5471 Private J Loftus, 2nd Battalion the (Prince of Wales's Own) West Yorkshire Regiment. He deployed to South Africa with his battalion for the Second Anglo Boer War, sailing on the Roslin Castle on 19 Oct 1899, and arrived at the Cape about 8 Nov 1899 and at Durban about the 11 Nov 1899. Along with the 2nd Queen's, 2nd Devons, and 2nd East Surrey, they formed the 2nd Brigade under Major General Hildyard. They were part of the Ladysmith relief force. They fought at Willow Grange on 23 Nov 1899 (10 killed, 50 wounded), at the battle of Colenso on 15 Dec 1899, at Venter's Spruit on 21 Jan 1899, at Vaal Krantz on 7 Feb 1900 and during the battle of Tugela Heights 14-27 Feb 1900, the battle leading to the breakthrough to Ladysmith. The battalion was constantly in the thickest, including their attacks on Monte Cristo and Railway Hill (Captain Conwyn Mansell-Jones was awarded the VC). Pte Loftus was killed in action at Sundays River (near Jolwayo, Natal, 55 kms to the East of Colenso). He is also commemorated on the (Prince of Wales's Own) West Yorkshire Regiment Boer War memorial in the West Yorkshire Regiment Chapel, York Minster, York, North Yorkshire, England (see: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/30631).
Those who died at Sundays River after the relief of Ladysmith and were buried there were reinterred at Elandslaagte Battlefield Memorial. Pte Loftus is not listed on the Elandslaagte cemetery memorial but may be one of the 10 unknown soldiers buried there.
Those who died at Sundays River after the relief of Ladysmith and were buried there were reinterred at Elandslaagte Battlefield Memorial. Pte Loftus is not listed on the Elandslaagte cemetery memorial but may be one of the 10 unknown soldiers buried there.
5471 Private J Loftus, 2nd Battalion the (Prince of Wales's Own) West Yorkshire Regiment. He deployed to South Africa with his battalion for the Second Anglo Boer War, sailing on the Roslin Castle on 19 Oct 1899, and arrived at the Cape about 8 Nov 1899 and at Durban about the 11 Nov 1899. Along with the 2nd Queen's, 2nd Devons, and 2nd East Surrey, they formed the 2nd Brigade under Major General Hildyard. They were part of the Ladysmith relief force. They fought at Willow Grange on 23 Nov 1899 (10 killed, 50 wounded), at the battle of Colenso on 15 Dec 1899, at Venter's Spruit on 21 Jan 1899, at Vaal Krantz on 7 Feb 1900 and during the battle of Tugela Heights 14-27 Feb 1900, the battle leading to the breakthrough to Ladysmith. The battalion was constantly in the thickest, including their attacks on Monte Cristo and Railway Hill (Captain Conwyn Mansell-Jones was awarded the VC). Pte Loftus was killed in action at Sundays River (near Jolwayo, Natal, 55 kms to the East of Colenso). He is also commemorated on the (Prince of Wales's Own) West Yorkshire Regiment Boer War memorial in the West Yorkshire Regiment Chapel, York Minster, York, North Yorkshire, England (see: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/30631).
Those who died at Sundays River after the relief of Ladysmith and were buried there were reinterred at Elandslaagte Battlefield Memorial. Pte Loftus is not listed on the Elandslaagte cemetery memorial but may be one of the 10 unknown soldiers buried there.
Those who died at Sundays River after the relief of Ladysmith and were buried there were reinterred at Elandslaagte Battlefield Memorial. Pte Loftus is not listed on the Elandslaagte cemetery memorial but may be one of the 10 unknown soldiers buried there.
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