“An admirable spirit”: Private Harold Jacotine of the Coldstream Guards

By John D Ellis

When Lieutenant Colonel Sir John Ross-of-Bladensburg wrote the two-volume history detailing the exploits of ‘The Coldstream Guards’ during the First World War (1914-1918) he had plenty of subject matter.^[1]Ross-of-Bladensburg, Lt-Col. Sir J. “The Coldstream Guards, 1914-1918”. Two volumes. (London, Oxford University Press. 1928).Published ten years after the cessation of hostilities, events were fresh in the minds of the public and the veterans of the regiment. The Coldstream Guards have a history of military service ‘second to none’ (their regimental motto), and between 1914 and 1918 over 30,000 officers and enlisted men served in their ranks, being awarded 36 Battle Honours and 7 Victoria Crosses. However, the cost for the regiment was high, with over 3,800 all ranks dying.

During the German Spring Offensive of 1918, the three battalions of Coldstream Guards stood firm, and Lieutenant Colonel Sir John Ross-of-Bladensburg recounted how one soldier in the 3^rd Battalion “…gave a fine illustration of the admirable spirit that inspired the ranks of the Brigade. No.17800 Private (the rank of ‘Guardsman’ was adopted in 1920) HR Jacotine, who was in the left post of No.3 Company when all in it had become casualties, continued single-handed to defend the position, and alone he held the enemy back for twenty minutes until he was killed by a bomb”.^[2]Ibid.

The Coldstream Guards (formed in 1650 as ‘Monck’s Regiment of Foot’) traditionally recruited from the counties passed through by General James Monck as he marched from the town of Coldstream in Scotland to London to restore the monarchy in 1660 (today it recruits from northeast and southwest England). As such, one might expect that Private Jacotine, the “… fine illustration of the admirable spirit that inspired the ranks of the Brigade…”, to have been born somewhere between the town of Coldstream and the city of London. In fact, Harold Jacotine was born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1896; one of nine children to James Francis Reginald Jacotine (1874-1957) and Edith Matilda Van Cuylenburg (1868-?).^[3]Daren Maloney Family Tree (braemal) @ ancestry.co.uk

When the First World War started in July 1914 many Ceylonese made their way to Britain, either individually or in groups, to volunteer their service. Some were of White British/European origin, others of ‘mixed heritage’ and a number being of south-west Asian origin. Both Harold Jacotine and his brother, Eric Clive Jacotine (1894-1957) were of either ‘mixed-heritage’ or south-west Asian origin and enlisted in the Coldstream Guards in 1915. The former was given the regimental number 17800, and the latter the number 16910.^[4]Eric enlisted in the regiment in September 1915 and had a lower number than Harold which might indicate that the latter joined after him. However, records reveal that both brothers enlisted in 1915. … Continue readingIn March 1917 Private Harold Jacotine of the 3^rd Battalion Coldstream Guards was admitted to the military hospital at Harfleur, (near Le Havre) although for what reason remains unclear. Surviving from that stay is a single card-mounted photo, dated “9.3.17” and annotated “Pte HR Jacotine, 3^rd Coldstream Gds, BEF”.^[5]www.flickr.com/photos/bigadore/4046825802 In addition to the name of the hospital at Harfleur, an address for HR Jacotine is given: “Wellawatte, Columbo”.

Whilst Eric Jacotine was to serve in the Coldstream Guards until August 1917, Harold Jacotine continued to serve until he was killed in action on the 13^th of April 1918.^[7]For Eric Clive Jacotine see: TNA AIR 79/2680.He is commemorated on Panel 11 of the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium.^[8]www.cwgc.orgHe was posthumously awarded both the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.^[9]TNA WO 372/10.A gratuity was paid to his father James Francis Jacotine of 874 Peradeniya Road, Kandy, Ceylon.^[10]UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929. ancestry.co.uk WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 037/0220/JAC-JAM

Post Script

Eric Clive Jacotine was born in Columbo, Ceylon in June 1894. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force on the 22^nd of October 1918, with the service number 308756. On enlistment he was 5 feet 11” tall, with black hair, brown eyes and a swarthy complexion. Additionally, he had “tattoo (sic) all over body”. He identified his religion as being Church of England and was a General Fitter by occupation. He had originally arrived at Tilbury Docks on the SS Orentes, (out of Sydney, Australia), on the 16^th of September 1915. There were several other Ceylonese on the ship – but not his brother Harold Jacotine. He served in the Coldstream Guards between the 17^th of September 1915 and the 3^rd of August 1917, being discharged due to a gunshot wound to the left hand which resulted in the loss of the middle finger. Following his discharge, he returned to Ceylon, before returning to Britain on the SS Tamba Maru (out of Kobe, Japan) and landing at Liverpool on the 11^th of September 1918. Returning alongside him was Roy Van Twest, formerly a sergeant (“of Cinghalese parentage”) in the ‘Machine Gun Corps’, who had been discharged after being severely wounded at the Battle of the Somme. Both Eric Jacotine and Roy Van Twest had ‘unfinished business’ – the former had lost his brother in March, whilst the latter was in constant pain from a bullet lodged between his left lower jaw and carotid artery.^[11]For Roy Van Twest see: http://www.historycalroots.com/a-cingalese-machine-gunner-at-the-somme-sergeant-roy-van-twest/ The latter re-enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps and was once more promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Eric Jacotine’s civilian occupation led to him being employed as an Air Mechanic (Fitter) with a photo-reconnaissance unit. He was demobbed and transferred to the RAF Reserve in April 1919. Returning to Ceylon after the war, Eric Clive Jacotine later settled in London and worked as a taxicab driver. He was awarded the Silver Wound Badge, and the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service. His ‘reserve’ status resulted in his family circumstances being recorded: He had married Ellen Louisa Cann in Shropshire in December 1918. They had issue: Rosemary Noomay (1929), Neil Eldred Frederick (1931), Annisby Edward Debroy (1932), Althea Vynette (1935) and Annita Yvonne (1937).

