The historically important wreck of the Warren Hastings Royal Humane Society small silver medal and later Boer War Natal and Transvaal operations group awarded to Lance Corporal R. Newby, 1st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, later Corporal, Army Pay Corps who would distinguish himself during the wrecking of the R.I.M.S. Warren Hastings on 14th January 1897 when he would dive from the ship and assist a man of the York and Lancaster Regiment to a rope so that he was got ashore. He would later be mentioned by name along with 17 others in Army Order 40 of April 1897 and was one of 18 men who were awarded silver medals by the Royal Humane Society in relation to their gallantry during the event. Remarkably of the 1246 individuals on board, only two natives would lose their lives drowning in endeavouring to swim to land. Newby would later serve in South Africa during the Boer War with the Army Pay Corps where he would take part in operations in Natal and Transvaal.
Group of 3: Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 2 Clasps: Natal, Transvaal; (787 CORPL. R. NEWBY. A.P.C.) King’s South Africa Medal 1901-1902, 2 Clasps: South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; claw tightened (787 SERJT R. NEWBY. A.P.C.) Royal Humane Society, small silver medal, successful; (LCE-CORPL. R. NEWBY, 1st BATTN, KING’S ROYAL RIFLES. 14th JAN. 1897.) this last with silver buckle on ribbon, mounted loose for wear, Good Very Fine
Condition: mounted loose for wear, Good Very Fine
Along with three related images of Newby in later life.
Richard Newby was born in Everton, Liverpool and giving his trade as a Printer enlisted at Liverpool on 17th March 1892 and would serve at home until 7th December 1893 when he travelled to India. He would arrive in Mauritius from India on 18th January 1897 having been aboard the Royal Indian Marine Troopship Warren Hastings when it was wrecked on the Isle of Reunion on 14th January 1897.
Newby would distinguish himself during the wrecking and was mentioned in the Special Army Order regarding the wreck of the Warren Hastings, Army Order 40 of April 1897:
The Commander-in-Chief feels great gratification in making known to the army, the substance of a report received from the General Officer Commanding at Mauritius, recording the remarkable courage and exemplary discipline displayed by the troops, under most trying circumstances, on board the Royal Indian Marine troopship ‘Warren Hastings’ when that ship steaming full-speed, struck the rocks during a pitch-dark night and was wrecked near the village of St. Philippe, in the Island of Reunion, at 2.20am on the 14th of January last.
The troops on board consisted of the headquarters and four companies 1st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, and four companies 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, and a detachment of the Middlesex Regiment. They at once fell in, on the main deck, in perfect order, and waited in his position until 4am when Commander G.E. Holland, D.S.O., Royal Indian Marine, having ascertained that there was sufficient room on the rocks, ordered their disembarkation to commence by rope ladders from the bows.
Up to this time the vessel, though bumping heavily, remained on a fairly even keel and soon after she gave a heavy lurch to starboard. Everyone was ordered to the upper deck. The men were marched up, the disembarkation continuing regularly.
Commander Holland considered that the landing of women, children and sick might be deferred until daylight, when it could be affected with greater safety, but at 4.20am the position of the vessel appeared so critical that he at once ordered the disembarkation of the men to cease, and the women, children and sick to be passed out. This order was promptly carried out, the men clung to the side as they stood and passed the women and children through, no man murmuring or moving from his post.
At 4.35am the sea began to wash over the upper deck on the starboard side and the vessel being in imminent danger of heeling right over and sinking in deep water, it became necessary to expedite the landing. The troops were ordered to discard both rifles and boots and about 4,4an as the list to starboard increased permission was given to good swimmers to save themselves.
In consequence of the heavy sea and backwash off the rocks, this was accompanied by many risks, but all, with the exception of two natives, a cook and an officer’s servant, to the number of 993, besides the crew, reached the shore, saved in many cases by the individual gallantry of comrades.
The following non-commissioned officers and men are named by Lieut.Colonel Forestier-Walker, 1st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, who was in command, and was the last soldier to leave the ship, as having particularly distinguished themselves upon the occasion:
1st Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps:
Colour Sergeant Jones
Sergeant J. Allen
Sergeant R. Down
Sergeant R. Howarth
Corporal R. Hodgson
Corporal C. Young
No.7291 LANCE-CORPORAL R. NEWBY
No.6131 Private M. Arrowmsith
No.6168 Private E. Carr
No.5756 Private J. Connell
No.7030 Private C. Croft
No.5680 Private W.J. Grisley
No.4421 Private G. Howes
No.6231 Private C.B. Jones
No.6064 Private T. Jones
No.6040 Private G. Kaley
No.7679 Private N. McNamara
No.6206 Private W. Parkinson
No.8094 Private P. Pickersgill
No.7441 Private T. Steel
No.6547 Private L.A. Wootton
For his bravery in the aftermath of the wreck, Newby would later be awarded the Royal Humane Society Silver Medal along with seven others as part of R.H.S. Case No. 28742:
At 2.20am on the 14th January 1897, the Royal Indian Marine Troopship ‘Warren Hastings’ conveying troops from the Cape to Mauritius, was wrecked on the Island of Reunion.
The night was so intensely dark that it was impossible to distinguish anything more than a few feet away, and the rain failing in torrents. The sea at the time was calm, with a moderate swell, the backwash being sufficient to prevent any one landing without assistance. Perfect discipline was maintained and the obedience, good order and coolness displayed by the men was remarkable. Even when it was expected that the vessel would heel over, the men stood quietly aside to allow the women and children to be taken to shore. The total number of persons on board was 1246, and all were safely landed with the exception of two natives, who were drowned in endeavouring to swim to land. There were numerous acts of devotion and gallantry in saving life, and Lieut-Colonel M. Forestier-Walker, commanding the troops on board, named eighteen men as having specially distinguished themselves, one of these being Lance Corporal R. Newby.
The Chronical of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps states:
‘I am not sure whether it is realised how much the fact that no white man’s life was lost was due to the excellent and discipline and behaviour of the troops. Had there been the least panic or disorder it would have been inevitable that lives should have been lost, for, independently of drowning, lives would probably have been lost by crowding in the companions and by other accidents similar to those which occur on land when a large crowd loses its head. Personally I look upon the whole business as one of the most creditable things to the British Army which has ever occurred, and, without invidious comparison, quite as creditable as the Birkenhead, for in the latter, if we are able to believe the pictures, the troops were at least all on deck, whilst on the Warren Hastings they were between decks, and as stated above, were quite unable to see what was going on, whilst the list was gradually increasing till it became difficult to stand upright, and even the Captain himself though the vessel was going to turn over. Rifleman should always be proud that one of their battalions acquitted themselves so well under such trying circumstances. I can say all this without praising myself, for being Adjutant, I was either on the bridge with the Colonel or running about conveying orders, and therefore had not time to even think.’
The Public Record Office files relating to the incident state that Lance Corporal R. Newby, 1st Bn, King’s Royal Rifles dived from the ship and assisted a man of the York and Lancaster Regiment to a rope by which he was got ashore.
He would remain in Mauritius until 22nd March 1899 when he would travel to South Africa subsequently seeing service during the Boer War where he would take part in the operations in Natal and Transvaal. From South Africa he would return home on 29th October 1902 being discharged on 10th March 1904
