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28361 Corporal
GEORGE EDWARD MULLINS
Royal Engineers

by
Lieutenant Colonel Edward De Santis. Ó 2005.

1. EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY INFORMATION [1]

Photograph courtesy of Lorian Edwards

George Edward Mullins was born in the Town of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, in May of 1873 [2]. He was the 5^th child and the 4^th son of Frederick and Sarah Mullins. Both Frederick and Sarah Mullins were from Clapham, Surrey. According to the 1881 British Census, at age 53 Frederick Mullins was 10 years older than his wife Sarah.

The 1881 British Census shows the Mullins family living at 32 Bedford Place in Greenwich, Surrey. The census indicates that besides George Edward, who was 7 years old at the time, Frederick and Sarah also had a son Frederick F. (born 1864), a son Frank R. (born 1866), a son Harry F. (born 1868), a daughter Eliza A. (born 1871), another daughter Nellie L. (born 1876) and a 9-month old infant daughter named Maude C. The Mullins had a lodger, a 53-year old widowed dressmaker by the name of Emma Hammond who was originally from Darsham, Suffolk.

From the census data it appears that Frederick and Sarah Mullins lived in Notting Hill, Middlesex between 1864 and 1871. Their children Frederick, Frank, Harry and Eliza were all born there. The Mullins then moved to the Blackheath area of Kent where George, Nellie, Maude and Emma were born.

Frederick Mullins was a General Labourer. In 1881 his son Frederick worked as a Milk Boy and his son Frank was a Telegraph Messenger. As of the date of the census, the remainder of the Mullins children were listed as "Scholars" [3].

At some point prior to George’s enlistment in the Army, his parents moved to 10 Hassendean Road, Black Heath, London, S.E.

George worked as a plumber as a young man, and served an Apprenticeship in the trade for 5 years with a Mr. Bridges of London. He lived with his parents prior to joining the Army, was unmarried, and worshipped in the Church of England.

2. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a description of George Edward Mullins at the time he enlisted in the Army in 1898:

3. ENLISTMENT AND TRAINING

George Edward Mullins was recruited for service in the Royal Engineers in early August of 1894 by Sergeant Cutts of the 2^nd Dragoon Guards. Mullins swore the Oath of Attestation for a Short Service enlistment of 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve [4]. The oath was made before the Attesting Officer in London on the 14^th of August 1894 and was witnessed by Sergeant W. Gardner of the King’s Dragoon Guards.

At the time of his enlistment, Mullins answered the customary questions put to the recruit. In addition to personal details of his life before enlisting, he indicated that he had never been sentenced to imprisonment by civil power, that he had no prior naval or military service in the regular or militia forces, he had never been dishonorably discharged from the service, and that he had never been found unfit for military service. Mullins did indicate that at the time of his enlistment he was a member of the 4^th Volunteer Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. This battalion had its headquarters at Kingston-on-Thames.

A Certificate of Medical Examination was issued at London on the 14^th of August 1894 indicating that Mullins was fit for service in the Army [5]. A Certificate of Primary Military Examination was signed on the same day at London by the Recruiting Staff Officer, indicating that Mullins was fit for service in the Royal Engineers. His civil trade as a plumber would have been a plus for him being accepted into the Royal Engineers.

Mullins’ attestation was determined to be correct on the 14^th of August 1894 by the Approving Field Officer in London.

Following the formalities of his enlistment, Sapper George Edward Mullins, Regimental Number 28361, was assigned to the School of Military Engineering at Chatham, Kent, where he would undergo his recruit training as an engineer soldier [6].

4. ASSIGNMENTS AND CAMPAIGN SERVICE

a. Chatham, 1894 -1899

Immediately following the completion of his training at Chatham, Sapper Mullins was assigned to "F" Company of the Depot Battalion, Royal Engineers. He was subsequently transferred to the 7^th Field Company on its arrival at Chatham. The company had returned from Bechuanaland in 1895. The 7^th Field Company was known as the "Black Horse" Company, the origin of the name appearing to date from about 1885 when all the company horses were black [7]. Sapper Mullins was assigned to No. 1 Section of the company under Lieutenant R.L. Mc Clintock, R.E. [8]. The Officer Commanding the 7^th Field Company at that time was Major W.F.H. Stafford, R.E. [9]. Major Stafford subsequently commanded the company in Ireland, but left it before it deployed to South Africa.

