.

[RaySearching]

C J Busher has an officers file in the National Archives  at Kew  

It may or may not have additional info  to assist with your research 

some of the files have been heavily weeded over the years

 

[RaySearching]

7 minutes ago, corisande said:

That was something I found worrying. His birth should be on Irish GRO, but I cannot get it. In all modesty I would say I can usually  get most names out one way or another.

 

Maybe there is an American connection    Henry = Harry ?

[58 Div Mule]

1 hour ago, RaySearching said:

His service number was 1812  according to this source "Attestation Document"

My fault I’m afraid. They quote the number correctly. 
Apologies.

58 DM.

[sadbrewer]

 

A postwar snippet.

 

His 1914 Court case

Edited 7 January , 2023 by sadbrewer

[sadbrewer]

On 06/01/2023 at 10:53, will said:

Hi Ray,

Hope You are still on this forum. Charles Joseph Busher was My Grandfather and I have the painting in it's frame, I also have a photograph and  the cane in the picture.

There are a few discrepancies in Your article, I cannot find any ref to J C in the Boer war but there is a C Busher who is not My Grandfather

also they were married December 1894 in Ardee, Ireland and My Grandmother was not Margaret just Isabella McKinnon. I have a picture of Her next to His grave and I believe Her ashes were taken to France to be with Him. Unfortunately all the people involved have now passed away. When I was young I had little interest in  the family history now Iam desperately trying to  catch up(74).

Anyway that's  Enough rambling for the moment I'm gonna send this into the ether and hope you receive it. It would be great to hear from You.

All the best 

Will.

This article gives a little more detail on the painting.

Courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive.

[will]

Hi Guys again thank You for these post, as You are aware when doing research You hit a brick wall and suddenly the wall go's 😃. The article about the wedding is My mum Maisie Mylon marrying My dad Frank Busher. 

When My Grandmother died, His medals were supposed to go to My brother, but I believe they went to My Uncle Harry and when He died His widow sent them to A museum?. I would love to know were ?

Note on the head of the stick X1V (14)

All the best. 

Will

 

[will]

Some more pictures:

My Grandfather's picture the painting was done from.

My Grandmother at His grave in France.

My Grandmother with Her Daughter Bridget again in the cemetery in France.

My Grandmother outside Her house, I think in Middlesbrough?

.

[RaySearching]

23 minutes ago, will said:

My Grandmother outside Her house, I think in Middlesbrough?

 there is a clue on the  road sign upper top window in the photograph 

10 Heath Crescent Linthorpe Middlesbrough as MIC 

Bella later moved to 89 Roman Road Middlesbrough (as the 1939 Register)

 

 

Thanks for posting the photographs

Ray

[RaySearching]

The above newspaper cutting indicates there was one painting and two photographs  which were presented

Ray

[RaySearching]

I believe this to be his MC citation

Birmingham Post Nov 1915

 

[will]

Well spotted the st name plate. I am interested why His wife was not next of kin.

I have His farther down as Henry but have no paperwork to back it up it's just come down through the family. I am investigating wexford in Ireland as that seems were the Busher's come from, I am looking at a Walter Paul Busher who comes from Crescent, Wexford and was in the British army in the frist ww and if He did have a Uncle Harry in the states, could start look at that🤔

Will.

[museumtom]

[RaySearching]

a couple more newspaper clipings

shefield daily telegraph 1903 

 

Ray

[corisande]

2 hours ago, will said:

I am looking at a Walter Paul Busher who comes from Crescent, Wexford and was in the British army in the frist ww

I don't think it is him