Charles Pegler

CHARLES FREDERICK PEGLER

Charles Frederick Pegler was born in England in late July, 1874. The family lived in Rusthall,

Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Because he was “out of digs” at the time he joined the British Army and was allocated to the

2^nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade.

He saw service in South Africa, Egypt, Malta and other areas and served under Queen

Victoria and King Edward V11 He was to have a soft spot for Queen Victoria for the rest of

his life. He reached the rank of Sergeant. During his army service Charles received the

following medals: The Queen’s South African Medal with bars for Belfast, Laings Nek and

defence of Ladysmith, King’s South Africa Medal with both bars, South Africa 1901 and

South Africa 1902, Queen’s Sudan Medal and Khedive’s  Sudan Medal 1896-1908 with

Khartoum Bar. He had been going with a woman called Isabel Caittall in England. She went

to Australia to care for a sick relative and Charles followed her there some time after his

army discharge. Isabel and Charles had been going together for a total of 12 years when

Isabel asked him “when are you going to ask to marry me? and he proposed. There was only

one pregnancy as a result of their union, both were quite old and when they were 40:years

old twin sons were born. Because their boys were born on 2nd September, 1914, the

anniversary of the battle of Omdurman, the eldest of the two was named Kenneth

Omdurman. The younger on was named Wilfred Charles.

Charles died aged 89 years in 1963.

**

SIEGE OF LADYSMITH

Oct. 2nd, 1899                                        

Embarked on SS Jelunga at Candia, Crete en route for South Africa calling at Port Said and

Aden for coal, after an uneventful voyage (except for a couple of breakdowns) we arrived off

Durban on the 26^th. Two companies proceeded to disembark in surfboats, the sea being very

rough did not at all envy them, the remainder had to remain one more night aboard.

Oct. 27th

This morning, the sea being calm we crossed the bar and was berthed alongside the docks,

Started disembarking at once. Entrained at 1.30 for Pietermaritzburg where we arrived at

6.10 pm . Raining heavily, refreshments waiting for us on the platform, tea, bread and

butter, etc the other battalion arrived about an hour afterwards, wet through to the skin,

being in open trucks (we were rather happier, having had carriages) you Can guess the

salute they got on arriving. Then came our tussel with the baggage, all of which had to be

packed on ox wagons to be taken to camp, not a very nice job in the rain in a strange place.

Eventually marched to camp and spent the night looking for our kits, packed 16 to a tent

saturated, had to sleep in our clothes of course.

Oct. 28th

Spent the day getting our kit together and packing a certain amount for the front, the

container to be left behind. At night went down to the canteen and had a jolly couple of

hours, which was the last for some considerable time, although we did not know it at the

time.

Oct. 29th

This morning, Church Parade. Got orders to get ready at once to proceed up the line to

Ladysmith. We took what we stood up in, with an extra shirt, socks and a few other articles

Necessary to Tommy and entrained at 3.30 in the afternoon in open trucks. We passed

Several train loads of refugees coming down, who cheered us and gave us God speed, also

gave us news of what was going on farther up country.  W got refreshments at several

different stations, the people turning out and cheering, waving flags, etc. As the night came

on we found it got very cold and had to sit huddled up with a blanket thrown over our

shoulders, having our accoutrements on at the time as we expected to be attacked, but

nothing occurred and we finally reached Ladysmith at 2.30 am.

Oct. 30^th.

On our arrival we were ordered to take our valises and entrenching tools off and these were

stacked on the platform (the last we saw of them for some weeks, which, was a pity as most

of us had our most necessary articles in them, such as tobacco). We then marched to a

camp and were served out with two days rations which caused us to do away with a lot more

articles to make room in our haversacks. We were then told to get a sleep if we could.

Before daybreak we were called to fall in and at dawn started off. Before long we heard

Artillery fire and soon we were off in that direction. On getting into town we were met by a

staff Officer who showed  us to the position we were to go to about five miles away.