wpf1958 Posted 9 January , 2020 Share Posted 9 January , 2020 I am researching 5040 Company Serjeant Major James Cutland, DCM, of 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry, who died on Tuesday 8th August 1916, aged 36, and is buried in Essex Farm, grave reference III. B. 30. Could anyone confirm if they know when the DCM was won, I believe it to have been in the Boer War. If any further personal information on the soldier is known I would be pleased to receive it. Many thanks. Wilhelm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 9 January , 2020 Share Posted 9 January , 2020 (edited) See here https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/11343/page/1081 There will be a London entry somewhere There is an entry here and may be the reason for the later gazetted DCM (hard to say either way but I think probable) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27282/page/946 If you go back several pages to https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27282/page/940 you will see this mention refers to the Relief of Ladysmith Edited 9 January , 2020 by Mark1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 9 January , 2020 Share Posted 9 January , 2020 (edited) "DCM awarded for Relief of Ladysmith, Grobelaars Kloof 21-02-1900" 2nd Battalion SLI according to a record on FMP. Same source - Died gas poisoning 8 (or 9)-8-1916. Edited 9 January , 2020 by Mark1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpf1958 Posted 9 January , 2020 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2020 Superb, thank you so much. Best wishes Wilhelm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 9 January , 2020 Share Posted 9 January , 2020 (edited) See second post more specific. And more so the circumstances "[2828: 2842-2945] a valley in Natal Colony (Klip River district; KwaZulu-Natal) eight kilometres north-west of Colenso. On most contemporary maps it is marked as a small valley carrying a tributary of the Onderbroek Spruit between Onderbroek Mountain and Grobelaars Mountain; on others and today, the main valley of Onderbroek Spruit carrying the main road (103) from Colenso to Ladysmith is marked Grobelaar's Kloof and is so described in HMG. Variants: Grobelaarskloof (Afrikaans spelling as used on the 1: 250,000 map); Groblerskloof (used in Breytenbach I); Grobler's Kloof (CR). On 2 November 1899, as communications between Ladysmith* and Colenso* were cut, Orange Free State artillery opened fire on Forts Wylie* and Molyneux* from the hills above Grobelaar's Kloof and as the British guns in the forts were outranged, Colenso was abandoned. In Buller's third and final attempt on Ladysmith British troops advanced up this valley on 21 Febraury 1900 before assualting the 'Tugela Heights' to the east. The 2nd bn Somerset Light Infantry suffered severe casualties and had to be withdrawn at night; 11 killed, 70 wounded and 1 missing. DCMs were awarded to Col-Sgt 1555 H French, Somerset Light Infantry, after both officers of his company had been killed "he commanded it and brought it out of action in admirable order" Ptes 5040 J Cutland, 4180 F Marsh and 3208 CR Woods, all Somerset Light Infantry, "On the retirement of the battalion these men stayed out all night with a wounded sergeant and brought him in safely next morning from under the rifles of the enemy." Pte 707 H Hutchings, Somerset Light Infantry for bringing up ammunition under fire. HMG I pp.263 and 341 (map no.15), II p.532 (map no.30); Breytenbach I p.365, III pp.468-469 (maps facing pp.426 and 558); Rudolf; LG." Edited 9 January , 2020 by Mark1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpf1958 Posted 9 January , 2020 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2020 Excellent, most grateful. w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 9 January , 2020 Share Posted 9 January , 2020 Wife and address details: https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/159224/cutland,-/ Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpf1958 Posted 9 January , 2020 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2020 Many thanks for the link. W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 9 January , 2020 Share Posted 9 January , 2020 The man with family - correctly Frederick James Cutland. Source public family tree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpf1958 Posted 9 January , 2020 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2020 Wonderful research and thanks for correcting the name etc. W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 9 January , 2020 Share Posted 9 January , 2020 (edited) Queens South Africa Medal with 5 Clasp - Orange Free State, Transvaal, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith Kings South Africa Medal with 1901 and 1902 Clasps Birth reg Barton Regis, Glos 4th Quarter 1880 Married Aimee Eleanor Paltridge in 1906 4 children on pension card (courtesy WFA) Aimee Eleanor Ann b1906 Frederick James 1909 Gwenith Joan 1911 Jessie Winifred 2/1914 If as above suspect pic taken 1915/1916 Edited 9 January , 2020 by Mark1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpf1958 Posted 9 January , 2020 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2020 Brilliant information again. I have found the family tree site so a getting quite a bit from there too. Truly grateful to you. Wilhelm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 9 January , 2020 Share Posted 9 January , 2020 Appears on a War Office wounded list 21/5/15. 1st Battalion SLI One record suggest he was awarded a LS&GCM ...in 1917!! The gas attack that started 10.30pm on 8/8/16 is mentioned in 1 SLI war diary. Caused severe casualties 12 Officers (6 dead) and 150 other ranks. It is noted that H company lost heavily - 5 officers and 72 ORs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpf1958 Posted 9 January , 2020 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2020 Your earlier suggestion of the family photograph being taken in 1915 would fit in if perhaps he was invalided home when wounded? I would not be surprised if he got the LS&GCM after many years of service, rank and having the DCM. Thanks again. W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMB1407 Posted 3 February , 2022 Share Posted 3 February , 2022 Hello wpf1958 and Mark 1959, sorry I'm a bit late on the uptake on this thread; every so often I put my great-Grandfather's details in to google to see if anything new crops up...! My dad has the original of the photo you posted (his father is the little boy on the right) - I'm intrigued where you found it? I am currently using Jim's letters home for a research project. If you're interested in anything else do get in touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpf1958 Posted 3 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 3 February , 2022 I'm sure Mark will be able to advise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 4 February , 2022 Share Posted 4 February , 2022 The pic that I posted is on a Public Family Tree on Ancestry, The LS&GC Medal was notable as it appears to have been awarded to him after his death, Not something I had seen before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMB1407 Posted 4 February , 2022 Share Posted 4 February , 2022 Thanks Mark. The photo was taken in 1916, not long before he died. Through his letters home Jim was very keen to ensure his wife got all the money she was due; early letters in 1914 show initial hiccups with pay to 'the wives'. We understand there was some kind of additional pension allowance for recipients of the DCM, which he reminded her of 'in case anything should happen' and of course there were lots of comings and goings with acting rank and then substantive rank given the casualty rates; she challenged her widows pension and it was duly corrected, so perhaps the award of the LS&GCM was part of this process too. Out of interest Aimee died in 1986 at the age of 104. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 4 February , 2022 Share Posted 4 February , 2022 The Pension Card may be of interest. There are at least 2 others but add nothing new. Image courtesy fold3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMB1407 Posted 4 February , 2022 Share Posted 4 February , 2022 Most kind of you, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now