BOMBARDIER COLLAR MAKER AND SADDLER BOMBARDIER C.H. HOUGHTON, 7TH BATTERY, ROYAL FIELD ART
£350.00
BOMBARDIER COLLAR MAKER AND SADDLER BOMBARDIER C.H. HOUGHTON, 7TH BATTERY, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY AND 35TH BRIGADE, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY. Four: Queen’s South Africa Medal, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (officially impressed: 3879 BOMB: CR: MR: C.H. HOUGHTON. 7th. BTY., R.F.A.) 1914 Star and bar (officially impressed: 3879 SD: BMBR: C.H. HOUGHTON. R.F.A.) British War and Victory Medals (officially impressed: 3879 BMBR. C.H. HOUGHTON R.A.). Copy bar on 1914 Star, QSA and BWM attractively toned, generally Almost Extremely Fine, and an unusual combination of ranks on Houghton’s medals.
The 7th Battery Royal Field Artillery was perhaps the most decorated R.F.A. battery to see service during the Boer War. At Colenso, 15/12/1899, officers and men from the battery were awarded one Victorian Cross and 12 Distinguished Conduct Medals for gallantry during that action.
Group accompanied by QSA Medal rolls, WW1 medal rolls and Medal Index card, confirming medals and clasps.
Charles Herbert Houghton saw service during the Boer War as a Bombardier Collar Maker with the 7th Battery, Royal Field Artillery. He was invalided to England on 22/6/1900 and transferred to the Army Reserve 25/1/1902. Houghton saw service in France and Flanders during WW1 as a Saddler Bombardier with the 35th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, entering that theater of operations on 6/10/1914. Houghton was discharged on the termination of his engagement on 8/2/1917.
The 7th Battery Royal Field Artillery, with the 14th and 16th Batteries RFA, were the first artillery units to arrive in South Africa from England following the outbreak of the Boer War. They saw service initially in Natal, including the battle of Colenso, 15/12/1899, and later in the Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal.
At Colenso, Captain H.L. Reed V.C. of the 7th Battery RFA, with thirteen of his men, made the final unsuccessful effort to rescue the guns which had been isolated in no-man’s land between the Boer and British lines. Earlier partially successful attempts had led to a number of casualties, those killed including Lord Roberts’s son, Lieutenant Freddy Roberts. This final attempt saw Captain Reed wounded and his horse killed, and of the 13 men from 7 Battery with him, one was killed and 5 wounded, and 12 of their horses shot. Afterwards, 7 Battery successfully covered the withdrawal from Colenso. Captain Reed was awarded the Victoria Cross and twelve of his men were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Two 15-pounder guns from 7 Battery RFA were present during the 1,000 strong attack by the Waterberg and Pietersburg Commandos on the British camp at Pienaar’s River in the Western Transvaal, on 27/9/1900, guns from the battery being largely responsible for breaking up the Boer attack.
During WW1 the 35th Brigade RFA (12, 25 and 58 Batteries) saw service initially with the 7th Division, taking part in the operations around Antwerp, covering the Belgian and British withdrawal to the coast. On 27/10/1914, the 7th Division, including 35 Brigade RFA, transferred to Haig’s I Corps. From then to Houghton’s discharge on 8/2/1917, 35 Battery took part in most of the major operations on the Western Front.