b. The Curragh, Ireland, 1899

The 7^th Field Company was posted to the Curragh in the County of Kildare, Ireland in the early part of 1896 and was serving there while troubles were developing in South Africa. Mullins, now a Lance Corporal, hardly had time to guest accustomed to the new family he had acquired in Ireland when the 7^th Field Company received orders to deploy to the Cape Colony.

c. South Africa, 1899-1900

On the 14^th of July 1899 the 7^th Field Company left the Curragh bound for Southampton. The company strength was 6 officers, 180 non-commissioned officers and men, and 30 horses [10]. The company was commanded by Brevet Lieutenant Colonel W.F.H.S. Kincaid [11]. The Second in Command was Captain F.R.F. Boileau [12]. The other officers in the company on deployment to South Africa were:

Lieutenant R.L. Mc Clintock, R.E.

Lieutenant E.E.B. Wilson, R.E. [13]

Lieutenant H. Musgrave, R.E. [14]

Lieutenant C.R. Johnson, R.E. [15]

Lieutenant C.C. Trench, R.E. [16]

The company embarked on board the Braemar Castle on the 15^th of July 1899 bound for the Cape Colony where it would initially be assigned to serve with Corps Troops. The Braemar Castle arrived at Cape Town on the 5^th of August and after disembarking the entire company was sent to Wynberg Camp where it was employed on the construction of accommodation for other British troops soon to arrive from England [17].

Lance Corporal Mullins, along with the rest of No. 1 Section under Lieutenant Mc Clintock, was sent to Kimberley on the 18^th of September 1899. Mullins’ first impression of Kimberley was that it was a bleak town constructed almost entirely of corrugated metal buildings. Kimberley was the second largest town in the Cape Colony at the time, with a population of 50,000 civilians. The town was surrounded by redoubts and forts. The defensive perimeter around the town was initially 11 miles. By the time Mullins and his mates left the place, the perimeter had been extended to 20 miles. The area of the defensive perimeter included the town of Kimberley and the adjoining villages of Beaconsfield and Kenilworth [18].

An officer of the Royal Engineers, Lieutenant D.S. Mc Innes [19], was already in Kimberley planning and directing the defence of the town when No. 1 Section arrived. He had actually arrived prior to the outbreak of hostilities to supervise the construction of defences that had already been planned for the town [20].

The De Beers Chief Engineer, an American by the name of George Labram, was also in the town and was instrumental in assisting in the military engineering effort for its defence. Labram was 38 years old and a Mechanical Engineer by profession. Although not a British subject, Labram took an active part in the defence of the town and was responsible for the following projects [21]:

• The design and construction of a 14,000 cubic foot refrigerator to store the town’s perishable food stuffs.
  
• The construction of a 155-foot high watchtower with a telephone exchange built into the tower.
  
• The construction of powerful searchlights that were used to cover the main approaches to the town.
  
• The design and construction of mines made of the dynamite that was available from the diamond mining operations.
  
• The manufacture of shells for the British artillery pieces.

Labram was assisted in these tasks by the men of No. 1 Section, 7^th Field Company, Royal Engineers and the men who worked on the mining equipment at the De Beers mine. The De Beers Chief Draughtsman, Edward Goffe, was also of much assistance, especially with the construction of the gun "Long Cecil" [22]. The town of Kimberley had an extraordinary amount of skilled labour that could be turned to good use on military engineering projects in defence of the town.

The commander of British troops at Kimberley was Lieutenant Colonel R.G. Kekewich, 1^st Battalion, the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment [23]. His command consisted of about 3,000 infantry and 850 horseman, mostly townspeople except for the 1^st Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment and a number of smaller British units. Another Sapper officer, Major W.A.J. O’Meara, R.E., was the defence force Intelligence Officer [24].

The Order of Battle of the forces defending the town of Kimberley are shown in the table below [25]:

Cecil Rhodes himself arrived in Kimberley on the 12^th of October 1899 [27]. He arrived none too soon, as the Boers appeared before the town to begin the siege on the 15^th of October [28]. It became apparent to all that the defences of the town would have to be considerably improved if they were to withstand bombardment, siege and possibly assault by the surrounding Boer force. The Royal Engineers in the town immediately began work to strengthen the defences. Their primary tasks were those listed below:

• The construction of defensive works between the large heaps of mine tailings that surrounded the town. These debris heaps consisting of mine spoil were ideally situated for integration into the town’s defensive network. The debris heaps from the diamond mine consisted of washed "blue ground" (clay) and Kimberlite [29] from which the diamonds had been extracted. The advantages offered by the numerous high debris heaps, most of which were strongly fortified, was that they commanded the open country beyond them, over which the Boers would have to come in an assault on the town [30].
  
