Harrow Roll of Honour Vol 6

Hobart Brooks Farqahar On the Arras Memorial

Hobart Brooks Farqahar IWM Ref HU 121901 ©

H. B. Farquhar in a trench at the Double Crassier

Barkham Manor House, Berkshire

Hobart Brooks Farguhar was born on the 16th April 1874, at Drum-na-gesk, Aboyne, Aberdeen, Scotland, the son of Sir, Admiral Arthur Murray Farquhar, KCB, [born 1815, at Hartmale, Sussex, died 29th January 1908], and his wife Ellen nee Rickman, [born 14th December 1828, at Edmonton, Middlesex, died Tuesday, 5th April 1898, at Aboyne, Aberdeen]. Hobart was the youngest of 10 children. His parents had married at Steyning, Sussex in January 1851.

In 1881, Hobart age 6, was residing at Carlogie, Aboyne, with Charles D. G. Farqahar, aged 14, his elder brother, sisters, Jane G. Farquhar, age 27 and Alice Farquhar, age 16. They had eight servants.

In 1891, Hobart was residing at Barkham, in Berkshire at his nephew's residence, [Barkham Manor], William Rickman who was a Lieutenant General in the Army.

Hobart Brooks Farquhar was educated at Cambridge Trinity College and Harrow, and was admitted as a pensioner on the 7th October 1892. Matriculated Michaelmas 1892. He left Harrow in 1895.

In 1895, he went to South Africa and served with the Rhodesian Volunteers as a gunner in the Matabele Campaign of 1896, with the British South African Company.

He then served in the Boer War as a member of the Thorneycrofts Mounted Infantry, a colonial unit of the Boer War of 1899-1902.

Hobart received a commission along with his brother, Captain Mowbray Gore Farquhar, [born 1863]. He was awarded the South Africa Medal with three bars, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, and Transvaal. These were issued on the 4th March 1902. Also the Queens South African Medal dated 1901.

He was with General Plumer's Force until the Relief of Mafeking.

Hobart was one of the officers who guided his unit up to the top of Spion Kop, which resulted in the battle of Spion Kop.

Source: Ernest Blake Knox. Buller's campaign with the Natal field force of 1900

The column started a little after half- past ten. Colonel Thorneycroft, assisted by Lieutenant Farquhar and Lieutenant Gordon Forbes, leading. The Lancashire Fusiliers, with General Woodgate at their head, rifle in hand — all the officers carried rifles — formed the advance-guard for the first half-mile. A halt was then made, and Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry was sent ahead. The night was extremely dark, though the stars gave a faint light whenever the drizzling rain permitted.

The column moved on again, across the valley, along an ill-defined track — so narrow was it that movement in single file, and frequent halts to allow the sections to close up, were necessary. At the bottom of the hill another halt was made to await the scouts* report that all was clear, as there was nothing but the dim, vague outline of the mountain to guide the stumbling steps of the troops. Here the skill and resource of Colonel Thorneycroft showed to advantage. Occasionally he would halt his men and go on with a chosen band (Lieutenants Farquhar and Gordon Forbes and Privates Shaw and Macadam) for 100 or 200 yards to feel the way, and then come back and lead the column forward.

About midnight the kraals were reached. Above these the hill rises abruptly, and the difficulty was increased by the presence of a heavy mist. The two trees on the plateau of the second hump were next reached, then the steep, rugged rocks. Never were orders of a night attack better obeyed; yet the noise of the men's nailed boots on the rocks must have awakened any Boer, had the wind not been in our favour. Slowly but surely they clambered up. Nothing was now visible save the glowing embers of the fires of the British camp in the valley, and the dash-dot' twinkle from a signaller's lamp on Three Tree Hill, saying that all was well below. In many places here the men had to go on all fours, and constant delays were unavoidable in order to prevent men getting lost, although the formation of 'double files' was kept as far as practicable.

The second hump, with its belt of trees, was next reached — barely visible, so thick had the fog become. Here the leading files halted, and Thomeycroft's Mounted Infantry extended as far as the ground permitted, in such a way as to draw a complete cordon around any outlying Boer picket. The Lancashire Fusiliers were now in four successive lines, or double companies, with 100 yards or so between each, the men in single rank. Several more halts were necessary owing to the mist, lest any error should occur in the direction taken by the advance line, or lest the column should be made the target of a flank fire from any of the enemy's outposts — a most disagreeable event in a night attack.

As the false crest of the hill was attained, almost the whole of Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry had extended along it; behind them came their supports, and the other regiments in long lines, following. Not a sound was to be heard save the faint grating of boot-soles on the hard ground, now that the rocks were passed, and the occasional yelp of a dog below in the Kaffir kraals. Hereabouts a large white spaniel bounded up in the dark — whence it came no one knew; for the moment discovery seemed certain, but the creature allowed itself to be caught quietly by one of the men.

