Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: Frank William Baulch
Ancestor's date of birth: 04/01/1880
Ancestor's date of death: 02/01/1950
Cause of Death: Age related Prostate Cancer
Service and Life Before the Boer War: He was born in Camberwell, London. He enlisted in the 1st Bn Devonshire Regiment 19 August 1895. He was a cooper by trade. His battalion was in India in early 1899 and was rushed to Natal as part of the first reinforcements.
Service Number: 4360
Colony or State of enlistment: Not Australia, Place of Enlistment: United Kingdom
Unit: 1st Bn Devonshire Regiment
Rank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: 19/08/1895
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): CAPT, Date Effective: 07/11/1918
Murray Page: Not applicable, did not serve in an Australian unit in the Boer War.
Contingent: Not applicable
Ship: From India
Memorial details: Interred in the Sydney environs.
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps, King's South Africa Medal with clasps. 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Personal Characteristics: Proudly British and patriotic. 175 cm tall fresh complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair, a gentle person, kind and dedicated
Reasons to go and fight: Regular British Soldier
Details of service in war: The 1st Battalion the Devonshire Regiment was one of the four infantry battalions which, along with three cavalry regiments and three batteries of Field Artillery, were despatched from India to Natal immediately before war was declared, and when it was obvious that the Boers were massing their forces near the frontiers.
The 1st Devons were in Ladysmith when Sir George White landed at Durban to take command of the forces in Natal. They were not present at the battle of Glencoe or Talana Hill, but they were soon to have a chance of showing what sterling stuff they contained. They were brigaded with the 1st Manchesters and 2nd Gordons under Colonel Ian Hamilton, and it was this brigade which did so well at Elandslaagte and subsequently at Waggon Hill on 6th January 1900.
The story of Elandslaagte was one of the few bright days when bright days were sadly wanting. On 18 October 1899 General French arrived at Ladysmith. Early on the morning of Saturday, the 21st, he went out northwards towards Elandslaagte, where it was known that a Boer force, which had cut the line to Dundee, was stationed. The general took with him part of the 5th Dragoon Guards, the 5th Lancers, five squadrons of the newly raised Imperial Light Horse, some Natal Volunteers, half the 1st Manchester Regiment, and the Natal Field Battery. After some skirmishing he found the Boers too strong for his small body, so about 09:00 he wired for reinforcements. About 14:00 these came on the scene, the Devons, five companies 2nd Gordons, another squadron of the 5th Dragoon Guards, one of the 5th Lancers, the 21s and 42nd Batteries RFA. The Boers were seen to be strongly posted on a ridge, but General French at once decided to attack. The infantry were put under Colonel Ian Hamilton. Roughly the formation was: the 5th Dragoon Guards, some Volunteers, and one battery on our extreme left; the Devons and a battery on the left centre, these to make for the left of the ridge. The Manchesters in the centre and the Gordons on their right rear to attack the extremity of the ridge, move along it, and crumple up the enemy. The 5th Lancers and Imperial Light Horse on our extreme right to work round the Boer left. In face of a terrible fire the Manchesters and Gordons pulled off their part of the task. The Boers were driven along the ridge, and the Devons pressed in, having assaulted two detached hills. When the enemy's guns were reached and the end of the ridge gained from which the whole of the enemy's camp, full of tents, horses, and men, was fully exposed to view at fixed-sight range, a white flag was raised by the enemy, and Colonel Hamilton ordered the cease fire. Men rose up, thinking all was over, not yet having learned what an excess of individual initiative may lead to. At any rate the white flag was disowned by many Boers, who seized the grand target and poured in a fierce fire. Our men were staggered a bit, but soon gathered their wits, and, splendidly led, they charged and routed the remaining Boers, the cavalry charging through and through the enemy while they fled. Two guns and about 200 prisoners were taken, and Sir George estimated that 100 were killed and 108 wounded. The losses of the Devons were 4 officers and 29 men wounded. Five officers and 1 non-commissioned officer were mentioned in Sir George White's despatch of 2 December 1899 for good work on this occasion.
On 24 October Sir George White moved out again north of Ladysmith and fought the action of Rietfontein. The 1st Devons were present and lost 1 man killed and 5 wounded.