• Occupying portions of the defensive perimeter in case of attack. Although Lance Corporal Mullins and the men of his section of Royal Engineers were of much greater value plying their skills in strengthening the defences of the town, they were prepared to fight as infantry, if required.
  
• The operation of searchlights on the defensive perimeter. One very brilliant searchlight in the town was called "Rhodes Eye." An escaped British prisoner who had returned to Kimberley indicated that the light was much feared by the Boers. In all, five searchlights were mounted in the forts protecting Kimberley. The searchlights flashed unceasingly over the surrounding country striking terror in the men of the Boer force [31].
  
• Manning and operating the civil telegraph exchange. This was a duty that fell to the Royal Engineers in order to maintain contact with the outside world.
  
• The construction of bomb proof shelters. This task was necessitated by the heavy Boer artillery bombardments that rained down on the town almost daily.
  
• Erecting barriers across all roads leading into the town and constructing fortified guard posts at each barrier. This was an essential engineer task to prevent ready access for an assaulting force into the town should the Boers decide to attempt to capture the town rather than just lay siege to it [32].
  
• Preparing dynamite mines in case of a Boer assault on the town. With the dynamite available from the De Beers’ mine and the able assistance of Mr. Labram, the Sappers produced a large number of landmines, mostly command detonated. These mines were reportedly the chief reason why the Boers never assaulted the town. They feared that the town was completely surrounded by these mines [33].
  
• Assisting in making improvised guns, including the artillery piece known as "Long Cecil." The primary design work for these guns was done by Mr. Labram, assisted by his draughtsman Edward Goffe. The Sappers assisted in the manufacture of the gun parts.
  
• Providing telephone communications for command and control within the town and its defences. Telephone communications were provided between redoubts and the "Conning Tower." The "Conning Tower" was a raised platform erected on top of the main hoisting-shaft headgear at the De Beers mine, the highest point in Kimberley. It served as both a lookout post and as Lieutenant Colonel Kekewich’s command post. An officer was always on duty in the tower [34].

While the Royal Engineers and civilian engineers of the De Beers mine were busy strengthening the town’s defences, the British and Boers forces were busy planning their next moves. On the 24^th of October 1899 the British force conducted a reconnaissance outside the town. On the 4^th of November the Boer Commander, Commandant Wessels, offered to allow the woman and children of the Kimberley garrison to be sent out of the town with an offer of safe passage. His offer was refused. The Boers waited three more days, and on the 7^th of November they began their bombardment of the town. Lieutenant Mc Clintock, Lance Corporal Mullins’ section commander, was the first officer of the garrison to be wounded, but only slightly. Mc Clintock would later receive the Distinguished Service Order for his service during the war, primarily for his work during the defence of Kimberley [35].

On the 15^th of November, Mr. Labram set up a powerful searchlight looking right onto Otto’s Kopje. The purpose of this light was to give warning of any forward movement of the Boers. On the 23^rd of November the searchlights began signalling every night in the hope of getting some response from the troops coming up to relieve the town.

The Boer bombardment of the town continued and the British, eager to get at the enemy made a sortie against a Boer redoubt on the 25^th of November. These sorties usually did little damage to either side.

A balloon from Lieutenant General Lord Methuen’s column (British 1^st Division) was sighted from the town on the 10^th of December 1899. This was the first sign that a relief force was nearing Kimberley. This sighting gave the garrison hope, although the remainder of the month of December went by without further indications of the approach of the relief column. Early in January rations were reduced in the town to mule and horseflesh, each person receiving one-quarter pound per day. The health of Lance Corporal Mullins and the other men of No. 1 Section remained good despite the cut in rations. The men were energetic enough to engage in a tug-of-war on horseback as a means of diversion on the 17^th of January between the Royal Engineers and the Royal Artillery.

