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Jacson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Record of a Regiment of the Line + Being a Regimental History of the 1st Battalion Devonshire + Regiment during the Boer War 1899-1902 + +Author: M. Jacson + +Release Date: June 3, 2005 [EBook #15972] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RECORD OF A REGIMENT *** + + + + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, David King, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + +</pre> + +<h1>THE RECORD OF A REGIMENT OF THE LINE</h1> +<h3>BEING</h3> +<h2>A REGIMENTAL HISTORY OF THE 1ST BATTALION DEVONSHIRE REGIMENT +DURING THE BOER WAR 1899-1902</h2> +<h2>BY COLONEL M. JACSON</h2> +<h4>London: HUTCHINSON & CO.</h4> +<h4>Paternoster Row 1908</h4> +<a name="illus-monument" id="illus-monument"></a> +<center><img width="300" height="443" src="images/monument.png" +alt="Monument Erected to Officers and Men of the Devonshire Regiment who Fell on January 6th on Wagon Hill, Siege of Ladysmith" /> +</center> +<center>Monument Erected to Officers and Men of the Devonshire +Regiment who Fell on January 6th on Wagon Hill, Siege of +Ladysmith</center> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> +<p><a href="#chap1">I. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE SIEGE OF +LADYSMITH</a></p> +<p><a href="#chap2">II. SIEGE OF LADYSMITH</a></p> +<p><a href="#chap3">III. EVENTS FOLLOWING THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH, +AND THE ADVANCE NORTH UNDER. SIR REDVERS BULLER</a></p> +<p><a href="#chap4">IV. LYDENBURG</a></p> +<p><a href="#chap5">V. TREKKING IN THE NORTH-EAST TRANSVAAL</a></p> +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> +<p><a href="#illus-monument">MONUMENT ERECTED TO OFFICERS AND MEN +OF THE DEVONSHIRE REGIMENT WHO FELL ON JANUARY 6TH ON WAGON HILL, +SIEGE OF LADYSMITH.</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-en-route">EN ROUTE TO LADYSMITH</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-trenches">IN THE TRENCHES, LADYSMITH</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-tower">TOWN HALL, LADYSMITH, CLOCK-TOWER DAMAGED +BY SHELL FIRE</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-wet-night">AFTER A WET NIGHT IN THE TRAVERSES, +LADYSMITH</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-railway-bridge">THE RAILWAY BRIDGE, WITH +CÆSAR'S CAMP IN DISTANCE, LADYSMITH</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-colonel-park">LIEUT.-COLONEL C.W. PARK</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-battery-hill">NAVAL BATTERY HILL, +LADYSMITH</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-peaceful-sunday">A PEACEFUL SUNDAY</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-remaining-officers">DEVON OFFICERS REMAINING FIT +FOR DUTY AT THE END OF THE SIEGE</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-general-kitchener">BRIGADIER-GENERAL WALTER +KITCHENER</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-destroyed-bridge">RAILWAY BRIDGE DESTROYED BY +BOERS, INGAGANE</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-making-entanglement">MAKING BARBED-WIRE +ENTANGLEMENT, INGAGANE</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-beginderlyn-bridge">THE BAGGAGE OF GENERAL +BULLER'S ARMY CROSSING BEGINDERLYN BRIDGE</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-trekking-1">TREKKING WITH GENERAL BULLER</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-sabi-river">DEVONS CROSSING THE SABI +RIVER</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-mission-camp">COLONEL C.W. PARK, MISSION CAMP, +LYDENBURG</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-lydenburg-bridge">WIRE BRIDGE, LYDENBURG</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-lydenburg-camp">MISSION CAMP FORT, LYDENBURG +(INTERIOR)</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-waterval-gun">REMAINS OF BOER BIG GUN, +WATERVAL</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-steelport-river">CROSSING THE STEELPORT +RIVER</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-dawn">DAWN—AFTER A NIGHT MARCH, +TRICHARDTSFONTEIN</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-to-durban">DEVONS EN ROUTE TO DURBAN</a></p> +<p><a href="#illus-ladysmith-monument">MONUMENT ERECTED IN +LADYSMITH CEMETERY</a></p> +<h2>PREFACE</h2> +<h3>BY LIEUT.-GENERAL W. KITCHENER</h3> +<p>Experience we all know to be a valuable asset, and experience in +war is the most costly of its kind. To enable those coming after us +to reconstruct the picture of war, Regimental Histories have proved +of infinite value. That such a record fills a sentimental want +hardly requires assertion.