The Coltson Family
Charles Cecil Davies Coltson
8 March 1868, at Wellington Street,
Strand, Middlesex, England
London Morning Post 14 March 1868:
COLTSON.—On the 8th inst, at Wellington-street
Strand, the wife of Mr. Charles Ismay Coltson. of a son.
Charles Ismay Coltson
Emma (Goold) Coltson
Helena
Kate Risley on 27 April 1893 in St Peters Cathedral, Pietermaritzburg,
Natal
Charles Cecil Davies Coltson is recorded as a bachelor, of full age. He is
an accountant, Bank of Africa, resident in Pietermaritzburg. Helena Kate
Risley is recorded as a spinster, of full age, resident in Pietermaritzburg.
The marriage was witnessed by C. H. Dwyer and Lillie M. Mullay.
Accountant for the Bank of
Africa, and bank manager
Charles played for the Zingari
Cricket Club, an amateur cricket club in Pietermaritzburg, and was selected
to the Maritzburg and Upper Districts team to play Mr. W. W. Read's English
XI at the City Oval in Pietermaritzburg in 1892. The English XI was
retroactively granted status as an England team and their match
against South Africa counted as a Test.
Natal Witness 5 February 1892, page 2, col.
7. reprinted in Hilton College 1872-1901 p157-8
The English Cricketers.
THE MARITZBURG XVIII.
The Selection Committee entrusted with the difficult task of picking the
XVIII., to represent Maritzburg and the Upper Districts against the
English XI., has completed its labours, with the result that the
following have definitely accepted, and will play for the Maritzburg
XVIII.:-Captain Maul, C. Hime, G.W. Sweeney, C. Sewell, W.M. Henderson,
D. Pullin, A. Bosomworth, C.C. Coltson, A. Hime, B.F.N. Macrorie, J.C.
Burton (all of Maritzburg), P. Thompson (Charlestown), Cheetham, and W.
Macpherson (Ladysmith), E.N. Brooke (Estcourt), C. Robinson (Hilton),
C.T. Stuart and J. Windham (Eshowe). H. Long (of the Zingari) was asked
to play, but was unable to accept, whereupon the Committee’s choice fell
upon W. Macpherson, of Ladysmith. Messrs. E. McMaster and T.K. Murray
will umpire
alternately, and Mr W Cheney will score for Maritzburg.
Unfortunately, Charles only managed to score 4 and 2 in his respective
innings.
We find records of a couple of matches Zingari played against Hilton College
in Hilton College 1872-1901, this example
including a description of Charles's play:
Natal Witness 24 October 1892, page 3, col.
4. reprinted in Hilton College 1872-1901 p167
ZINGARI v. HILTON COLLEGE
This match was played on Saturday afternoon, and most evenly contested.
The Hilton boys went in first, and knocked up 136 runs, of which number
L.H. Gray, who was in magnificent form, contributed 55. Button’s 27, not
out, was a meritorious performance, and other principal scorers being
Essery 21 and Robinson 18. The Zingari went to the wickets in very bad
light, and with only an hour-and-a-half to the good, it seemed most
improbable that they would be able to secure a victory, and it was
generally anticipated that the match would end in a draw. Runs, however,
came quick, and within five minutes of time Coltson knocked the winning
hit. As at call of time only one wicket remained to fall, it was decided
to play the match through, the Zingari in the end being victorious by 13
runs. Sweeney was the principal scorer for his side, his contribution of
44 including a six, a five, and three 4’s. Coltson played a rattling
good game, and his 25 was the result of judicious play.