On Christmas Night 1899, George Labram made a suggestion to Cecil Rhodes to construct a gun with a longer range than those in the garrison, and one that might reply more effectively to the heavy Boer artillery being used against the town. Rhodes gave his approval and work on the gun that was to be known as "Long Cecil" began on the following day. The Royal Engineers of Lance Corporal Mullins’ section assisted Mr. Labram with the construction of the gun. The gun and carriage were completed on the 18^th of January 1900 and the gun was test fired the next day [36]. On the 21^st of January the gun was handed over to the Diamond Fields Artillery and on the 23^rd of January "Long Cecil" was fired in anger for the first time.

Early in February 1900 the Kimberley relief force was on the move and making steady progress towards the town. The column arrived at Fraser’s Drift on the 3^rd and at Koodoosberg on the 4^th. On the 6^th of February a Boer force attacked the relief column, and on the same day the Boers began using an enormous gun against Kimberley. The gun was located at Kamfersdam and fired a 96-pound projectile.

The Boers withdrew from their attack on the relief column on the 8^th of February and on the following day the British column pulled back to reorganize for the final advance on Kimberley. Unfortunately for the Kimberley garrison, the resourceful Mr. Labram was killed by a Boer artillery shell on the 9^th of February 1900.

The British relief column completed it reorganization and refitting at Ramdam on the 11^th of February and resumed its advance on Kimberley, reaching Waterval Drift on the 12^th and the Modder River on the 13^th.

On the 14^th of February 1900 the march toward Kimberley was resumed with the Highland Brigade in the lead. The Highland Brigade, commanded by Hector Macdonald, consisted of a battalion each from the Black Watch, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the Seaforth Highlanders and the Highland Light Infantry. Supporting the infantry of the column were two squadrons of the 9^th Lancers, 62^nd Battery, Royal Artillery, and the remainder of the 7^th Company, Royal Engineers whose mates were besieged in Kimberley.

Kimberley was relieved on the 15^th of February 1900 and No. 1 Section of the 7^th Field Company rejoined the remainder of the company. On the 20^th of February a train arrived at Kimberley carrying a party of Royal Engineers on board to assist in the rebuilding and strengthening of the town and its fortifications.

The 7^th Field Company moved to Bloemfontein on the 1^st of March 1900 where it was employed on camp duties. On the 10^th of March the company took part in the action at Driefontein. During this battle the Boers occupied a position about seven miles in extent, which was attacked in front by Lieutenant General Kelly-Kenny’s 6^th division, and on the left flank by General Tucker’s division. The Boers were driven out and the road to Bloemfontein was opened, at a cost to the British of 424 killed and wounded. The Boers left over 100 dead on the field [37].

Captain T. Fraser, R.E. was assigned to the 7^th Field Company in March of 1900 as Second in Command [38]. The company remained in camp at Bloemfontein until the 25^th of April 1900 when it began the march to Pretoria with the Highland Brigade of the 9^th Infantry Division. The company marched with General Ian Hamilton’s force on the east side of the Bloemfontein to Vereenigen railway line and reached Winburg on the 6^th of May where it was employed on the construction of the defences of the town [39]. It then continued on towards Pretoria, reaching Lindley on the 17^th of May and the Rhenoster River on the 20^th. On the 29^th of May the 7^th Field Company supported the attack on the Boer position at Doornkop [40].

Mullins, now a 2^nd Corporal, and his company entered Pretoria on the 5^th of June 1900. After a few days there the company was moved to Leeuwspruit, reaching that town on the 14^th of June and on the 25^th of June Mullins left South Africa to return to England.

d. Home Service (1900-1903)

On his arrival in England, 2^nd Corporal Mullins was assigned to the 59^th Field Company, Royal Engineers at Chatham. In July of 1901 he was authorized the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps [DEFENCE OF KIMBERLEY] and [DRIEFONTEIN]. His name appears on the medal roll of the 7^th Field Company that was at Bloemfontein when the roll was prepared on the 9^th of July 1901 [41]. Mullins was a Corporal at the time the medal was issued to him.

For reasons not stated in his service papers, Corporal Mullins had returned early from South Africa. The remainder of the 7^th Field Company did not disembarked in England until the 28^th of September 1902 after the trip home from South Africa. The company then proceeded to Aldershot where it was to be stationed. Only 3 officers and 45 other ranks of the original company returned to Aldershot. One officer (Lieutenant Trench) and 12 non-commissioned officers and men had died in South Africa, the remainder being transferred or invalided. Mullins was one of those who had been transferred.