Suddenly, as Thomeycroft's Mounted Infantry were within some twenty yards below the sky-line, a hoarse guttural voice from their left front shouting, * Wi kom dar?' twice, in quick succession, came with startling emphasis. Some say it was a Kaffir sentry, others a Boer; but so clear was the challenge that everyone near the head of the column heard it. Obedient to the orders previously issued, every man threw himself flat on the ground. It was well they did so, for a second later a whole picket of some twenty Boers fired rapidly, their rifles flashing irregular in the inky darkness. The discharge lasted but a few minutes, and as the clicking of the bolts of the Mauser weapons told the anxious listeners that the enemy were refilling their magazines, the order 'Charge!' was given. As the whole front-line surged forward with a cheer, one officer, an athlete — Lieutenant Awdry, of the Lancashire Fusiliers — out-distanced the rest. Cold steel was too much — the Boers broke cover and fled; not, however, before Lieutenant Awdry had bayoneted a burly Dutchman in a trench, and a few others were killed in the mud, as they scampered through the rocks. Excepting these, the whole of the Boer picket, numbering seventy-five men of the Vryheid commando, got away along the mountain-tops — some of them evidently in their stocking-feet, for boots were found left behind — by paths and tracks they knew by heart from their three weeks' residence on the hill'.

Source:- Roll of Honour With Thanks.

Lieutenant-Colonel Alec Thorneycroft raised a Mounted Infantry Regiment of five hundred irregulars, mainly Uitlander refugees, in Natal, where they had been employed as scouts, paid for out of Thorneycroft's own pocket. At Spion Kop two hundred of Thorneycroft's men headed the column in a night attack. The column the 2nd Lancaster's and the old 'King's Own' were weary and tired from seven days fighting previously. The hill was taken with the cost of ten men wounded to one Boer killed. Under cover of the early morning mist preparations were made to secure and hold the hill. General Warren was supposed to supply the manpower, supplies and resources to install the naval guns allotted to the hill and to dig the necessary trenches. This he failed to do in time and for 12 hours the hill was pounded by Boer guns killing 243 men until eventually Thorneycroft and his men had to abandon it. Thorneycroft was a broken man.

Hobart was a Lieutenant in South Africa and resigned his commission on the 20th November 1901. His brother resigned on the same day.

They left South Africa on the 'Dilwara', Ship Number 102645, for England November 28th, and were due in the UK at Southampton on December 23rd. Amongst the passengers listed were Late Thorneycroft’s M I – Captain M F Farquhar, Lieutenant H B Farquhar.

In 1904, Hobart married on Thursday 14th January 1904, at St Margaret's the Speakers Church, Westminster, Ida Violet Wolfe-Barry, second daughter of Sir John Wolfe-Barry, a Civil Engineer. The church lies just across the street from the House of Commons, and his father Admiral Sir Arthur Farquhar was unable to attend due to a previous speaking engagement. They left straight after the wedding to their honeymoon, somewhere in the South of England.

They had 4 children. Phoebe Philippa born 1907, Nesta Rosalind born 1905, Felicity born 1915 and Anthony born 1912.

Hobart started his post of District Auditor 1904, under the auspices of the Local Government Board, firstly in Lancashire then from May 15th 1906, to Staffordshire.

In 1908, Hobart was one of the pall bearers, all six sons at his father's funeral, at Christ Church, Kincardine, on Tuesday February 4th. A telegram was received from the Prince of Wales offering his most sincere sympathy for their loss.

In 1911, he was residing at 'The Hollies' Newport Road, Stafford, Staffordshire, with his wife and two daughters, his profession was stated as District Auditor Local Government Board.

H. B. Farquhar name is mentioned many times in his role as an Audit inspector, with advance notices being printed in the local Newspapers, Tamworth, Lichfield, Walsall are just a few of the places he visited.

Hobart was called to the Bar on January 26th 1909 and joined the Inner Templers, he is remembered on their Roll of Honour, page 33, and page 62.

The Mercury Friday 19/07/1912 reports-

He was asked to be a witness at a Coroner's inquest concerning a suicide of a Mr John Derry, who for 29 years had been Clerk to the Lichfield Board of Guardians and Rural District Council. Mr Derry had been found drowned in Stowe Pool on the 15th July 1912. At this time Mr H. B. Farquhar was auditing the books for the Lichfield Union and Rural District Council for March half year. The Coroner asked Have you found them? Witness, So far as I have seen they are perfectly correct, as they always have been. The Witness continued, a report had appeared in the press about a certain book that was missing from the Audit, but Hobart gathered the fact that they simply forgot the book and when he asked for it at 2.30pm, it promptly arrived. He had seen Mr Derry at 10.30am the previous morning and was confident about the accounts.