28 November 1899, at Ridge Road,
Berea, Durban, Natal, aged 31
The cause of death is listed as acute rheumatism complicated with hepatitis
and pneumonia
1871: England
1893: Pietermaritzburg, Natal (Natal
Civil Records Marriages Pietermaritzburg 1893 #466)
1894: Pietermaritzburg, Natal (Parish
records of Pietermaritzburg St Peter Baptisms 1894 p47 #412)
1897: 383 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg, Natal (Parish
records of Pietermaritzburg St Peter Baptisms 1897 p55 #492)
Charles Sydney Coltson
21 October 1896, in Pietermaritzburg,
Natal
31 January 1897, in St Peter,
Pietermaritzburg, Natal
Charles Sidney was born on Nov. 23 1893 and baptised on Dec 23 1894 the son
of Charles Cecil Davies Colston, bank manager of 383 Church St , and Helena
Kate Colston. The sponsors were father, David Hunter and Lily Royston.
Charles Cecil
Davies Coltson
Helena
Kate (Risley) Coltson
Abbey School, Beckenham. In
September, 1909, at the age of 12¾, he entered the Royal
Naval College, Osborne on the Isle of Wight and in September, 1911, he
went onto Britannia
Royal Naval College Dartmouth, where he became chief cadet captain,
and received the King's Gold Medal. The Gold Medal is awarded by the
Sovereign to the cadet who, during his period of training, exhibited the
most gentlemanlike bearing and good influence among the cadets.
London Standard 15 August 1913 p9:
NAVAL CADETS.
RESULTS OF PASSING OUT EXAMINATION.
The Admiralty sends us the following results of the passing-out
examination of naval cadets, the names being given in the order of merit:—
J. P. M. Blissett, M. M. Denny, D. Theodore-Smith, D. H. Griffiths, F. J.
Wylie, C. S. Coltson, J. S. Black ... and the King’s medal was
awarded to Cadet C. S. Coltson.
Naval and Air Force Officer,
reaching the rank of lieutenant on the navy and captain in the air force.
Charles was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for for a well-executed
attack on a U-Boat on 12 February 1917, while in command of H.M. Airship
C-22.
After graduating from the Royal Naval College, Charles joined H.M.S. Cumberland for a six months' cruise,
and was chosen to receive the presentation dirk given to the cadet
considered to have the best all-round influence and abilities. On 15 May
1914, he was appointed midshipman on the flagship H.M.S. Hibernia
(Navy List August 1914 p323). On 13 May
1915, he was lent to the Royal Naval Air Service for special services, being
stationed at Roehampton and Marquise, France as a trainee airship
pilot in October 1915, gaining flying time in the SS-15 at Marquise.
Returning to the Home Establishment, he was stationed at Pembroke Airship
Station in March 1916. Charles was promoted from acting sub-lieutenant to
sub-lieutenant on 15 September 1916 (London Gazette 22 September 1916 p9211),
and transferred to Kingsnorth Airship Station on 18 September. He promoted
to flight lieutenant in the R.N.A.S on 31 December 1916 (London Gazette 6 February 1917 p1268),
having been twice thanked by the Admiralty for valuable services rendered.
Charles was transferred to Mullion
Airship Station, Cornwall, on 1 January 1917 and on 12 February 1917,
Charles was in command of Airship C-22 when it sank a German U-boat in the
English Channel.
British
Airships 1905-30 p66 (Ian Castle, 2009):
Another
Coastal Class airship from Mullion, C.22, had an encounter with a
submarine on 12 February 1917. Alerted by a steamer that another ship
had been torpedoed earlier, C.22, commanded by FltSubLt C. S. Coltson,
began to sweep the area. After almost two hours scanning the surface,
Coltson spotted a submarine surfacing about one mile off his port side.
He reported that:
"When her conning tower was above the surface, and the wash of the
hull just becoming visible, she must have sighted the airship, and made
all haste to submerge again. I had meanwhile altered course towards her
and opened out to full speed. She had just succeeded in submerging when
I got over the spot and the first bomb I dropped fell some way ahead of
her and failed to explode. By putting the helm hard over I was able to
release my second bomb almost immediately after; this was as near a
direct hit as possible, the explosion with delay action fuse, directly
over the swirl left by the conning tower of the submarine. A large
quantity of oil came to the surface as well as numerous small bubbles.
