Lt. Arthur H. THOMAS ¹

  General Notes:

Was a scholar in 1881 census, boarder at Harrow, age 15.
Harrow School Sep 1879 - Xmas 1883; School shooting VIII in 1882.
Killed in the Boer War.

Queen's South African Medal with 4 clasps: Diamond Hill, Johannesburg, Driefontein, Cape Colony. Engraved: "Lieut. A.H. Thomas Ceylon M.I."
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THOMAS - Lieutenant Arthur H. - Ceylon Mounted Infantry
Died at Bultfontein. 4th October 1900. A Fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute. Lieut. Thomas was killed "shot through the heart" while serving as Assistant Commissioner, Bultfontein.
Memorial in The Military Headquarters, Kandy (Ceylon / Sri Lanka) - "In memoriam - Lieut. Arthur A. Thomas [sic], W. Max Kelly, C. Campion, Q. M. Sgt. Cheyne, A. S. Hopper, K. Hamilton, Claude C. Bell, N. W. Smellie. This Memorial was designed by Mrs. Thomas, wife of Edward Hector Le Marchant Thomas, a brother of Lieutenant Thomas."

See http://www.lib.sun.ac.za/roh/roh.exe?MenuItem=Person&PersonNumber=30799:
Ceylon Contingent Memorial This memorial was erected opposite the 'Mahamaluwa' (Esplanade) in commemoration of the services of the Ceylon Contingent in South Africa, 1900 - 1902 and unveiled by Field Marshal H. R. H. the Duke of Connaught, K. G., G. C. M. G. March 18, 1907." In memoriam - Lieut. Arthur, A. Thomas, W. Max Kelly, C. Campion, Q. M., St. Cheyne, A. S. Hopper, K. Hamilton, Claude C. Bell, N. W. Smellie. This Memorial was designed by Mrs. Thomas, wife of Edward Hector Le Marchant Thomas, a brother of Lieutenant Thomas. It represents a trooper of the Ceylon Mounted Infantry giving the signal 'enemy is in sight.' This statue was pulled down in an undergraduate protest in the 1960's and never re-instated. Now this Memorial is kept in the compound of the Military Headquarters in Kandy. Randolph Joneskjones@worldonline.co.za
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NASA Pretoria. Lord Roberts' Papers, Volume 10 ff. 121-134. (WO 105/11 T/40/22)

From Officer Commanding Troops, Bultfontein.
To Chief Staff Officer, Bloemfontein.

Sir
I have the honour to report that on the night of Wednesday, 3^rd October, Peter Meyring, son of Gert Meyring, of Hamones Fontein Farm, came in with the news that a party of twenty-four Boers had off-saddled close to his house.
As this farm lies on the flank of the Brandfort road and only some five miles from its nearest point and as a convoy for Hoopstad with a company of Royal Irish Rifles would be passing this point during the day, I thought that this convoy might possibly be their objective and I determined if possible to surprise and capture them or at any rate drive them off.
This course seemed perfectly feasible, as I was informed that there was a ridge on this side of the farm buildings entirely commanding them at a range of 300 yards. This I found was a mistake as the enclosed sketch shows [Note: A rough sketch is attached to the original report]. There was a ridge but it was beyond the farm and not on this side. For a distance of 2,500 yards from the farm to it, on the Bultfontein road, there is a gradual descent, the gradient being perfectly regular with the exception of the slight hollow marked on the sketch as the shallow pan. The sketch shews the other features of the position accurately enough I trust to render my description intelligible.
The force I took consisted of 50 men of the Volunteer Service Company Royal Irish Rifles, the Maxim Gun of the Royal Irish Rifles with six men under Sergeant Paton; 11 men of the 57^th Company Imperial Yeomanry under Lieutenant Slater and six mounted police under Assistant Commissioner Thomas. The Royal Irish Rifles were in a light mule wagon and an ox wagon drawn by a very strong team. The Gun detachment were in a Cape Cart drawn by mules.
We started at 1 a.m. Thursday morning, 4^th October, and arrived at the position shown in the sketch shortly before sunrise. The distance had been longer than stated and the road bad. I had on reaching the pan deployed the infantry. The gun mules and the Cape Cart were left here the Maxim being drawn forward by hand. We had just reached the crest and the Yeomanry and police had taken up the position shewn, when the Boers who were sleeping and cooking round a fire between the stable and outhouse caught sight of the Yeomanry, and at once bolted for the stable and Kraal being completely surprised, and the whole of our force at once opened fire, several of the Boers dropping before reaching cover.
Lieutenant Slater who had with him nine men, having lent two to the police, and was only about 250 yards distant, estimates the Boer force who were for the minute fully exposed at about eighty men.
The enemy took up their positions in the stable, the kraal in the spruit and behind all available cover.
I soon found that any advance was impossible. They go the range almost at once and as a man rose to advance he exposed himself against the sky line. The ground was perfectly flat, even ant-hills being absent. Although from the weight of their fire I felt sure that their number had been much under-rated. I had no idea of their actual force. I therefore sent messages to both Yeomanry and police to the effect that unless they could get on the ridge in their rear it was impossible for me to advance further. We were so short of mounted men that I had only retained an interpreter who had acted as our guide for the purpose of Orderly and it was this man I sent, but I afterwards found he had not succeeded in reaching either Lieutenant Thomas or Lieutenant Slater. After waiting some time for their movement I sent further messengers on foot. The police received the information but by this time Lieutenant Thomas was mortally wounded and the fire was too heavy for them to move. The Yeomanry received no orders as the approaches to their position were so exposed that the messengers were unable to cross, and they could not possibly have done as I desired even had they received the orders.
My own position was by this time untenable. I had three men wounded and the fire was very accurate and heavy.
The pan apparently should have given excellent shelter but this depression was so slight that any shot with a trifle too much elevation to hit the ridge dropped in the pan. I accordingly determined to retire and after sending messages to this effect to the flanking parties fell slowly back remaining exposed to their fire till out of range. In the meantime the Yeomanry had been having a hot time. Single Boers had mounted in the kraal, and bolted to the top of the ridge behind the farm buildings and once under cover behind it had ridden to the point marked "A" in sketch. When they commenced this plan, Lieutenant Slater fired volleys at the men, and in this way killed three. Some escaped however and in addition he saw several Cape Carts driven up furiously to the same point, filled with men. At 8.30 a.m. having held out for three hours and seeing in a short time he would be entirely surrounded he fell back also. This he did on foot as most of his horses were wounded. The police who had kept up a steady fire on their flank received my orders to retire and the whole fell back with me without further casualties.
After this not another shot was fired and we returned to Bultfontein which during my absence I had left under the command of Lieutenant Hanks with forty men of the Volunteer Service Company Royal Irish Rifles.