Mullins had extended his service on the 10^th of February 1902 in order to complete 12 years with the Colours [42], and on the 31^st of July 1902 he was paid a War Gratuity of £7-0s-d for service in the South African War. At the time he received this gratuity he was serving with the 54^th Field Company in the Curragh, Ireland once again.

e. Gibraltar (1903-1906)

Mullins embarked for Gibraltar on the 5^th of November 1903 to join his new unit, the 32^nd Fortress Company, Royal Engineers. On the 1^st of April 1904 he was granted service pay at the rate of 7.d per day under authority of Army Order 66 of 1902. His trade at this time was "Skilled Plumber."

f. Home Service (1906)

Corporal Mullins returned to England on the 13^th of May 1906 and was posted to "G" Company of the Royal Engineers Depot Battalion in Chatham. The Officer Commanding "G" Company at the time was Captain H.W. Buckle, R.E. [43]. Upon his arrival at Chatham, Mullins submitted his 90-day notice to apply for discharge from the service.

 5. PROMOTIONS, CONDUCT AND EDUCATION

a. Promotions: George Edward Mullins received the following promotions during his 12 years of service with the Colours.

b. Conduct: Corporal Mullins was awarded one Good Conduct Badge and Good Conduct Pay at the rate of 1.d per day during his time in service [44].

c. Education: Corporal Mullins was awarded a 2^nd Class Certificate of Education on the 11^th of November 1896 [45].

6. MEDICAL INFORMATION

Except for the results of his medical examination and description on enlistment, Corporal Mullins’ service records do not contain a Medical History Sheet.

7. MARRIAGE AND PERSONAL INFORMATION

George Edward Mullins married Kate O’Dea at Newbridge in County Kildare, Ireland, without leave, on the 20^th of September 1879 [46]. Mullins was serving with the 7^th Field Company, Royal Engineers at Curragh Camp at the time. The marriage ceremony was performed by Thomas Tyron, Justice of the Peace, and witnessed by Bartholomew Millerick and Teresa O’Dea.

The Mullins’ first child, Frederick Joseph was born at Newbridge on the 22^nd of September 1898. He was baptized by the Reverend Murray at Newbridge on the 2^nd of October 1898.

The Mullins’ second child, Kathleen Christiana, was born in Newbridge on the 25^th of September 1899 and was christened by the Reverend Murray on the 15^th of October 1899. Her birth occurred about 10 weeks after her father had departed for the war in South Africa.

The Mullins’ third child, Florence Teresa, was born on the 10^th of April 1901 while Mullins was serving at Chatham with the 59^th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Her birth occurred about 12 months following Mullins’ return from the South African War. Sadly, little Florence Teresa died at Gillingham, Kent on the 15^th of December 1901 at the age of about 8 months. There is no record of her having been baptized nor is the cause of her death indicated in Mullins’ service papers.

Tragedy again struck Corporal Mullins only 2 months after the death of his youngest child. His wife died on the 15^th of February 1902 of unknown causes. Mullins was now left with two children aged 3 years and 5 months, and 2 years and 5 months.

8. DISCHARGE

Corporal Mullins was discharged from the Army at Chatham, Kent on the 13^th of August 1906 on the termination of his first period of limited engagement. His total service was reckoned as shown in the table below:

Corporal Mullins was paid a gratuity of £12-0s-0d upon his discharge from the Army.

9. POST SERVICE LIFE

Nothing is known about George Edward Mullins’ life after leaving the Army in 1906. His discharge took place only eight years before the start of the Great War of 1914 to 1918. It is possible that Mullins was called up for service in that war.

ADDENDUM NO. 1.

Reference: HOLT-WILSON, E. War Letters to T.H.W. from South Africa 1899-1902 E.H.W. Clemency Holt-Wilson, 1999.

In this book of letters from Lieutenant Eric Holt-Wilson, R.E. to his father during the South African War, Holt-Wilson gives the detailed movements of the 7^th Field Company, Royal Engineers from the Curragh in Ireland to South Africa. These movements are summarized below in chronological order.

This chronology takes the company up to its arrival date at Wynberg Camp when all the sections of the unit were still together. No. 1 Section commanded by Lieutenant R.S. Mc Clintock was sent to Kimberley, arriving in that town on the 18^th of September. Lieutenant Holt-Wilson and No. 2 Section of the company left Wynberg on the 25^th of September for De Aar in the Cape Colony.

ADDENDUM NO. 2

The information in this addendum was provided by Lorian Edwards, a relative of George Mullins. Lorian Edwards' grandfather was Frank Richard Mullins, one of the brothers of George Edward Mullins.

