25th (Frontiersmen) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers facts for kids
The 25th (Frontiersmen) Service Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a special British Army unit. This group fought during World War I. It was put together by an organization called the Legion of Frontiersmen.
This battalion served in Africa from 1915 to 1918. They mostly worked around Lake Tanganyika. This area was part of what was then British East Africa and German East Africa.
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The "Old and the Bold" Battalion
This special army unit was made up of many interesting people. Most of them were older men. They came from all sorts of backgrounds and had many different jobs. Some had even fought in the Second Boer War before.
Who Were These Unique Soldiers?
The soldiers had very unusual past jobs. Imagine a group that included:
- English big-game hunters
- A British millionaire
- Several American cowboys
- A Scottish lighthouse keeper
- A naturalist (someone who studies nature)
- A circus clown
- An Arctic explorer
- An opera singer
- A photographer
- And even a lion tamer!
There were also soldiers who had been in the French Foreign Legion. Some Russians were also part of the group. It was said they might have escaped from prisons in Siberia.
How the Battalion Started
The unit was officially formed on 12 February 1915. Its leader was Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Patrick Driscoll. He was 55 years old at the time. This was much older than most soldiers.
Another important officer was Frederick Courteney Selous. He was the second-in-command. Selous was a famous big-game hunter. He had fought in many small wars in Africa. He was also a friend of Theodore Roosevelt, a former US President. Selous had even hunted with Roosevelt in Africa in 1909.
Frederick Selous was so well-known that he inspired a famous book character. Sir H. Rider Haggard created his fictional character, Allan Quatermain, based on Selous. Quatermain was an explorer and hunter in Africa during the 1800s.
Sadly, Captain Selous was killed in action in January 1917. A German sniper shot him.
Why They Were Called "The Old and the Bold"
This unit earned the nickname "The Old and the Bold." This was because many of its members were older. They were also very experienced soldiers. They had a reputation for being tough and brave against the enemy. Even though many volunteers were young, the nickname stuck because of the older, veteran members.
The 25th (Frontiersmen) Service Battalion was officially closed down on 19 June 1918.
Their Story in Pop Culture
The exciting adventures of "The Old and the Bold" later inspired a TV show. They were loosely featured in an episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. The episode was called "The Phantom Train of Doom." It was set in German East Africa in November 1916.
In this episode, the actor Paul Freeman played Frederick Selous. Freeman was also in the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. He showed Selous as an adventurous, smart, and strong leader.
