Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Boer War medal awarded to Trooper Charles Godden, South African Light Horse, who died of wounds following the capture of Bastion Hill and who was posthumously mentioned in despatches for the capture of the ferry at Potgeiter’s Drift in January 1900

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Relief of Ladysmith (1015 Tpr: C. Godden. S.A. Lt. Horse.) extremely fine £800-1000

Charles Godden enlisted into Major Childe’s Squadron of the South African Light Horse in November 1899, the month in which the unit was raised by Lieutenant-Colonel Byng. Subsequently attached to General Buller’s Natal Field Force in the second attempt to relieve Ladysmith, the S.A.L.H. arrived at the heights on the southern bank of the Tugela river on 11 January 1900. Before a crossing could be attempted, however, the Boers had to be dislodged from the heights on the opposing bank.

Lord Dundonald, commanding the Cavalry Brigade, seized the initiative and decided to capture the ferry boat at Potgeiter’s Drift and send an attacking force across the Tugela. ‘On his calling for volunteers to swim the swollen river and bring over the ferry boat,’ wrote Bennet Burleigh, ‘a party of “G” Squadron (Major Childe) South African Light Horse readily took upon themselves the task. Lieutenant Carlisle was in command, and down into the Tugela went with him Sergeant Turner, Corporals Cox and Barkley, and Troopers Howell, Godden and Collingwood’. Winston Churchill, then a Lieutenant in the S.A.L.H., later described how the swimmers, ‘... protected by a covering party of twenty men, swam the flooded Tugela and began to haul the punt back, whereat the Boers concealed in the kopjes opened a brisk fire at long range on the naked figures, but did not hit anyone nor prevent them from bringing the punt safely to our side; a dashing exploit, of which their regiment - the ‘Cockyolibirds’, as the Army, with its customary irrelevance, calls us on account of the cock’s feather cockades we wear in or hats (miserable jealousy!) - are immensely proud.’

Following the crossing of the river and in the days prior to the battle of Spion Kop, the S.A.L.H. were involved in a number of clashes with the Boers. On 20 January 1900 General Sir Charles Warren advanced his whole force to the attack. Part of the Boer forces occupied Bastion Hill, a high feature from which they could observe the advancing forces and bring down a devastating fire. Major Childe decided to seize it and led his Squadron in a charge up the hill. The Boers bolted and Trooper Tobin rushed to the top and waved his hat to signify to the rest of the Army that Bastion Hill had been taken.

The Boers promptly directed artillery fire onto the hill and Churchill, who had delivered a message to Major Childe, wrote that ‘two percussion shells burst on the exposed side of the hill, and then a well-exploded shrapnel searched its summit and found what it sought. Major Childe was instantly killed by a fragment that entered his brain, and half a dozen Troopers were more or less seriously wounded.’ Creswicke records that several ‘were slain, among them Godden, who had been one of the seven who distinguished themselves in the punt exploit’. Godden had, in fact, been seriously wounded and died of wounds on 16 February.

Lieutenant Carlisle and his six gallant swimmers, including Godden (posthumously), were mentioned in despatches by General Buller in his despatch dated 30 March 1900.