Lorian provides a good deal of new information regarding the life of Corporal Mullins and corrects some errors contained in the main narrative. This information is provided below in outline form.

• George Edward Mullins was born on the 9^th of April 1873 and not in May of 1873 as stated in the original narrative.
• In Section 9 of the original narrative it was supposed that George might have rejoined the Army to serve in the Great War. In fact he did do this but died on the 26^th of September 1914 probably of a heart attack while on parade. He would have been 41 years of age at the time.
• After George lost his first wife, Kathleen (Kitty), his children were looked after by Kitty's sister Teresa (Tess) O'Dea. George married Tess a short time after the death of Kitty. Tess stayed in England after George's death and remained a close and well-respected member of the Mullins family until her death in the early 1950s.
• George and Kitty's son Frederick married a woman named Florrie (maiden name unknown). It does not appear that Frederick and Florrie had any children. Frederick served as a Driver in the Royal Engineers during the Great War of 1914-1918.
• George and Kitty's daughter Kitty (Kathleen Christiana) never married.
• George's mother Sarah was not born in Clapham, as shown in the 1881 census. She was born at Wrecclesham, near Farnham in Surrey. Her maiden name was Sarah Parratt. Sarah died in 1909.
• Although George's father Frederick was a labourer in 1881, in 1871 he worked as a Coachman in Kensington. Frederick died in 1922.

The following information provides more details regarding the other children of Frederick and Sarah Mullins (the siblings of George Edward) than was presented in the original narrative:

• Florence Elizabeth Mullins was born in August of 1861. She was a domestic servant in 1881. Florence never married.
• Frederick John Mullins was born on the 31^st of August 1863. He worked as a milkman and never married. Frederick died on the 13^th of February 1903, aged 40 years.
• Frank Richard Mullins was born on the 25^th of September 1865. He worked as a postman in Blackheath, eventually becoming the Postmaster of the Blackheath sorting office. He married Emily Ann Welling (1871-1963) from Bushey, Herts. Frank died about 1948.
• Harry Joseph Mullins was born on the 5^th of March 1868. He died on the 12^th of May 1890 at the age of 22 years of Brights Disease.
• Eliza Annie Mullins (known as Annie) was born on the 28^th of August 1870. She married a man named Jim(?) Lambert. They lived in Tankerton, Kent.
• Nellie Louisa Mullins (known as Auntie Pop) was born in May of 1875. She was a spinster who worked as a children's nanny. Nellie died after 1950.
• Emily Maude Mullins (known as Maude) was born on the 17^th of June 1880. She married a man named George Selsby.

The following letter was written about George Edward Mullins by Lorian Edwards' aunt. The "Aunt Tess" referred to in the letter is George's wife Teresa O'Dea.

"As far as I remember it George Edward Mullins was my father's younger brother (I was told this). Grandmother apprenticed him to a plumber, but he didn't like it and ran away and joined the Army - the Royal Engineers. He went to Ireland to the Curragh. He met and married an Irish girl, Kathleen O'Dea who lived in a place in County Kildare. I saw her, she must have stayed with us in Blackheath. She was very attractive, but the life of a soldier was all wrong for her, married quarters being what they were and the soldiers and their [?] also, and I imagine three pregnancies in quick succession. Kitty, Fred and a baby Teresa. Well poor Aunty Kitty died (I think T.B.) and the baby. I think they were at Chatham. She told my mother that her mother had cursed her and she believe it."

"Well Aunt Tess came over from Ireland and took Fred & Kitty back with her. I think Uncle George went to Gibraltar, when he finished with the Army it was from [Gibraltar] but he went to S. Africa in the Boer War and he was in the Siege of Ladysmith [he was actually in the defence of Kimberley] and he had enteric fever. I don't know much about enteric, but I have seen it written of the 'dread' enteric."

"When he came out of the Army he went to Ireland and brought Aunt Tess back with him plus Kitty & Fred and I remember them getting married at Greenwich Registrar Office. Aunt Tess in a black skirt & white blouse with a lacy hat with pale blue on it. Mrs. Evans went as witness. They had rooms with her at first, till they had a house in Park or Saksdale[?] Road, Plumstead."