Nothing further was seen of the submarine. The bombs were dropped from a
height of 1,000 feet... I remained in the immediate vicinity for close
on two hours, and later for another two hours swept an area with a
radius of about 15 miles from the spot. There were, however, no signs of
the submarine, which I believe to have been sunk by the second bomb.
Just over a month later, airship C-22, still under Charles's command was
lost in the Channel although captain and crew were rescued. This incident is
further detailed in Coastal Patrol: Royal Navy Airship Operations During
the Great War 1914-1918 p167 (Brian J. Turpin, 2017):
The
available number of airships was reduced to one on 21 March, when C.22
was lost in the Channel, midway between Land's End and Ushant. The
forward engine stopped due to trouble with the magnetos, and shortly
afterwards the after engine started misfiring, became very hot, and
finally stopped as well. Signals that assistance was required were sent
out by W/T to Mullion and any ships in the area. The auxiliary blower
was started, but it failed to keep up the envelope pressure. The pilot,
Flt Lt C. S. Coltson, decided to come down on the surface of the sea and
await rescue, but the first attempt failed due to the gas valves not
working correctly; the airship climbed to 3,000 feet before the envelope
regained its shape and allowed the gas valves to work properly. A
destroyer appeared on the horizon, and the pilot was now able to release
gas and bring the ship down on the water. An attempt was made to make a
drogue out of flying coats attached to the grapnel rope, but when
deployed this failed to keep the ship head to wind owing to the after
undercarriage skid breaking. The airship was now drifting broadside to
the wind, making o very difficult for the destroyer to get a line
attached. All efforts to take the ship in tow failed, and, as the wind
was now increasing to 35mph, it was decided to take the crew off. The
destroyer then stood off and fired shots into C.22, which gradually
sank.
Charles Sydney Coltson received the Distinguished Service Cross on 1 October
1917 "for services on patrol duties and submarine searching in Home Waters"
(London Gazette 28 September 1917 p10155,
with name correction in London Gazette 30 October 1917 p11323). In
the Navy List January 1919 p387, Charles is
listed a lieutenant, with seniority from 15 March 1918, and a lieutenant
(hon. captain) in the Royal Air Force. On 1 April 1918 he was promoted to
honorary captain R.A.F., and sent to R.A.F. Headquarters, Plymouth, for
staff work, which appointment he still held at the time of his death.
More details from Charles' official report on the action in which the U-boat
was sunk is found at the DNW auction site, where it is recorded that a set
of 4 medals awarded to Charles (including the DSC as well as the 1914-15
Star and British War and Victory Medals) were sold
at auction in December 2014 for £2,700:
A rare Great War airship operations D.S.C. group
of four awarded to Captain C. S. Coltson, Royal Air Force, late Royal
Naval Air Service, who was decorated for a well-executed and convincing
attack on a U-Boat in February 1917, while in command of H.M. Airship C-22
Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarks for London 1917;
1914-15 Star (Mid. C. S. Coltson, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals
(Lieut. C. S. Coltson, R.A.F.), generally good very fine (4) £3000-3500
Footnote
D.S.C. London Gazette 1 October 1917:
‘For services on patrol duties and submarine searching in Home
Waters.’
The original recommendation states:
‘The Commanding Officer would like to submit his opinion that both
pilots and crews of airships have behaved exceedingly well, and that if it
can be proved that C-22 actually sunk the submarine, the conduct of Flight
Lieutenant C. S. Coltson, R.N., should be specially recognised, as it
would be a great encouragement to Airship Pilots.
It may be pointed out that this officer has shown exceptional
coolness and ability in flying since he has been at this station, and the
Commanding Officer would further mention that lately the weather has been
far from ideal for airships flying owing to strong N.E. winds and low
visibility, the position of the station taken into consideration.’
Charles Sydney Coltson, who was born in October 1896, entered the R.N.C.
Dartmouth as a Naval Cadet in 1911, and was awarded the King’s Gold Medal
on his graduation in the summer of 1913.