The verdict of the Coroner was committed suicide whilst temporary insane.

Hobart became Chief Inspector of Audits, National Health Insurance Dept, Inspector of Audit, Civil Service London, on the 9th December 1912, under the National Health Insurance Scheme, working for the Treasury.

Tamworth Herald Saturday 21/12/1912 reports-

Hobart sent a letter to the Mayor of Stafford, expressing to the Council and its officials his appreciation of the invariable courtesy and consideration which they had shewn him during the six-and-half years he had been in the district. He was sure no district could show a more consistently conscientious lot of officials that it had been his honour to work with. He trusted the relations might be as smooth in the future as they had been in the past.

By 1914 the family were residing at Barry Lodge, Hook Heath, Woking, Berkshire.

On the outbreak of War he volunteered in September 1914, and was given a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, then temporary Captain on the 28th October 1914, in the 1/15th Battalion (Civil Service Rifles) London Regiment.

He went to France before the 17th March 1915, as he was in charge of the advance party for his Battalion. Hobart Brooks Farquhar was originally in 'C' Company, before being transferred to 'B' Company. He was at the battle of Loos, fighting at the Double Crassier. A lot of casualties were suffered here, with practically two platoons wiped out.

On the 14th October, at Hulluch, a private Hurst of 'B' Company [Service number 2462, Private, Reginald Herbert Constant Hurst, age 22 from Balham, London], was shot by a sniper, His case was so desperate that three stretcher bearers tried to take him to the rear over the open at the back of the trench - the mist having closed down a little. Unhappily, as soon as they started the mist lifted and the Germans shot two of the bearers before anybody realised what had happened. story by Llewelyn Edwards.

Captain Farquhar and Private Probyn crawled out with morphine and water for the desperately wounded man. He was rescued after dark but died at the dressing station.

Source:- The Civil Service Rifles Jill Knight, page 59.

On the 21st May, the Germans had decided to attack the British at this sector of Vimy Ridge, to capture the Tunnels that the British Tunnelling Companies had tunnelled under the German lines, the Germans were starting to lose the Tunnelling War and the uncertainty of when the next tunnel would be blown up causing heavy casualties to the Germans. So a plan was developed to attack on a small sector of the British lines.

On May 21st, the Germans started shelling very intensely on a very small area using then a Box Barrage, the first time it was used. At about tea time, the 1/15th Civil Service Rifles were ordered up to the Maistre Line, a group of trenches that were to be use as a third line support trenches.

Whilst passing through the village of Villers au Bois, they headed east, and the site of the top of Vimy Ridge was covered by bursting and exploding German shells, the most intense and heaviest they had seen so far. 'B' Company, the leading company, headed by Captain H.B. Faquhar arrived at about 10.30 pm [10.15pm in the War Diary] at Cabaret Rouge, Brigade Headquarters. They loaded up with 100 extra rounds of ammunition and extra bombs. After advancing through a very shallow and narrow communication trench, and through clouds of Tear Gas they staggered through the barrage at Zouave Valley. Captain Farquhar's orders were to make contact with the Commanding Officer holding the left sub-section. Three hours later, Captain Farquhar and his men struggled to their positions.

They then arrived at Battalion Headquarters at about 1am [other accounts say 1.30am]. At about 1.30am they were ordered to attack at 2am. He was given scant information and no time for a reconnaissance. One of his flanks was to rest on 'Ersatz' trench. He did not know where this was, and no-body knew where it was located. His objective was 600 yards up the side of the ridge. Captain Farquhar was told that the line of resistance and support line had been lost.

The War Diary reads We had no or little information as to what was happening, as darkness had now gathered and we were in entirely strange trenches, there did not seem much chance in finding out.

Captain Farquhar called his Platoon Sergeants and Lieutenant B. Scott together and acquainted them with the plan, he decided to attack in two waves, 1st Wave, 6th and 8th platoons under the command of Lieutenant B. Scott and the 2nd Wave, 5th and 7th platoons.

He was killed along with Lieutenant B. Scott. There is no definite account to what happened to him, however 'B' Company attacked in two waves, without Artillery or Lewis machine-gun fire, and they were hit with Artillery, heavy machine gun fire and intense rifle fire. His body was never found.

A number of men were interviewed, but the War Office file discloses that the precise circumstances and even the fact of his death proved hard to establish. There was at first some evidence from a stretcher bearer that he had been wounded and brought in by the Field Ambulance, but this rumour which Mrs Farquhar checked out in person at the Fulham Military Hospital on the morning of the 7th June, appears to have been incorrect. L/Cpl Watson who was also wounded in an attack on German trenches on the night of Sunday 21st May reported being told "that Capt. Farquhar had been hit. Shortly after he saw a figure in a hollow in the open which he is sure was an officer and feels certain was Capt. Farquhar. The night was dark – he did not go close enough to clearly identify the Officer – he spoke to him but got no reply though he saw the Officer wave his cane".