"Uncle George was always an Army man and he got a job at Woolwich Barracks. When the 14-18 war broke out, he joined up again. He had left the Army as a Corporal and he paraded on Hounslow Heath, September 1914. He was due to be made Sergeant, but he fell down dead, heart I imagine, due to the enteric I think. Kitty and Fred must have been in their early teens. I know Kitty was learning dressmaking but that stopped and she went into service until she married."

The letter goes on for some pages describing other members of the family, providing details that are not particularly relevant to the life of George Mullins. On page 6 of the letter the narrative again returns to George:-

"Uncle George was good looking and had a very nice tenor voice. When he left Gibraltar his mess mates gave him a clock. It had his name on it and the name of the song he used to sing."

ADDENDUM NO. 3

Lorian Edwards was kind enough to supply the author with the original copy of George Mullins' Soldier's Pay Book. The book is enclosed in leather with the following inscription hand-written in ink on the back side of the leather case:

No. 28361
G.E. Mullins

The leather case includes the following documents:

• Soldier's Account Book (Army Form B.50)
• Monthly Settlements and Savings Account (Army Form B.51)
• Second Class Certificate of Education (Army Form C.309)

The following information was uncovered in the pay book that was not included in the copies of the Soldier's Service Papers used for the original research:

1. George Mullins was awarded Good Conduct Pay at 1.d on the 14^th of August 1896. At the time of this award he was serving with the 8^th Company, Royal Engineers. Apparently, after completing his recruit training, he was assigned to this company and then later was posted to the 7^th Field Company.

2. Mullins completed the recruit's course in musketry in December of 1894.

3. He completed the shortened (92-day) Recruit Course in Field Works at Chatham on the 30^th of October 1895.

4. Mullins requalified in musketry periodically during his time in service. The following were his musketry classifications between 1896 and 1904:

1896: 4^th Class

1897: 3^rd Class

1898: 2^nd Class

1900: Marksman

1901: 2^nd Class

1902: Marksman

1903: Marksman

1904: 2^nd Class

NOTE: According to Grierson (p. 176), 119 rounds were fired during the qualification course. A score of 105 points qualified a man as a "Marksman," 60 points placed the man in the 2^nd class of riflemen and below 60 points in the 3^rd class. Grierson does not describe the requirement for 4^th class.

5. Mullins was issued his Second Class Certificate of Education at the Curragh by Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Cockburn, R.E. The requirements for receipt of this certificate, to quote from the certificate itself, included:

• Writing to Dictation.
• Arithmetic - Requisite proficiency in Numeration and Notation; Reduction; simple Practice and Proportion; Vulgar and Decimal Fractions; Regimental Accounts.

6. Mullins indicated that in February of 1895 his parents were living at 10 Hassendean Road, Charlton Road, Blackheath, Kent. His brother Frank was living with his parents at that time. The address of his brother Frederick was not known to George in 1895.

7. George Mullins earned Engineer Pay during his time in service as shown in the table below.

REGISTER OF RATE OF ENGINEER PAY
Rate of Pay	Date Authorized	Place	Unit
4th Class	31 October 1895	Chatham	School of Military Engineering
3rd Class	13 April 1897	Curragh	7th Field Company
2nd Class	10 August 1898	Curragh	7th Field Company

REFERENCES

Books

1. BAKER, H.A. History of the 7^th Field Company, R.E. During the War, 1914-1918, With a Short Record of the Movements and Campaigns since the Formation of the Company. The Royal Engineers Journal. The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, March 1932.

2. CONOLLY, T.W.J. Roll of Officers of the Corps of Royal Engineers From 1660 to 1898. The Royal Engineers Institute, Chatham, Kent, 1898.

3. CRESWICKE, L. South Africa and the Transvaal War. Volume II. The Caxton Publishing Co., London, 19__.

4. DOYLE, A.C. The Great Boer War. Thomas Nelson and Sons, Ltd., London, Edinburgh and New York, 1903.

5. FARWELL, B. The Great Anglo-Boer War. Harper & Row, New York, 1976.

6. FARWELL, B. Mr. Kipling’s Army: All the Queen’s Men. W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 1981.

7. GORDON, L.L. British Battles and Medals. Spink & Son, Ltd., London, 1971.

8. GRIERSON, J.M. Scarlet Into Khaki: The British Army on the Eve of the Boer War. Greenhill Books, London, 1988.

9. HARBOTTLE, T. Dictionary of Battles. Stein and Day, New York, 1971.

10. HARDING, W. War in South Africa and the Dark Continent. The Dominion Company, Chicago, 1899.

11. KRUGER, R. Good-bye Dolly Gray. J.P. Lippincott Company, New York, 1960.

12. PACKENHAM, T. The Boer War. Random House, New York, 1979.

13. SIBBALD, R. The War Correspondents: The Boer War. Bramley Books, Stroud, 1993.

14. SKELLEY, A.R. The Victorian Army at Home: The Recruitment and Terms and Conditions of the British Army, 1859-1899. McGill-Queen’s University Press, Montreal, 1977.

