TOPIC:

Harry Elford

Died of Wounds – accidentally received on patrol – 26 July 1916 – near Malangali, German East Africa

Private, Port Elizabeth Town Guard
Private, Prince Alfred’s Guard Mounted Infantry – Anglo Boer War
Private, Cape Town Highlanders (German South West Africa) and
Rifleman, 2nd S.A. Rifles (German East Africa – WWI)

- Queens South Africa Medal (CC/OFS/JOHANNESBURG) to 590 PTE H. ELFORD. PRINCE ALF: VOL: GDS:
- 1914/15 Star to PTE H. ELFORD. 6TH INFANTRY
- British War Medal to PTE H. ELFORD. 2ND S.A.R.
- Allied Victory Medal to PTE H. ELFORD 2ND S.A.R.

Harry Elford was born in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa on 2 April 1878 the son of Richard Henry Elford and his wife Annie Elford. Little is known of his early life with the first mention we see of him coming courtesy of the muster rolls for the Prince Alfred Volunteer Guard, a local regiment he joined on 15 November 1898 at the age of 16. Strangely, with the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War in October 1899, he first saw service with the 1st Battalion, Port Elizabeth Town Guard where he was assigned no. 222 and posted to Garrison Duty.



This sort of drudgery was not to the 20 year old Elford’s liking and, ere long, he transferred to the nearby Prince Alfred’s Guard Mounted Infantry. (The mounted portion of the Prince Alfred's Guard came from the Prince Alfred's Own Volunteer Rifles and was formed on 11 Feb 1900 from two sections of the infantry and detached from the infantry from that date. During the time it was detached from the infantry headquarters, it was regarded as a separate unit - except with regards to drawing pay). Elford was assigned no. 590 and the rank of Private.

According to “Prince Alfred’s Guard” by Neil Orpen (the official history), “Volunteers were called for to form mounted infantry sections for so-called “light cavalry regiments” and Prince Alfred’s Guard was among the first of the colonial volunteer Corps to be horsed. Buller’s army had become involved in yet another disaster, at Spioenkop of 24 January , before orders were received by Major Court to select men as mounted infantry. Some 300 volunteers, all good horsemen and rifle shots, were soon re-equipping at Rosmead Junction. Moving up through Naauwpoort to Tweedale – No’s 1,2, and 3 Mounted Infantry Companies, Prince Alfred’s Guard, were on outpost duty for a week, training in their new mobile role.



The Boers main lager was at Plewman’s Farm and Kuilfontein, but a reconnaissance party sent by General Clements on 22 February towards Mooifontein on the Colesberg-Hanover road, was fired on by enemy forces threatening the station there. An attack was therefore launched on Mooifontein by a force from Arundel which included the P.A.G. men. After several hours of skirmishing the Boers, said to number about 800, withdrew. Mooifontein was occupied and the P.A.G. detachment now moved to Arundel.

The P.A.G. marched out from Arundel as Clements advanced next day to deliver an enveloping attack against Boer positions in front of Kuilfontein Farm. Placed under the command of Major King-King, they now began to operate seriously for the first time on the veld south of the Orange River, where the vast countryside is broken by stony koppies.”

After a number of skirmishes in which several men were Killed in Action or wounded, the P.A.G.M.I. arrived in Bloemfontein on 12 April 1900 – a few weeks after the city had surrendered to Lord Roberts – and became attached to the 6th Division under General Kelly-Kenny as scouts. The P.A.G.M.I. had served with Sixth Division for only ten days around Bloemfontein, when they were ordered at a moment’s notice on April 22 to join the 11th Division under General Pole-Carew who was already a good day’s march to the north, as part of the central column for Roberts’s advance on Pretoria.

On 3 May the 11th Division started from Karee Siding, occupying Brandfort the next day. After a bitterly cold night the march was resumed to the Vet River. The P.A.G.M.I., acting as scouts, at about 1 o’ clock, made contact with Boer forces holding a river line of about four miles.

With P.A.G. on its left, the scouting parties pushed on through long grass and had barely sighted the Boers main positions when the enemy opened heavy fire. After a prolonged action they were able to extricate themselves from that position with the loss of two men killed.

On 31 May, Roberts occupied Johannesburg, before advancing to Pretoria, which was occupied without opposition on 5 June. On June 7, appeals for reinforcements from Loch’s Horse at Boksburg resulted in P.A.G. being ordered there with the Mounted Infantry as a relief, but by the time they arrived, the Boers had cleared off. The Mounted Infantry were detailed for patrol work duty in the city and environs. A great deal of work fell to the M.I. who never stayed in one place for long and who patrolled the whole countryside down as far as Potchefstroom.



