Hello from new member!

[John W]

hi john, and welcome  i live in Blackpool , do you need a grave photo ? no problem getting one.  tony

Cheers Tony - pm'd you.

[tisgrannie]

Hi again. I wonder if mack has him on the AVL's just a thought.
tisgrannie

[sphinx]

John,

To partly answer your earlier question re the Boer War:_

The 6th Militia Bn. (Formally the 4th Militia Bn.) did not arrive in South Africa until 1902.
They saw no action and duties at that time were mainly as Garrison troops, providing escorts and pickets.
They were awarded the QSA with clasps Cape Colony : Orange Free State and S. Africa 1902.

regards

[John W]

hiya john,welcome to the forum.
was joseph living at 4 rothwell st,mumps,oldham,when he was captured.

mack

Hello mack,

I must apologise for my ealier reply - I made a mistake. I was reading his 'statement of service' the other day and saw that he did live at 4 Rothwell St on 30.01.19, shortly after his release from captivity - his wife must have moved during his captivity. What bearing does this information have? Do you have some info on him?

Cheers,

John

[John W]

John,

To partly answer your earlier question re the Boer War:_

The 6th Militia Bn. (Formally the 4th Militia Bn.) did not arrive in South Africa until 1902.
They saw no action and duties at that time were mainly as Garrison troops, providing escorts and pickets.
They were awarded the QSA with clasps Cape Colony : Orange Free State and S. Africa 1902.

regards

Thank you Sphinx - this confirms some things that I had already found out. They arrived in March on the HMT Diliwara and returned in Sep on the Roslin Castle. I think that they were also involved with blockhouse duty. I am still looking for proof of his QSA award.

Regards,
John

[sphinx]

I can confirm from the Medal Rolls he was entitled to the QSA with the clasps as discussed.

[mack]

pte 8285 joseph percy rothwell
enl 22-10-1901
aged 18
6th VB manchesters
worked for talkingham[saddlers] manchester
9 squire st,cheetham hill
formerly of 63 craven st,hightown
went to south africa on 30-9-1902

joined the 2nd manchesters at ashton on 2-2-1904
aged 20
shoemaker
religion CofE
5-3-04 singapore
20-12-04 india
7-2-07 home
11-8-08 married miss gertrude stanton at st.marks church,glodwick[witnesses edward stanton+annie kyle]
children ada 29-7-09 and james 22-9-0-1914 at saddleworth
4 rothwell st,oldham
father joseph,18 north george st,hightown
to france on 15-8-14
captured at le cateau on 26-8-14[suffered two bullet wounds]
repatriated 1-1-19 at hull
his wife was living at well lane,oldham at one time during the war
discharged to the army res on 31-3-19
disbility rheumatism+wounds
1922 lived at 16 james st,chadderton
1933 lived at 75 transvaal st,thornton,cleveleys

awarded 1914 star,war+victory medals
1 red chevron and 4 blue
served 16yrs 58 days

mack

[Robert Bonner]

John - welcome to the forum.  Not a great deal is known about the activites of the 6th (Militia) Battalion in SA but this will give you a good idea of what your forebear was up to.
This battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel C D Leyden, after volunteering its services for overseas duties, was only involved during the last months of the war although drafts of officers and men had been sent to both the 1st and 2nd Battalions during the war. Several served in the 18th Battalion Mounted Infantry and Captain R J A Terry served with Driscoll's Scouts.

The battalion embarked for South Africa on the Dilwara on 13 February 1902 strength 20 officers and 645 NCOs and men, arriving in Cape Town 5th March. When leaving Southampton the weather was so cold that the men wore their scarlet tunics and greatcoats. On arrival they entrained for Norvals Pont on the Orange River to relieve 3rd Battalion Norfolk Regiment.

There they manned the blockhouse line between Jagersfontein and Achterlong Station, a distance of thirty-six miles, later extended to Tweedale.  Headquarters were established at Norvals Pont. A garrison was also provided at Colesberg Town to guard and escort Boer prisoners.

