A FINE AND RARE SOUTH AFRICA 1899 AND WW1 GROUP TO AN ADMIRAL WHO, HAD A REMARKABLY ACTIVE CAREER. AMONG OTHER SERVICES, HE LANDED IN COMMAND OF 30 MEN FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE BRITISH LEGATION AT SÖUL, WITNESSING THE START OF THE SINO JAPANESE WAR. AS A COMMANDER OF ‘MONARCH’, HE LANDED WITH THE NAVAL BRIGADE DURING THE BOER WAR, AND FOUGHT AT MAGERSFONTEIN, PAARDEBERG AND OTHER OPERATIONS BEING SEVERELY WOUNDED AT THE TAKING OF PRETORIA. TWICE MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES, HE HAD THE RARE HONOUR OF BEING SPECIALLY PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN FOR HIS SERVICES DURING THE BOER WAR. DURING WW1 HE COMMANDED AUXILIARY PATROL AREA IV

QUEEN’S SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902, 4 CLASPS, CAPE COLONY, PAARDEBERG, DRIEFONTEIN, JOHANNESBURG ‘COM: S. V. Y. DE HORSEY, R.N, H:M:S: MONARCH’ IMPRESSED NAMING, OFFICIAL CORRECTION TO THIRD INITIAL; 1914-15 STAR ‘CAPT. S. V. Y. DE HORSEY, R.N.R.’; BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS ‘CAPT. S. V. Y. DE HORSEY. R.N.R.’

Spencer Victor Yorke de Horsey was born at Cowes, Isle of Wight, on 4 June 1863, son of Admiral Sir Algernon de Horsey, K.C.B. He joined the Navy as a Midshipman on 24 April 1876; Sub-Lieutenant, 24 April 1883; Lieutenant, 30 June 1886. He was Lieutenant in command of No. 52 torpedo-boat when it was run down and sunk in Argostoli Bay, Cephalonia, during night manoeuvres in October 1887, by a first-class boat of the attacking force, two men being drowned.

DE HORSEY AND THE SINO JAPANESE WAR 1894

Prior to the outbreak of the Sino Japanese War in July 1894, HMS Archer, with De Horsey as Senior Lieutenant, was one of several British ships in Korean Waters. Here they would witness the invasion of Japanese troops as well as Naval engagements between Chinese and Japanese War ships at the very outbreak of War between these Nations.

The flash point for the war itself would be the Korean Capitol Söul, after an expedition force of Japanese troops invaded the city. With tensions high, their had been various scuffles between Japanese troops and foreigners, including the British Consol. As such, on 17th July Lieutenant de Horsey was landed in command of a party of 24 bluejackets for the protection of the British Legation at. Likewise similar forces were landed by Russian German and American ships to protect their Legation personnel and foreigners. On 23rd July Lieutenant de Horsey was present when the Palace itself was taken and the King made prisoner by the Japanese forces and the Japanese officially proclaimed the occupation of Söul. Shortly after and with threat of Söul being burned to the group, the Korean King was forced to declare War on China.

On 25th July, off Asan Bay, the Japanese warships sunk the British merchant vessel ‘Kow- shing’, which was carrying Chinese troops, this almost causing a serious diplomatic incident between Japan and Great Britain and as with the land forces, tensions were high at sea. With Japanese and Chinese Warships seeking each other and each others this was a dangerous time for foreign trade ships and British War ships like Archer were on high alert. There was also heavy fighting between Japanese and Chinese troops on land around Asan.

On 10th August, Lieutenant de Horsey and his bluejackets were involved in a confrontation with Japanese troops, though no shots were fired. As more Japanese troops, including military police, arrived in Söul, tensions between foreigners and the Japanese subsided and on 13th August Lieutenant de Horsey’s command, along with the German guard were withdrawn from Söul, travelling together back to their ships.

Later in August; with boats of Archer rescued, after two days’ search, the Captain and part of the crew of the Chinese cruiser Kuang Yi, destroyed to avoid capture in Prince Jerome Gulf. Lieutenant de Horsey received the thanks of the Chinese Government for this service.