The following is a list of the casualties:-

Lieutenant H. A. Thomas, Ceylon Mounted Infantry, Assistant Commissioner Bultfontein, killed, (shot through the heart).

Lieutenant Sidney A. Slater, 57^th Company Imperial Yeomanry, gunshot wound, leg.

10384, Corporal I. H. Wilson, 57^th Company Imperial Yeomanry, gunshot wound in abdomen (dangerous).

10419, Trooper R. T. Edmunds, 57^th Company Imperial Yeomanry, gunshot wound, leg.

15698, Trooper S. Cloak, 78^th Company Roughriders, gunshot wound, buttock.

7132, Sergeant John Foley, Volunteer Service Company, Royal Irish Rifles, gunshot wound, chest (flesh).

7217, Private A. T. Duffield, Volunteer Service Company, Royal Irish Rifles, gunshot wound, shoulder (severe).

7180, Private S. A. Simpson, Volunteer Service Company, Royal Irish Rifles, gunshot wound, hand.

I am unable to give the casualties of the Boers, but a native reported this morning that five were killed and eight wounded, and I should think this to be under the mark rather than over.
I much regret the loss of Lieutenant Thomas. He was deservedly popular and at his funeral all classes exhibited unfeigned grief and much sorrow has been expressed by farmers in the district on hearing of his death.
I have much pleasure in reporting that all the men of my company showed the greatest coolness and pluck. I was greatly aided by Colour Sergeant Strudwick (Sergeant Instructor London Irish Rifles), Rifle Brigade, who behaved excellently.
Lieutenant Slater also reports that his men behaved with great steadiness throughout, and retired through a very heavy fire with great coolness and courage.
I wish too, to report that I do not consider the Meyrings in any way to blame, as I believe the greater part of Boers arrived after the message was sent and old Meyring was confined in his house immediately it was sent.
Before starting I was assured by both Lieutenant Thomas and Lieutenant Slater who know the family well, that they were the most reliable Boers in the neighbourhood and that they had constantly brought in news of value, which afterwards proved to be true. On finding the unexpected strength of the Commando I felt more convinced than before that they intended to capture the convoy, and I consider the fact that the Officer commanding troops with convoy reported having seen no enemy was due to my action in attacking.
The Meyrings further reported that immediately after the action the Boers moved off in the direction of the junction between the Vet and Zand Rivers.
I take the liberty of suggesting that our force of mounted men is far too low. Owing to the losses among the Yeomanry horses we are now capable of mounting ten men including the police, and Lieutenant Slater reports that there are no horses of any use for this purpose in the district.
I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient Servant (Signed) C. G. HENTY, Captain, Royal Irish Rifles, Officer Commanding Troops, Bultfontein.

Bultfontein, 5^th October, 1900.

The Military Secretary.
Forwarded. The losses on this occasion, I regret particularly that of the death of Lieutenant Thomas, Aide de Camp, a very promising officer. The enterprise of Captain Henty and his party was unfortunate in its results, still, I think it undesirable to make any comment which might check our Officers in their offensive efforts to attack whenever there is a fair opportunity; up to this their efforts have been very successful.
(Signed) T. K. KENNY, Lieutenant General. Commanding Troops.
Bloemfontein, October 12^th, 1900.
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T. Y Wright, page 11.

It was when I was in hospital that I heard of the death of my old friend Arthur Thomas, who was on the next estate to me in Ceylon, Galheria, when I first went to Ceylon. It seems he had been made a Commissioner of some kind for a district and seconded from the Contingent. He heard that a small party of Boers were occupying a farm house, and took a small armed force to push them out, but, instead of a small party, there was a strong party and poor Arthur was shot.
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Hugh Karunanayake
11 Westleigh Drive
Westleigh
NSW 2120, Australia
PH: +61 2 9980 2494
email: karu@internode.net.au <<mailto:%20karu@internode.net.au>>

Hello Jean

I was asked by Victor Melder of Melbourne whether I could help you with information on the Ceylon Mounted Infantry, and I can help you with the following.
A photograph of the South African War Memorial in Kandy is found in the book by Col T.Y.Wright " Ceylon in my time" 1951. Col Wright was together with E.
Gordon Reeves and others such as R Ellis, RH Campbell,AH Thomas and EHL Thomas were the founders of the Corps which enlisted 62 men at the inception. The names of all 62 and descriptions of the early activities of the CMI including several photos are in the book. It is probably the only book that provides information on the CMI in detail, and is a scarce publication. You may be able to access it in a library, but if you are not able to do so please let me know. The Times of Ceylon Annual of 1906 gives an account of the history of the CMI by Col Gordon Reeves - It also carries some group photographs of members of the Corps.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. School, Sep 1879-Dec 1883, Harrow, Middlesex, England. School shooting VIII in 1882