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mike snook 2


Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 920
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Andy

During the Nile Campaign of 1884-85, J J Falvey was the RMO of the Heavy Camel Regiment under the command of Lt Col The Hon Reggie Talbot (1st Life Guards). I don't know how much that means to you, but just in case here's a bit of basic background - HCR was a part of the Desert Column which crossed the Bayuda Desert along the Korti-Metemmeh caravan route to short cut the big bend in the Nile en route to Khartoum. Column fought battles of Abu Klea and Abu Kru (or Gubat). At Abu Klea HCR let the Mahdists penetrate the square with some sloppy soldiering (cavalry pretending to be infantry - but quite untrianed for the role) and suffered heaviest casualties in the force as a result. Falvey would have had his work cut out that day. HCR was made up of detachments from 1st and 2nd Life Guards, the Blues, the Bays, 4th and 5th DG, Royals, Scots Greys, 5th and 16th Lancers.

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Mike
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mike snook 2


Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 920
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And at Lydenburg....in the Transvaal Rebellion. Falvey was left behind at Lydenburg with the 94th Regt's rear party when Colonel Anstruther set off with the bulk of the garrison for Pretoria (leading to the Bronkhorstspruit disaster). There were only about 60 men in all left in the town - in command during the siege was a Lt Long - an officer of exceptionally poor quality and by all accounts a coward. He tried to surrender to the Boers at one point - only for there to be a blazing row between Long and Falvey and a Conductor Parsons. Parsons and Dr Falvey were against surrender. Mr Long tried to arrest Dr Falvey, but Falvey was having none of it and retaliated by telling Long that he was arresting him for cowardice in the face of the enemy. Long took to his bed leaving Falvey in charge. Lydenburg held out until the post-Majuba armistice. What an interesting life Dr Falvey seems to have had.

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Mike
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andywebb


Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Posts: 15
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That's amazing info Thank's Mike!
All this info has made a complete story for me out of what was an old piece of paper!
Although I have collected for years, only now the album is full have I wanted to research what I have, and what a first class start!

Hi Ian, Thanks for the link! I typed surgeon Falvey in and a couple of other options, but found nothing, other than an Aussie family tree and a Falvey that died in the first World War
A BIG shame there is no headstone, a few others on the site without them as well. I wonder what the cost would be to rectify this on all of them?

Hi Mel Embarassed Malt will be available!!

Regards Andy

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Surgeon John Joseph Falvey
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