There was also a daring attempt to recover his body, which the file suggests earned the author of the following piece the Military Cross:On the morning of the 22nd May 1916 at about 1 A.M. 'B' Company with Captain F. i/c was sent up to counter-attack. At 1.45 a.m. (about) Colonel W. sent me up with two platoons to re-inforce 'B' Company. On reaching the "front line" (a series of little pieces of blown in trench) I found the remnants of 'B' Company mostly wounded crawling in from No Man's land. I asked one or two of these men where Captain F. was and they told me they had seen him fall wounded near the German wire. I got up on top and crawled out to find him. Some more wounded men lying in shell holes showed me the direction he was supposed to be but though I hunted about a good while (it was then beginning to get a bit light) I could find no trace of him… As you very well know it is a most difficult thing to find anyone during an engagement of that kind, particularly as the men of F’s Company did not seem absolutely sure where he had gone.

Another member of the Captain’s Battalion claimed to have information that his body was found on the German wire in front of Vimy in about July of 1916, and he believed that the body had been brought in and buried.

Source:- Christ Church, Kincardine O'Neil

Regimental War Diary entry:- Captain H. B. Farquhar had long been the idol of 'B' Company, and a great favourite in other companies in the Battalion He had done what he could do to save his men from the awful disaster, but as a soldier he had to obey orders, and, having called his platoon sergeants together and told them all he knew he bravely bade them good-bye, and, like the rest of his Company went to his doom without flinching.

Captain Farquhar has often been described as the finest Company Commander the Battalion ever possessed. He was keen, energetic and unselfish, a real pattern to his officers, N.C.O.'s and men. A survivor of the 'B' Company of Captain Farquhar's day has written an admirable character of "the skipper" and his henchman, Lieutenant B. Scott, who perished with the first wave at Vimy.

Captain Farquhar The skipper was a strong man. For all his wit, sometimes sardonic, but always merry, he could be a man of beaten steel on occasion.

Old 'B' Company knew him well at Watford, but 'old 'C' Company really made his acquaintance in France. In the line he ignored danger in a matter-of-fact way that inspired us as much as the theatrical bravado of a shallower man would have unsettled us. In those never ending front line spells just before the "first Lillers" he heartened us through many a weary night as no other man I know could have done. To me, as a hardened and persistent night sentry, he seemed to be an almost permanent feature of the landscape of "No man's land," strolling serenely up and down as if taking a leisurely constitutional. He was always on the spot when anything happened, and I think we got his habit of never shirking any objectionable job which could possibly be considered 'up to us' to do.

Lieutenant Scott-'An officer and a gentleman' is probably the most overworked if not the most misapplied phrase in the military dictionary. It is too often thoughtlessly bestowed on any nice-mannered, band box officer. But it fitted Mr Scott. He was a real soldier and he was an instinctive gentleman.

Mrs Farquhar strongly petitioned the War Office to make no official declaration of his death until the war was over, but in April 1919 she officially accepted the inevitable conclusion that he had died at some time on 21-23 May 1916. Mrs Farquhar lived until 1959 when she died in Surrey. It seems she did not remarry. It was finally acknowledged in December 1918, that he died on the 21st/23rd May, though noted as missing and wounded.

His widow received his medals in May 1921. Still residing at Woking. The War office confirmed his death as late as 22nd June 1921.

The will of Hobart Brooks Farquhar left effects of £2618 8s 3d to Ida Violet Farquhar his widow.

"The caption on the back of the photograph [4th photograph down] reads: Captain Farquhar, wearing a Shrapnel helmet and holding a rocket signal and 2nd Lieutenant Cheesman, in captured German trench near the Double Crassier, Loos. February 1916.

With Thanks to Great War Forum for a marvellous photo.

Footnote: "Mahatma Gandhi was present at Spion Kop with his team of Indian stretcher bearers."

Source : from History of the Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles

Hobart Brooks Farquhar is remembered at Longbenton on L25.13

Longbenton Metal plaque War Memorial erected by their colleagues in the National Insurance Audit Department, [The Ministry], probably relocated to the present location Benton Park View, Main Site, Newcastle. Enquiries are being made to locate the whereabouts of this Memorial.

Also he is remembered in Cambridge in the Trinity College Roll of Honour, page 393, in the Inner Templers Roll of Honour book, also on the Torphins War Memorial, and Aberdeenshire and at Christ Church, Kincardine O'Neil.

The Farquhar family members are remembered at Christ Church, Kincardine O'Neil, with Memorial Plaques

Photos of the Civil Service Rifles
Christ Church, Kincardine O'Neil
The CWGC entry for Captain Farquhar