5729 Private T Thomas, 1st Battalion the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. The battalion deployed to South Africa for the Second Anglo Boer War, sailing on the Oriental on 22 Oct 1899, and arrived at the Cape about 13 Nov 1899 They were sent on to Durban, and along with the 2nd Royal Fusiliers, 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers, and 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers, formed the 6th Brigade under Major General Barton. They were part of the Ladysmith relief force. They fought at the battle of Colenso on 15 Dec 1899 and in the Battle of Tugela Heights, the final breakthrough battle to Ladysmith 13-27 Feb 1900. The battalion was then sent round to the Cape Colony with their brigade and concentrated at Kimberley, taking part in the relief of Mafeking. They fought at the battle of Rooidam on 5 May 1900. The brigade still under General Barton then marched in the pursuit of De Wet to Fourteen Streams, Christiana, Taungs, and Vryburg; then across a poorly watered country in Aug 1900 to Lichtenburg, Frederickstad, and Potchefstroom. On 5 Oct 1900 they left Frederickstad, a hamlet and railway station, some 23 km north of Potchefstroom, and had multiple engagements with De Wet's command of some 3000 men at Muller's Drift, Dweefontein, Dewar's Vlei, Welverdiend, and the Gatsrand hills. On 17 Oct 1900 they were back at Frederickstad. Three days later on 20 Oct 1900 the Boers under General de Wet and Commandant Liebenberg had taken up positions on the hills surrounding Frederikstad, laying seige to Barton's column for 5 days. The seige was broken on 25 Oct 1900 when half the battalion and 3 companies of the Royal Scots Fusiliers attacked and scattered the Boers. British losses were 29 killed and 88 wounded, with the Boers having 46 killed. Private Thomas was one of those killed in the action. He was buried at Federikstad. His remains were later reinterred at Potchefstroom. He is commemorated on the Boer War Memorial/Wall of Remembrance in Alexander Park (Olien Park) Cemetery, Potchefstroom (see: https://www.graves-at-eggsa.org/main.php?g2_itemId=266753). He is also commemorated on the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Boer War memorial in St Giles Church, Church Street, Wrexham, Wales (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/271461) and on the Welsh National Boer War memorial in King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, Wales (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/120434/).
5729 Private T Thomas, 1st Battalion the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. The battalion deployed to South Africa for the Second Anglo Boer War, sailing on the Oriental on 22 Oct 1899, and arrived at the Cape about 13 Nov 1899 They were sent on to Durban, and along with the 2nd Royal Fusiliers, 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers, and 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers, formed the 6th Brigade under Major General Barton. They were part of the Ladysmith relief force. They fought at the battle of Colenso on 15 Dec 1899 and in the Battle of Tugela Heights, the final breakthrough battle to Ladysmith 13-27 Feb 1900. The battalion was then sent round to the Cape Colony with their brigade and concentrated at Kimberley, taking part in the relief of Mafeking. They fought at the battle of Rooidam on 5 May 1900. The brigade still under General Barton then marched in the pursuit of De Wet to Fourteen Streams, Christiana, Taungs, and Vryburg; then across a poorly watered country in Aug 1900 to Lichtenburg, Frederickstad, and Potchefstroom. On 5 Oct 1900 they left Frederickstad, a hamlet and railway station, some 23 km north of Potchefstroom, and had multiple engagements with De Wet's command of some 3000 men at Muller's Drift, Dweefontein, Dewar's Vlei, Welverdiend, and the Gatsrand hills. On 17 Oct 1900 they were back at Frederickstad. Three days later on 20 Oct 1900 the Boers under General de Wet and Commandant Liebenberg had taken up positions on the hills surrounding Frederikstad, laying seige to Barton's column for 5 days. The seige was broken on 25 Oct 1900 when half the battalion and 3 companies of the Royal Scots Fusiliers attacked and scattered the Boers. British losses were 29 killed and 88 wounded, with the Boers having 46 killed. Private Thomas was one of those killed in the action. He was buried at Federikstad. His remains were later reinterred at Potchefstroom. He is commemorated on the Boer War Memorial/Wall of Remembrance in Alexander Park (Olien Park) Cemetery, Potchefstroom (see: https://www.graves-at-eggsa.org/main.php?g2_itemId=266753). He is also commemorated on the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Boer War memorial in St Giles Church, Church Street, Wrexham, Wales (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/271461) and on the Welsh National Boer War memorial in King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, Wales (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/120434/).
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