With Johannesburg and Pretoria occupied by the British Forces, most believed the war to be over and Elford took his discharge from the P.A.G. on 8 December 1900. It is assumed that he returned home to the Eastern Cape to continue his civilian pursuit. He didn’t, however, remain long in that neck of the woods – on 9 May 1905, in the Dutch Reform Church in Montagu in the Western Cape, he wed 19 year old Jacomina Gertruida Johanna Smit. He was 28 years old at the time of the nuptials.

Although known photographs of him don’t show it, Elford was an athletic fellow. He was a master at the art of (Indian) Club Swinging – a sport which has died out but which, in 1904, made headlines. Elford, together with Dick Heydenryck and Mike Halvey, under the management and training of Jack and Joe Tesouriere (respectively) became the World Record Holders, Endurance Club Swinging, in September 1904 with photo appearing in “The Mirror of Life” on the 14th of that month.



Fourteen years later the war clouds rolled in once more and Elford attested for service in German South West Africa on 25 October 1914 with “F” Company of the 6th Infantry (Cape Town Highlanders (District1)). He was allocated no. 5741 and the rank of Private. As his next of kin he provided his wife Mrs. M (Minnie) Elford of Justert Street, Montagu in the Western Cape.

The Cape Town Highlanders embarked at Cape Town per City of Athens for German South West Africa on 15 May 1915. Five days later, having disembarked, the unit settled down to a dreary routine. It was difficult to find means of occupying the men’s spare time and orders were soon issued forbidding the shooting of game without permission. By 9 June the regiment was back at Luderitzbucht and five days later they embarked in S.S. Erna Woermann for Walvis Bay, where they disembarked on 16 June for a tedious two week stay before entraining for Ebony on 1 July. They were still there on 9 July when a telegram was received informing them that the Germans had surrendered. Back at Walvis Bay on 12 July, they embarked in the S.S. Galway Castle two days later and, not having fired a shot in anger, arrived back in Cape Town on 17 July. Elford was demobilised on 20 July 1915. For his efforts he was awarded the 1914/15 Star which was despatched to his family on 30 November 1921.



He was now faced with the same choice as his compatriots, to either go home or to enlist for service in German East Africa or the slaughter fields of the Western Front. He chose the latter and enlisted with “D” Squad of the 2nd S.A. Rifles on 6 October 1915 providing his wife, once again, as next of kin. On this occasion he was allocated no. 513 and the rank of Rifleman. (The 1st & 2nd S.A Rifles were recruited in the Union circa August 1915 for service on the Nyasaland border at the request of the British Government, later they formed part of General Northey’s force.)

On 27 October 1915 he embarked for East Africa and was soon in the thick of things.

Tragedy struck on 26 July the following year when, in mysterious circumstances, Harry Elford, aged 37, Died of Wounds. The Field Service Report completed by the Officer in Charge, Lt. Colonel Rogers, recorded that he had died on 25 July (some dispute as to the date) near Malangali. The Cause of Death was “Accidentally Killed – Gun Shot Wound.”

A telegram to Mrs Elford was duly despatched on 27 July 1916 from the Base at Zomba informing her that her husband was “accidentally wounded on patrol 26th since dead.” The family claim that Elford was shot on purpose by a comrade over a disagreement but this has never been verified. An Imperial Pension of 15% per week per widow and per one child was awarded by Royal Warrant and, in addition, a Union Award of £31 per annum per widow and per one child was awarded.

Harry Elford’s mortal remains were interred in the Iringa Cemetery. His family were sent the British War and Allied Victory Medal on 28 October 1921. He was survived by his wife and four minor children.

Again Rory, Bravo Zulu........

Great piece of research........

Mike

Rory
Your new allegiance to the old Cape Colony is showing already! The old Colony of Natal is going to miss you.
Thanks for sharing Elford with us.
Regards
Brett

Thank you Brett

I did post Elford with my impending move in mind but, truth be told, it's a group I've had a wee while having rescued it from the drawer at Mervin Mitten's emporium of delights in Umhlanga many years ago.

A chance phone call yesterday - following on from the tracking down of his photo in the Nongquai of all places - has put me in touch with his grandson in Durban North. I'm there tomorrow so hopefully will have another photo to share.

Regards

Rory

Rory
You must get your employer to provide you with Lear Jet, so that you can still pay flying visits to Durban and other places north of the Umtamvuna River. They have developed an obligation to maintain research on ABW participants from the Kingdom of the Zulus.
Regards
Brett

I'm a distance family member of Harry elford. I need to check some family records but it's most likely his parents come from gravesend kent in england. His father being born here. Harry elford would be my great grandfather's cousin. He was also called harry elford. Also I have a photo of the south African harry with his Indian clubs. He was a world record holder.