Peace was declared in June 1902 so they did not see a great deal of action.
Robert

[tonyrod]

troop ship dilwara link,http://www.photoship.co.uk/Search%20Links%20Ship/

not the ww1 ship

[george.theshed197]

Thanks for the photo of the Dilwara,
Question - is this the same Dilwara on which I, as a member of the advance party of the 1st Bn The Manchester, sailed out to Malaya in March 1951 ? it looks kind of familiar!!!
Regards,
George.

[tonyrod]

i would say yes
,this other DILWARA  but older  is the ww1  ship, sorry for mix up,

your ships history  of  DILWARA
http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=542
Barclay Curle & Company Glasgow,
Yard No 654
Engines by Shipbuilders
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last Name: KUALA LUMPUR
Port of Registry: Hong Kong
Propulsion: Two five cylinder 2SCSA Doxford~type opposed piston oil engines, 11880bhp, twin screws, 16 knots.
Launched: Thursday, 17/10/1935
Built: 1936
Ship Type: Troopship
Ship's Role: Trooping| Pilgrim carrier
Tonnage: 11050 gross; 6553 net; 3435 dwt
Length: 516ft 10in
Breadth: 65ft 0in
Draught: 23ft 4in
Owner History:
British India Steam Nav Co (1936~60)
China Nav Co Hong Kong (1960~71)
Status: Scrapped - 1972, Kaohsiung

Remarks:
17/10/1935: Launched by Lady Currie, wife of Sir William Currie, Managing Director of BI (and of P&O).
15/01/1936: Delivered to the British India Steam Navigation Company Ltd, London. The first purpose~built British troopship since 1867, she was chartered to the Government together with her three nearsisters, DEVONSHIRE (Bibby Line, Fairfield, 1939), DUNERA (BI, Barclay Curle, 1937) and ETTRICK (P&O, Barclay Curle, 1939). As built she could accommodate 104 First Class passengers, 100 Second Class, 164 troops' families and 1154 troops. She cost £403,700 and spent part of her first summer operating school cruises.
1937: At Coronation Review at Spithead.
1938: Again operated school cruises in the trooping "off season".
1939: When war broke out she was in the Indian Ocean homeward bound.
16/09/1939: Collided with Blue Funnel Line STENTOR. Repairs at Gibraltar took until 20/11/1939.
1940~41: Trooped from South Africa to Egypt and took part in the evacuation of Greece.
1942: She and DUNERA were present at the Madagascar landings.
1943: Took part in the Sicilian campaign.
1945: Involved in the liberation of Burma.
08/06/1945: Mined off Rangoon but reached port with only minor damages. HQ ship during surrender operations at Singapore.
1949: Refitted by her builders with a lower troop capacity and with bunks instead of hammocks. Tonnages now 12555 gross, 7450 net, and 3775 tons deadweight.
10/1950: Re~entered service. Most of her employment was now between the UK and the Far East, including service in the Korean War. Capacity now 125 First Class, 96 Second Class, 104 Third Class and 790 troops.
1953: At Coronation Review at Spithead.
11/1956: Employed during Suez Campaign.
1960: Trooping contract terminated.
11/11/1960: Sold to China Navigation Co Ltd (John Swire & Co), renamed KUALA LUMPUR, and put into service as a pilgrim carrier (243 First Class passengers and 1669 pilgrims).
1962: Began off~season cruising from Australia and New Zealand taking school parties in former pilgrim/troop quarters.
11/1971: Sold to be broken up by Tung Cheng Steel Co Ltd, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
01/04/1972: Demolition started.

Previous update by John D Stevenson, with additional information from George Robinson and Bruce Biddulph.
Previous update by John Newth
Photo supplied by Paul Strathdee collection

Last updated: by Paul Strathdee from the original records by Stuart Cameron


<img src="http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/ships/1936/DILWARA_654.jpg" alt="mv DILWARA ">

[george.theshed197]

Many thanks for that info,
George.