Having then gone to sea as a Midshipman in the battleship Hibernia
in May 1914, he transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service and went out to
France as a trainee airship pilot in October 1915, gaining flying time in
the SS-15 at Marquise.
Returning to the Home Establishment, he was appointed a Flight Sub.
Lieutenant at Pembroke Airship Station in March 1916, and a Flight
Lieutenant at Kingsnorth Airship Station in September 1916.
Transferred to Mullion Airship Station, Cornwall, in early 1917,
under Squadron Commander Hon. C. M. P. Brabazon, Coltson was awarded his
D.S.C for his command of the C-22 on a patrol in February 1917. His
official report takes up the story:
‘On Monday 12 February 1917, while on patrol in H.M. Airship C-22,
about 10 miles E.S.E. of Falmouth at 0845 I sighted a Norwegian steamer on
my port bow with boats lowered. Proceeding over the vessel I noticed a
pulling boat returning to the ship and, looking in the direction from
which she had come, noticed a large patch of oil on the surface of the
water. This I discovered to be the remains of a ship apparently torpedoed,
a large quantity of wreckage marking the spot. By this time two trawlers
had arrived and, descending to 200 feet, I was able to communicate with
them by Semaphore, thus learning that the wreckage was the remains of a
vessel torpedoed three quarters of an hour beforehand. I also learnt that
the submarine had been sighted for a few minutes, but no information could
be given concerning her course.
I reported my information by wireless to the station, and then
started to sweep to the West and South.
At 1030, while on a course E.S.E. from the Manacles, and position
59 L.F.R., both by D.R. and from the Lizard Wireless, I spotted a
submarine coming to the surface one mile on my port bow. She was
apparently proceeding West. When her conning tower was above the surface,
and the wash of the hull just becoming visible, she must have sighted the
airship, and made all haste to submerge again. She had just succeeded in
submerging when I got over the spot and the first bomb I dropped fell some
way ahead of her and failed to explode. By putting the helm hard over I
was able to release my second bomb almost immediately after; this was as
near a direct hit as possible, the bomb exploding with delay action fuse
directly over the swirl left by the conning tower of the submarine. A
large quantity of oil came to the surface as well as numerous small
bubbles. Nothing further was seen of the submarine. The bombs were dropped
from a height of 1,000 feet.
A large steamer of 7-8000 tons was approaching, proceeding up
channel, and I signalled “Submarine” to her by flash lamp; whether she
took in the message or not I cannot say. It is possible the submarine
spotted this vessel and was lying in wait for her. After this I reported
by wireless and suggested trawlers should be sent; I then remained in the
immediate vicinity for close on two hours, and later for another two hours
swept an area with a radius of about 15 miles from the spot. There were,
however, no signs of the submarine, which I believe to have been sunk by
the second bomb.
Eventually I was obliged to return to base owing to trouble with
both engines, and the wind increasing, landing at 1505. During the patrol
the weather was thick, visibility being between two and three miles, and
occasional drizzling rain.’
C-22 was lost in the Channel midway between Land’s End and Ushant
on 21 March 1917 - but pilot and crew were rescued.
Appointed C.O. of the C-2 in August 1917, Coltson remained
similarly employed until May 1918, accompanying research revealing
numerous patrols out of Mullion. He was recommended for advancement to the
rank of Captain in the Royal Air Force, his Commanding Officer reporting:
‘This officer has flown over 1300 hours on patrol. He has shown
considerable initiative and sound judgement in all his work. He has flown
in very rough weather, fog and mist, navigating his ship with great skill.
He has carried out successfully a large amount of convoy work, and has
engaged the enemy on several occasions. In view of this officer’s services
and conduct, I strongly recommend him for promotion to Captain, R.A.F.’
Of those engagements, relevant Observer’s Reports reveal Coltson
and the C-2 carrying out an attack on an enemy submarine on 9 August 1917
- ‘Dropped two 100lb. bombs about 300 yards and 200 yards ahead of swirl
left by submarine ... Landed at 1400. Very gusty wind 25-30 m.p.h. Rough
landing, broke forward propeller, two feet tear in envelope forward. Time
in Air: 5 hours and 55 minutes. Distance Flown: 200 miles.’