He died in 1957 and was buried in West Ham Cemetery.^[12]For Eric Clive Jacotine see: TNA AIR 79/2680, WO 329 and WO 372/10. Daren Maloney Family Tree (braemal) @ ancestry.co.uk UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1875-1960. ancestry.co.uk

The Historical Presence of ‘Soldiers of Colour’ in the Coldstream Guards.

The historical presence of ‘men of colour’ as enlisted musicians (both drummers and bandsmen) from the 1790s to 1840s is explored by Gleeson in “Pomp and Circumstance: A History on the Band of H.M. Coldstream Guards, 1685-2015”.^[13]Gleeson, J. “Pomp and Circumstance: A History on the Band of H.M. Coldstream Guards, 1685-2015”. (Privately Published. RHQ, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London. 2015). That presence now appears to have been re-established during the First World War, albeit with ‘men of colour’ now serving as ‘ordinary’ soldiers. Interestingly, the identification of ‘race’ and/or ethnicity in the records of the ‘soldiers of colour’ who served in the Coldstream Guards during the First World War appears to have been vague. Whilst no physical description of Harold Jacotine has been identified, his photo clearly indicates that he was of southwest Asian or ‘mixed heritage’. His brother Eric was described as having a “swarthy” complexion by the Royal Air Force, which was also a description commonly given to servicemen of British or European origin. Yet clearly if Harold and Eric were brothers then neither could be considered to have been “swarthy”. Oliver de Livera was described as being “copper coloured”, perhaps indicating he was of ‘mixed heritage’. Charles Hans Kale was described as having a “dusky” complexion – again suggesting he was of ‘mixed heritage’. His photograph supports this. Photographs of James Slim reveal that he was of African origin, and the newspapers of the time referred to him as a “gentleman of colour”. His military records noted that he had a “Black” complexion. Perhaps the Coldstream Guards were being deliberately vague about the ethnicity of their Ceylonese ‘soldiers of colour’ in order to avoid scrutiny by a War Office intent on maintaining the ‘colour bar’. If so, then credit must be given to the anonymous ‘gatekeepers’ of the regiment who protected their ‘soldiers of colour’.

17799 Private Oliver de Livera was born in Ceylon c.1898. A surveyor by occupation he had been a volunteer with the Columbo Volunteers. He enlisted in the Coldstream Guards at Southwark Town Hall in January 1916. On enlistment he was 5 feet 10” tall, and the annotations “copper coloured, brown, black, Wesleyan” were recorded; suggesting that he had a copper-coloured complexion, brown eyes, black hair and identified as a Methodist. After October 1916 most of his service was spent in France until the end of the war. He was discharged in 1919, returning to Ceylon the same year. He was subsequently awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. His fate remains unknown.^[14]For Oliver de Livera (rendered as both Delivera and De Livera), see: www.historycalroots.com/a-sri-lankan-in-the-die-hards-private-cyril-lorenz-mellonius-a-somme-veteran-of-the-middlesex-regiment/ … Continue reading

22057 Private Charles Hans Kale was born in Ceylon in c.1879, the son of John Alexander and Maria Elizabeth Kale. A veterinary surgeon by occupation, he was also a volunteer with the Ceylon Light Infantry. He served with the Army Veterinary Corps in 1915 and 1916, (including in the Dardanelles Campaign). He then enlisted in the Coldstream Guards at Whitehall in March 1917 and was trained as a ‘Bomber 2nd Class’ and a ‘Lewis Gunner 1st Class’. Private Charles H Kale was discharged on a pension in March 1918, suffering from exposure and malaria, the former arising from service in France between October and December 1917. On discharge he was 5 feet 7 and ½” tall with a “dusky” complexion, dark brown eyes and black hair. His military character had been “good”, and the Coldstream Guards referred to him as “an intelligent – hardworking man”.^[15]www.historycalroots.com/a-sri-lankan-in-the-die-hards-private-cyril-lorenz-mellonius-a-somme-veteran-of-the-middlesex-regiment/#Kale

He died at All Saints Hospital, Westminster in August 1918, and because his death was directly attributable to his wartime service, he received a military funeral and burial in Brompton Cemetery.^[17]www.cwgc.org He was awarded the Silver War Badge, in addition to being posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.^[18]TNA WO 372/11.

The age on the gravestone is incorrect.^[20] www.findagrave.com

15370 Private James Slim was born in Jamaica c.1891. A former member of the French Foreign Legion, he served in the Coldstream Guards (4^th Battalion) for 48 days between February and April 1915.^[21]http://www.historycalroots.com/james-slim-a-jamaican-in-the-french-foreign-legion-and-the-coldstream-guards-1914-1915/ On enlistment he was 5 feet 9 and ½” tall with a black complexion, brown eyes and black hair. He was a fireman (working in the engine room of a ship) by occupation.

His enlistment was widely reported by the newspapers at the time, although his subsequent discharge was not, and his records do not provide a specific reason. His fate remains unknown.