In the battle outside Ladysmith on 30 October the 1st Devons were in the centre, under Colonel Ian Hamilton, and had little to do but cover the rather ragged retiral of Colonel Grimwood's brigade. During the siege the battalion did splendid work. In the great attack on 6th January, after the fight had lasted from 3 am till 5 pm, and notwithstanding every effort by half-battalions of the 1st King's Royal Rifles, 2nd King's Royal Rifles, and companies of various other regiments, the south-east portion of Waggon Hill was still held by the enemy. A quotation from Sir George White's despatch of 23rd March will best show how it was cleared: At 17:00 Lieutenant Colonel CW Park arrived at Wagon Hill with three companies 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, which I had ordered up as a reinforcement, and was at once directed by Colonel Hamilton to turn the enemy off the ridge with the bayonet. The Devons dashed forward and gained a position under cover within 50 metres of the enemy. Here a fire-fight ensued; but the Devons were not to be denied, and eventually, cheering is they pushed from point to point, they drove the enemy not only off the plateau, but cleared every Boer out of the lower slopes and the dongas surrounding the position. Lieutenant Colonel Park went into action with four officers, but he alone remained untouched at the close. The total loss of the Devons was nearly 28 per cent of those engaged, and the men fired only 12 rounds per rifle. Captain A Menzies, 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment, with a few of his men, accompanied the Devons throughout. He also was wounded'.
This magnificent charge has been described by many writers, and to the three companies of the Devons everything in the way of praise and admiration has been given. Lieutenant J E I Masterton was awarded the Victoria Cross for volunteering to take a message to the Imperial Light Horse after he had headed a company of the Devons in the charge.
On the same day the post known as Observation Hill West, held by the remainder of the Devons, was attacked, but there the enemy was driven off without much difficulty. Six officers and 7 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned by Sir George White for their work at Ladysmith.
Along with the rest of the Ladysmith garrison, the battalion took part in Sir R Buller's northward movement, their brigade companions being the 1st Manchester, 2nd Gordons, and 2nd Rifle Brigade, under General W Kitchener, the divisional commander being General Lyttelton. The division had fighting in July and August at Rooikopjes, Amersfoort, and several other places. On 27th August, in the action at Bergendal, the 2nd Rifle Brigade did most of the fighting, and suffered practically all the losses (see 2nd Rifle Brigade). Two officers of the 1st Devons were mentioned by General Buller for Bergendal. After this the IVth Division crossed the Koomati Poort Railway and marched towards Lydenburg. On 6th September the enemy were found holding a precipitous ridge 1800 feet above the valley, at a place called Paardeplatz. Buller and Ian Hamilton decided to attack. The leading regiments were the 1st Royal Scots, 1st Royal Irish, and 1st Devons. The advance of these battalions and their simultaneous arrival on the crest by diverse routes is highly praised by Lord Roberts in his despatch of 10th October 1900. Lydenburg was occupied next day.
In General Buller's final despatch of 9 November 1900, 6 officers and 5 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned. In Lord Robert's final despatch 21 officers and 37 non-commissioned officers and men of the Devonshire Regiment were mentioned, but these embraced both battalions.
Before the end of the war the 1st Devons were to know the Belfast-Dulstroom-Lydenburg district well, as they remained in it till the spring of 1902. During a great part of 1901 the battalion was in columns under Major General W Kitchener and other commanders, which operated both south and north of the Delagoa Railway, and did very excellent work.
Service and life after the Boer War: Enlisted in the ANMEF as no 6 on 16 August 1914 and was appointed Transport Sergeantt of the 1st Australian Tropical Unit (New Guinea) discharged 4 March 1915. Enlisted in 'C' Coy 34th BN AIF as no 1469 22 May 1915, QMS 22 February 1916, became RQMS of the unit. Commissioned 2Lt 17 July 1917 and Lt 25 February 1917. Finally Captain 7 November 1918. Discharged 25 September 1919. Reserve of Officers 2MD as Captain wef 1 January 1920. In 1940 he was serving in a civilian capacity at the school of musketry at Randwick NSW.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Paricia Frances Gardner, Mosman NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grand Daughter