Sadly, however, Coltson’s gallant and promising career was
curtailed in November 1918, when he fell victim to the influenza pandemic.
He is buried in Berechurch (St. Michael’s) Churchyard, Essex.
25 November 1918, at the Military
Hospital, Devonport, Devon, England, aged 22
Charles was admitted to the Military Hospital on 20 November 1918. The cause
of death is recorded as influenza followed by pneumonia.
Flight Global 5 December 1918:
Casualties
Capt. CHARLES S. COLTSON, D.S.C., R.A.F.,
who died on November 25th of pneumonia at the Military Hospital,
Devonport, was the son of Mrs. Reid, of Blenheim, Colchester. He was
educated first at the Abbey School, Beckenham. In September, 1909, at
the age of 12¾, he entered the Royal Naval College, Osborne, and in
September, 1911, he went onto Dartmouth, where he became chief cadet
captain, and received the King's Gold Medal. He passed out fourth in
September, 1913, and then joined H.M.S. "Cumberland" for a six months'
cruise, and was chosen to receive the presentation dirk given to the
cadet considered to have the best all-round influence and abilities. In
March, 1913, he was appointed midshipman in H.M.S. "Hibernia"
(flagship), and served with the Grand Fleet for two years. In May, 1915,
he was lent to the R.N.A.S. for special services, being stationed at
Roehampton, Marquise, France, and Kingsnorth. In March, 1916, being
promoted flight sub-lieut. and sub-lieut. R.N., he was sent to Milton,
Pembroke. He was promoted flight lieut. in December, 1916, having been
twice thanked by the Admiralty for valuable services rendered, and in
October, 1917, he was awarded the D.S.C. In November, 1917, he was
appointed to the R.N. air station, Mullion. In March he was promoted
lieutenant R.M., and in April to captain R.A.F., and sent to R.A.F.
Headquarters, Plymouth, for staff work, which appointment he still held
at the time of his death. Although only just 22 years old at the time of
his death, he held the second highest "record" in the Airship Service,
having flown for 1,800 hours.
 |
|
Headstone of Charles Sydney Coltson in St
Michael's churchyard, Berechurch, Colchester, Essex
|
St Michael's churchyard, Berechurch,
Colchester, Essex, England
The headstone reads:
Lieutenant C. S. Coltson DSC., R.N.
Captain R. A. F.
25th November 1918 age 22
For the duty dared and done, for the crown of life well won, we thank
thee, God.
1911:
Osborne, Whippingham, Hampshire
Kathleen Florence Coltson
23 November 1894, in Natal
23 December 1894, in St Peter,
Pietermaritzburg, Natal
Kathleen Florence was born on Nov. 23 1893 and baptised on Dec 23 1894 the
daughter of Charles Cecil Davis Colston, bank accountant of
Pietermaritzburg, and Helena Kate Colston. The sponsors were Annie Risley,
Florence Isabel Colston and father.
Charles Cecil
Davies Coltson
Helena
Kate (Risley) Coltson
Kathleen was remembered in the will of her aunt, Mary Agnes (Risley)
Fenwick, dated 3 July 1941:
Pietermaritzburg
Estate Files 1942 #35082 film 007869094 images 2066-7
THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me MARY
AGNES FENWICK, of Pietermaritzburg, Widow.
...
I give and bequeath to my niece, FLORENCE KATHLEEN COLTSON,
the sum of ONE THOUSAND POUNDS (£1,000).
...
The residue of my estate, if any, I give and bequeath to be divided
equally between my nieces, FLORENCE KATHLEEN COLTSON and EILEEN MARY WELLS
and the child or children (if there be more than one in equal shares) of
the said Alfred Vivian Edmondson
1971, in Bromley
district, Greater London, England
1911: Bognor,
Sussex
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