15. WATSON, C.M. The History of the Corps of Royal Engineers. Volume III. The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1954.

Documents

1. Soldier’s Service Papers, Public Record Office, Kew, Richmond, Surrey. Papers include the following documents:

a. Short Service Attestation, Army Form B. 265.

b. Description on Enlistment.

c. Statement of Services.

d. Military History Sheet.

2. Queen’s South Africa Medal Roll, 7^th Field Company Royal Engineers, WO100/155/60.

3. Kimberley Star Medal Roll, Army Order 94 of 1904.

Internet Sources

1. Expediamaps.com, 2000.

2. INTERNExT Kimberley, 1997

Periodicals

1. HEBERDEN, W. The Diary of a Doctor’s Wife During the Siege of Kimberley, October 1899 to February 1900. Military History Journal. Volume 3, Numbers 4, 5 and 6. The South African Military History Society, 2000.

2. PEDDLE, D.E. LONG CECIL: The Gun Made in Kimberley during the Siege. Military History Journal. Volume 4, Number 1. The South African Military History Society, 2000.

 ENDNOTES

1. Unless otherwise noted, the information contained in this narrative has been taken from the service papers of George Edward Mullins, WO97/5560, Public Record Office, Kew, Richmond, Surrey.

2. According to Mullins service papers he was born in Greenwich. The 1881 British Census return lists his place of birth a Blackheath, Kent.

3. 1881 British Census. Mormon Church Family History Library Film 1341169, PRO Reference RG11, Piece 0727, Page 17.

4. See Periods of Enlistment for The Corps of Royal Engineers.

5. See Age and Physical Requirements for Soldiers in the British Army (Victorian Period).

6. See Engineer Recruit Training.

7. BAKER, H.A.

8. Lieutenant Robert Lyle Mc Clintock, R.E.

9. Major William Francis Howard Stafford, R.E.

10. BAKER, H.A.

11. Lieutenant Colonel William Francis Henry Style Kincaid, R.E.

12. Captain Frank Ridley Farrer Boileau, R.E.

13. Lieutenant Eric Edward Boketon Wilson, R.E.

14. Lieutenant Herbert Musgrave, R.E.

15. Lieutenant Charles Reginald Johnson, R.E.

16. Lieutenant Christopher Chenevix Trench, R.E.

17. BAKER, H.A.

18. CRESWICKE, L.

19. SIBBALD, R.

20. Lieutenant Duncan Sayre Mc Innes, R.E.

21. HEBERDEN, W.

22. FARWELL, B.

23. PEDDLE, D.E.

24. Later Major General Robert George Kekewich (1854-1914).

25. CRESWICKE, L.

26. DOYLE, A.C.

27. Includes 2 other ranks from the 6^th Company, Royal Engineers.

28. DOYLE, A.C. Other sources give Rhode’s date of arrival as the 10^th of October 1899.

29. BAKER, H.A..

30. Kimberlite is a mineral consisting of mica-peridotite, an eruptive rock, and the matrix of the diamonds found at Kimberley and elsewhere in South Africa. Kimberlite was also referred to as a "diamondiferous ore," that is, a material yielding diamonds.

31. HEBERDEN, W.

32. SIBBALD, R.

33. There is evidence to indicate that the Boer’s intention was just to keep the British force bottled up in the town. They did not appear interested in losing many men in a general assault on the fortifications.

34. SIBBALD, R.

35. HEBERDEN, W.

36. BAKER, H.A.

37. PEDDLE, D.E.

38. HARBOTTLE, T.

39. Captain Theodore Fraser, R.E.

40. WATSON, C.M.

41. Medal Roll WO100/155/60.

42. See Extensions of Service of the Regular Army.

43. Captain Henry William Buckle, R.E.

44. See Good Conduct Pay.

45. See Certificates of Education.

46. See Marriage of Soldiers During the Victorian Period.