DE HORSEY WITH THE PLOVER IN ATTACKS OFF NORTH BORNEO

In January 1898, as Lieutenant-Commander in Plover off North Borneo, he served in two expeditions against Si Tali, a proscribed rebel, resulting in his stockade being taken, and himself and followers killed or captured. Having been promoted Commander in June 1898, in August 1898 he received the thanks of the Colonial Office for services rendered while with the special commission for the newly acquired territory near Hong Kong. From Clowes;

‘In November, 1897, a rebellious chief named Mat Salleh attacked Ambong, in the territory of the British North Borneo Company, and succeeded in burning the Resident’s house. In December, an expedition went inland against him, and, on the 13th of the month, shelled his stronghold, but, attempting afterwards to rush it, was repulsed with heavy loss. This man’s temporary success encouraged one of his sympathisers, an ex-convict named Si Talleh, to attack the Government station at Limbawang. Being driven off, he fled to a stronghold on the Membakut river, in the territory of the Sultan of Brunei. Operations against him were undertaken in January, 1898, and resulted in the capture of his stockade and the killing or wounding of about forty of his followers, though Si Talleh himself managed for the moment to escape. The co-operation of the gunboats Plover and Swift, under the orders of Lieutenant Spencer Victor Yorke de Horsey, contributed greatly to the success of the expedition, and to the ultimate seizure of the offender.’

COMMANDER OF MONARCH DURING THE WAR BOER WAR AND SERVICE WITH THE NAVAL BRIGADE

Commander de Horsey joined the Naval Brigade on the 27th November 1899, shortly after the battle of Graspan. Bringing with him, 94 Officers and men and a 4.7 inch naval gun (named ‘Joe Chamberlain’!), on arrival he took Command of the Naval Brigade, Captain Prothero having become a casualty at Graspan. De Horsey held this Command for just a short time until the arrival of Captain Bearcroft, who would Command the ‘Cape Brigade’ until the conclusion of its operations.

De Horsey was present at the British defeat at battle of Magersfontein, the victory at Paardeberg and subsequent operations under Lords Methuen and Robert’s, being Mentioned in Despatches:

From Lord Roberts despatch of March 31, 1900:—

‘Captain J Bearcroft, commanding Royal Naval Brigade ; my thanks are due to this officer for the assistance he has at all times afforded me; the Naval Brigade, under his orders, has performed valuable service, and has fully maintained the traditions of her Majesty's Navy, not only in action, but also in overcoming the many difficulties attending the march of heavy ordnance over a country devoid of roads. Commanders W Grant and S. de Horsey, " Doris "; Lieutenant F Dean, ‘Monarch’ ; Major A Winston, RMLI, "Powerful..."

Commander de Horsey took part in the further operations, including the taking of Pretoria. At the latter, on 4 June 1900, while bringing his guns into action and under heavy fire from Boer artillery, he was severely wounded. For his service at Pretoria, he was Mentioned in Despatches:

‘Captain Bearcroft, in a despatch to Rear Admiral Sir R Harris, dated Pretoria, June 9, 1900, reports on the engagement of the 4th inst., and brings to notice the following:—

Commander Spencer de Horsey, ‘Monarch’, for the calmness, ability, and energy displayed by him in preparing the 4.7-in. guns for action, and for the example set and encouragement given to the officers and men under him after he was wounded, and before he was carried off the field.’

In Captain Bearcroft's last despatch, dated Simon's Town, October 17, 1900, and, in forwarding his final observations to Rear Admiral Sir R Harris ‘says he considers the following as worthy of special mention:—

..Commander S de Horsey (severely wounded)…’

De Horsey wound was of a severe nature though he is noted as serving with the Naval Brigade until 24th September 1900, much of this time would have been hospitalised. He was specially promoted to Captain on 21st October 1900 for services during the Boer War (London Gazette 6 November 1900). He received a pension of £100 per year for life, for wounds and pretty much straight away went on to Half Pay, though between September 1901 and March 1902, he commanded Iphignia.

