QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA
(Cape Colony, O.F.S. Trans, SA.1902. SA 1901.)
To:
QSA: 4025. CORPL. H. MUSSLEWHITE.
6th DRGN.GDS
1914 Star & Bar Trio
( 6th Dragoon Guards),
'Killed in Action Later with 3rd Dragoon Guards'
(KILLED IN ACTION)
IN THE FAMOUS CAVALRY CHARGE AT VILLESELVE
(at about 2:00pm). TUESDAY 24th MARCH 1918 
A totally superb and classic Boer War and "Old Contemptibles" World War1 casualty group to a crack Dragoon unit which was involved in one of the final traditional cavalry charges of modern warfare.
"THE CHARGE AT VILLESELVE"
The German 5th Guard Division and the 36th Infantry Division, commanded by Freiherr Von Wangenheim, were in place for an attack in the area of COLLEZY.
Under the command of Major Williams (10th Hussars) the remaining mounted men of the 6th Cavalry Brigade were formed into three 50 man troops and ordered forward North East through VILLESELVE to make contact with and throw back the advancing Germans, "USING THE SWORD ONLY". This small 150 man force under Williams was drawn from the three regiments of the Brigade: 10th Hussars, (Lt EDNAM) 1st Royal Dragoons (Lt WILLIAM HUGH CUBITT, Who was killed in this charge and is the great uncle of the Duchess of Cornwall) and 3rd DRAGOON GUARDS (Lt VINCENT...M.C & Bar).
The force of 150 then advanced North Eastwards along the road to VILLESELVE, turning Northwards into a sunken lane leading to the hamlet of COLLEZY. At this point they came under machine gun fire from the North and North East in the direction of GOLNCOURT and took temporary shelter behind the buildings of a large farm to the South of COLLEZY. The Germans were found to be concentrated around two copses about 1000 yards to the North East firing at least four machine guns. The time was about 2:00pm and Williams immediately ordered a charge in "Infantry Attack Formation". The 3rd Dragoon Guards formed the first wave, in lose line, follwed by 10th Hussars in similar formation , the Royals formed the third line, in section columns as flank guards. THE FORCE CROSSED THE INTERVENING 1000 Yards AT FULL GALLOP WITH SWORDS DRAWN over plough for the last 200 yards, cheering loudly as they closed with the enemy.
As the 3rd Dragoon Guards line swung East to attack the easternmost copse, the Germans facing them broke and ran into the trees, but the dragoons dismounted and followed, shooting several as they fled. 12 prisoners were captured. Meanwhile the 10th Hussars and the Royals rode at the western copse where the greater part of the enemy lay. Between 70 and 100 Germans were killed, mostly with the sword, and a further 94 were made prisoner. Three machine guns were captured or destroyed.
Albert Turp, a Farrier Sergeant with the 1st Royal Dragoons was a participant in this charge, he later recalled. "We had of course been taught that a cavalry charge should be carried out in line six inches apart from knee to knee, but it didn't work out like that in practice and we were soon a pretty ragged line of horsemen at full gallop. We took the Germans quite by surprise and they faced us as best they could, for there can't be anything more frightening to an infantryman than the site of a line of cavalry charging at full gallop with swords drawn.......I remembered my old training and the old sword exercise.
As our line overrode the Germans I made a regulation point at a man on my off side and my sword went through his neck and out the other side. The pace of my horse carried my sword clear and then I took a German on my near side, and I remember the jar as my point took him in the collar bone and knocked him over.......as we galloped on the enemy broke and ran .
Of the 150 men in this three unit charge almost half (73) became casualties. Six being killed (one of which was Sergeant Harry Mussellwhite ) The wounded remainder were generally only slightly wounded and able to return to duty with small delay.
There is little doubt that Mussellwhite sadly took a German machine gun bullet at some point during this action. His body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the POZIERES MEMORIAL (Panel 1 & 2) .
HARRY MUSSELLWHITE ....was born at Homington, SALISBURY in 1878 and was a labourer. He joined the army (6th Dragoon Gurads) aged 21 on 30th January 1899 at Salisbury, Wiltshire. His name, being very unusual was clearly subject to many spelling varieties and mistakes during his service career and I should imagine that he became very used to seeing all sorts of attempts to get it rIght. He has three Medal Index Cards with three different spellings .....one of which is a 'new' attempt saying MUSSELWHITE !.......all the MIC's are referenced to each other !
The correct spelling (as shown by his signature on his attestation documents was MUSSELLWHITE (two S's and two L's) but on his QSA and 1914 Star he is shown as MUSSLEWHITE .........he is correctly shown as MUSSELLWHITE on his pair. He was medically examined at DEVISES. Promoted Lance Corporal 25.5.1901. Corporal 16.1.03. Sergeant 23.3.04. Transfered to Army Reserve 29th October 1906 . Re-engaged 29th August 1910. Mobilised on 5th August 1914 in 6th Dragoon Guards. FRANCE 16th August 1914. - 6th September 1914 (Hospitalised 7th September 1914 and returned to England 7th September 1914 with severe tonsilitis). He clearly returned to France at some point after this but was discharged "time expired" at the termintation of his service engagement on 21st September 1916. He is then seen being re-engaged (at a date currently unknown) into the 3rd Dragoon Guards (Corps of Dragoons) firstly as Sgt GS/25647 and finally as D/14262. This is his final service number against which his death is recorded on the CWG site .
Harry Mussellwhite is also commemorated on Salisbury War Memorial in the main square right outside the Town Hall . He was 40 at the time of his death.
A SUPERBLY COURT MOUNTED CLASSIC BOUND FOR THE FINEST COLLECTION.
Includes lots of copy papers and service records including the three MIC's etc
SOLD