Sidney James Coney (abt. 1882 - 1902)

Born about 18 Mar 1882 in Walem, Antwerpen, Belgium

Died 7 Mar 1902 at about age 19 in de Klipdrift, Cape Colony

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Sidney Coney was Killed in Action during the Second Boer War.

Biography

Birth and Upbringing: Sidney was born in 1882. He was the son of Joseph Coney and Elisa (nee Bould) Coney. ^[1] He had six siblings: Frederick, Joseph, Naomi, William, Peter and Walter. Sidney was baptized on 3 August 1884 at the parish of Sutton in Surrey. ^[2]
Military Service: The British South Africa Police was drawn into the Second Boer War shortly after the ill fated Jameson Raid, which many saw as a precursor to the conflict. The force at that time was more a military organisation, formed as mounted infantry units along traditional British lines, and was the nation's first line of defense. The force was deployed to Tuli, to re-establish the fort there, and also along the Cape Colony and Bechuanaland Protectorate. On 11 October 1900 Boer commandos crossed the frontier and laid seige to Kimberley and Mafeking. Conflict erupted.
Occupation: Policeman/Soldier Attested 26 May 1901 into British South Africa Police Reg.No. 1423; (No. 2 Matabeleland Division); at the time of his death he was a Trooper.
Honours and Awards: Queens South Africa Medal - Clasp
Known Residences: Harold Road, Carshalton, Epsom, Surrey, England; ^[3]
Demise: Killed in Action at De Klipdrift, Mafeking, Cape Colony. He was 20 years of age. ^[4]
In a bid to force Asst Cmdt-Gen J.H. de la Rey's commando into an action, Lt-Gen Lord Methuen with Maj A. Paris's column left Vryburg on 2 March 1902. Moving north-eastwards, the column went into camp on the farm Tweebosch on 6 March. At 3 am the following morning the column's transport started to move. An hour later the main fighting force left the bivouac, but at 5 am the rearguard was attacked and destroyed by de la Rey with some 2,000 burghers as the wagons and infantry were crossing the Great Harts River at the drift named after the farm. The rearguard including Dennison's Scouts and the Diamond Fields Horse was completely overtaken by the ferocity of the assault and repeated charges by the burghers routed the assortment of colonial volunteers making up Methuen's cavalry which fled leaving the infantry and artillery without a defensive screen. Whilst Paris tried to rally the mounted men at a nearby African homestead, Methuen with detachments of the 1st The Northumberland Fusiliers and the 1st The Loyal North Lancashire regiment and two guns of the 4th battery Royal Field Artillery closed round the stranded wagons. After two hours' resistance Lt G.R. Venning RA and Lt T.P.W. Nesham RA were killed and Methuen was injured; resistance stopped and de la Rey took Methuen and the rest of the column prisoner. Meanwhile Paris with only 40 men offered stout resistance to the Lichtenburg commando commanded by Veg-Gen J.G. Celliers before being shelled into submission. Methuen was treated for a fractured thigh and allowed to leave in his own wagon for Klerksdorp. British casualties were 68 killed, 132 wounded and some 600 captured. This action is known to British historians as that of Tweebosch. ^[5]
Burial:Initially he went missing in action, and when discovered as deceased was orignally buried at De Klipdrift. His remains were later re-interred at the Ottesdal Cemetery.

Research Notes

• Some birth date estimates are based on ages given at death.
• This profile is Work in Progress Field-4274 13:19, 11 May 2020 (UTC)
• Second Boer War Research

Sources

1. ↑ "Belgique, Anvers, registres d’état civil, 1588-1913" database with images familysearch.com citing image 263 of 1064; België Staatsarchief (Belgium State Archives), Brussels
2. ↑ "England Births & Baptisms 1538-1975 Registers" database with images findmypast.com Sutton Parish Records
3. ↑ "1891 England and Wales census." database with images. findmypast.com Folio/Vol/Page: RG12/542/64/15 citing The National Archives of the UK, Kew
4. ↑ "Zimbabwe Death Registration 1890-1977 database" with images. familysearch.com Ref: D/Reg. 8/126 as cited by National Archives, Harare - added by Field May 2020
5. ↑ "Anglo-Boer War Records 1899-1902" database with images. findmypast.com citing WO100/358 - 1899-1902 - Anglo-Boer War Records 1899-1902