De Horsey was appointed Captain of the second class cruiser Scylla in June 1902, and of the armoured cruiser Kent in December 1905. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral in November 1909, and was placed on the Retired List, at his own request, on 21 August 1911.

REGARDING AWARDS TO THE NAVAL BRIGADE DURING THE BOER WAR.

Unlike the Army, their were surprisingly few medallic awards to members of the Naval Brigade for service in the Boer War, the preferring to award promotion for their service. In de Horsey’s case, having only been promoted Commander in mid 1898, his promotion to Captain just over two years later, shows just how high a reward this would have been seen as.

6 x Order of the Bath (CB) – 4 x RN Captains, 2 x RMLI Major’s 8 x DSO’s – 1 x RN Lieut, 3 x RMLI Captain, 2 x RN Surgeons, 2 x Colonial Navy 6 x Conspicuous Service Cross – 2 x RN Gunners, 4 x RN Midshipman 3 x Promotions to Captain – all RN Commanders (including) Horsey 6 x Promotions to Commander 11x promotions of RMLI Officers, Surgeons, Paymasters etc and numerous Midshipmen to Lieutenant.

A full list can be found here: https://www.angloboerwar.com/books/55-jeans-naval-brigades-in-the-south-african- war/1225-jeans-appendix-2-list-of-distinctions

WW1 AND BEYOND

At the outbreak of WW1 and in order to gain Active employment, was granted a temporary commission as a Captain in the on 14 November 1914 (though still retaining his higher rank). De Horsey’s service record is hard to make out and his initial Command in 1915 is unclear. However on 29th March 1915, he was appointed to Command of Auxiliary Patrol Area IV (Moray Firth, base at Cromarty). The Command of Auxiliary Patrol Area’s was one generally held by Admiral’s such as de Horsey’s , who held a temporary commission as a Captain in the Royal Naval Reserve.

The Auxiliary Patrol was an antisubmarine patrols initiative by the British to help combat German U-boat operations around the Home Waters;

‘On May 1st 1912 the post of Admiral of Patrols was established responsible for five destroyer flotilla's covering waters around the British Isles. In 1914, the Board of Admiralty sent an order the Admiralty War Staff to re-evaluate the functional role the patrol flotillas off the Eastern Coast of Britain the First Sea Lord indicated that the current function of patrolling would now be that of coastal defence. After the implementation took place R Admiral de Robeck was then replaced as (ADMOP) by a new commander Commodore George A Ballard. He assumed the duties of Admiral of Patrols on the 1 May, 1914 the auxiliary patrol was then a component part of the Admiral of Patrols command until 1917. The majority of British trawlers were commandeered by the Admiralty, and those left were obliged to fish in groups of 20 with additional protection.

The Auxiliary Patrol was crewed by fishermen and led mainly by Merchant Navy men commissioned into the Royal Naval Reserve. They operated as trawlers do, in all weathers. Their trawlers were retrofitted with armaments, typically 3,6 or 12-pounder guns as well as 7.5” bomb throwers (Anti howitzers). Specialist crew such as signallers and gunners were also put on board. Later in the war the Admiralty built 3 classes of larger trawlers as well as developing a new special class of minesweeper. ‘

After just over two years in this position, de Horsey reverted to the retired list on 19th May 1917. He was advanced to the rank of Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 9 August 1915, and to the rank of Admiral on the Retired List on 1 January 1919. Admiral Spencer de Horsey died on 19 March 1937.

Condition NEF, sold with copy research on CD including 60 plus pages of despatches etc relating to HMS Archer/de Horsey in Korea, medal rolls and other research.

A rare high ranking naval brigade group to an Officer who saw a great deal of varied service. The QSA is the only medal issued to Monarch with these four clasps and the rank of Commander to a member of the naval brigade in the Boer War, let alone a battle casualty, is rare.