Millennium Project
Rob Forsyth
Private Charles Frederick Satchell (1879-1901)
In the 1891 census Charles is living with his parents Eli and Mary Ann and 8 siblings on New Street aged 12.
He joined the South African Constabulary. On 22 August 1901 he died of pneumonia in Kimberley Hospital.
A Parish at War Unfortunately Charles' name was incorrectly transcribed as Thatchell from the Deddington Deanery Magasine and was so recorded in the book and engraved on the first Memorial Plaque erected in the church in 2013. A South African Boer war researcher, surfing the Imperial War Museum archives - which include copies of the book and Memorial Plaque - contacted me to query the spelling. From this we found out his correct name. As we had also found another WWI soldier who had died and whose name was not on the Memorial Plaque (Frank Jarrett) a replacement Plaque was commissioned and erected.
His mother is not recorded as living in the village in the 1901 census.
Private Daniel Satchell DCM (1870-1954)
Daniel was the son of Daniel and Martha. However, his father died aged 33 only months before Charles was born and baptised on 14 August 1870. He is likely to have been a cousin of Charles. Satchells are recorded as living in Deddington from 1841 onwards.
At the time of the 1891 census
Daniel himself is not living in Deddington but his mother Martha and sister Susanah
are, living on the Oxford Road out of the village.They have moved to
St Thomas Street by the 1901 census
Daniel joined the Oxfordshire Light Infantry with Service No 3003
10 January 1901 The Banbury Guardian printed a letter from him in which he recounts an incident for which he received the Distinguished Conduct Medal. This was sold, together with his other Service medals, in 2007.
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Letter from his Colonel recommending a reward for gallantry
This letter was quoted in the London Gazette:
"At Bothaville, Orange River Colony, on 6 November 1900, as orderly to Lieut.-Colonel Ross, entered the house where Colonel Ross was at once dangerously wounded, Captain Williams killed, and Colonel Le Gallais mortally wounded. Satchell helped Colonel Ross down the passage in which all the damage was done, and into a back room. He then returned to the passage “down which bullets were flying like wasps” to help Williams and Le Gallais.' Colonel Ross later recommended the conduct of Private Satchell in a letter to Lieutenant-Colonel Hickie: ‘I was not in a fit condition after Bothaville to look after anyone's rights: was too much taken up with trying to hang on to my life! But don't you think Satchell is justly entitled to have his name submitted for a reward for gallantry? He not only stuck to me in the room where I was hit, when the bullets were flying in at the windows like wasps, but carried or rather assisted me out of that room, down the passage where both Le Gallais and Williams were lying mortally wounded, and put me in a place of safety in the back room, where you eventually found me. Having placed me there he again returned at the risk of his life, with water for poor Williams, but found him dead, and then I believe he assisted to remove Le Gallais to a safe place. I don't think that there was another soul in the house for some time. As you know, though considerably stunned and dazed, I never lost consciousness, and I think this statement is correct."
A narrative of the action at Bothaville
This extract from Arthur Conan Doyle's The Great Boer War gives an account of the action at Bothaville on that day but does not mention Daniel's brave personal action.
1911 Census He is living in The Lodge to Englemere Estate, Sunninghill, Berkshire, with his wife, Sybil, and their son - yet another Daniel! He is 'an electrician on a private estate'. Interestingly, from 1903 it was the home of Lord Roberts of Boer War fame until the latter's death in 1914. No doubt Daniel's DCM obtained him the job.
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1939 Register We next find him living in Swanage as a 'retired chauffeur'.
In October 1954 the death of a Daniel Satchell aged 84 is recorded in the District of Poole. This is almost certainly Daniel.