</p> +<p>My first feelings on being honoured with a request from the +Devonshire Regiment to write a preface to the account of their +"Work in South Africa, 1899-1902," were, I confess, How could I +refuse so difficult a task gracefully? However, on further +consideration it seemed to me that undoubtedly such a preface +should be written by some one outside the corps itself. Onlookers, +as the saying goes, often see most of the game, and, being free +from personal bias, can often add something to what those engrossed +in the meshes of life's details can only appreciate from a narrower +point of view.</p> +<p>From this standpoint, and as I was the General under whom the +1st Devons served longest in South Africa, it seemed obviously my +duty to attempt the task.</p> +<p>The "Work of the 1st Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment" is +portrayed in these pages. It therefore only remains for me to add, +for the benefit of coming generations, what manner of men these +were, who by their dogged devotion to duty helped to overcome the +Boer. Associated as one was with many corps in the close intimacy +of veldt life, it was a study of the deepest interest to note the +individuality that characterized each, and which was often as +clearly and as well defined as that of the men with whom one daily +came in contact.</p> +<p>During the many months of our intimate association, and in the +varied situations that presented themselves, I cannot call to mind +any single occasion on which the Devons were ever flurried or even +hurried. Their imperturbability of temper, even under the most +trying conditions, could not be surpassed.</p> +<p>Another characteristic of the corps was its inherent thrift. +They were, in fact, essentially a "self-help" corps. When a flood +came and washed away the bridge leading to the picket line, no +sapper was required to show them how to throw a suspension bridge +above the flood from tree to cliff. It was characteristic of the +Regiment that they carried out in war their peace training, never +allowing the atmosphere of excitement to distort their actions.</p> +<p>If we take Elandslaagte, Wagon Hill, or any of the hundred and +one ticklish night operations in which they took part, this trait +will be ever noteworthy, that they acted as was to be expected of +them, and made no fuss of having done so.</p> +<p>We have all read realistic descriptions of troops on the march +in South Africa, the writer using all his cunning to depict the +war-worn dirty condition of his heroes, seeming to glean +satisfaction from their grease-stained khaki. It must be admitted +that the South African War is responsible for a somewhat changed +condition of thought as regards cleanliness and its relation to +smartness. No such abstraction disturbed the Devons; a Devon man +was always clean. Individuals of some corps could be readily +identified by their battered helmets or split boots; not so the +Devons. No helmet badge was necessary for their identification, and +the veriest tyro could not fail to recognize at any time the +crisply washed Indian helmet cover.</p> +<p>It may be open to question whether it is for good or for evil +that we should broaden our views of what goes to make a smart and +useful fighting man, but the regimental system of the Devons was +for no innovation of a careless go-as-you-please style. I thus lay +stress on the individuality of the Devons in South Africa, because +it was this individuality of theirs, born of their regimental +system, which enabled them to claim so full a share in the success +of that long-drawn-out campaign.</p> +<p>No one can quite appreciatively follow the story of the work of +the Devons, unless he realizes the intense feeling of comradeship +that animates these West-country men. To work with Devonshire men +is to realize in the flesh the intensity of the local county +loyalty so graphically depicted by Charles Kingsley in his +<i>Westward Ho!</i> and other novels.</p> +<p>In conclusion, let me add, a more determined crew I never wish +to see, and a better regiment to back his orders a General can +never hope to have.</p> +<p>(Signature - Walter Kitchener)</p> +<p>DALHOUSIE, <i>May</i>, 1906.</p> +<h2>PREFACE</h2> +<h3>BY THE AUTHOR</h3> +<p>The story as told is an everyday account and a record of the +work of the men of the 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment during the +South African War.</p> +<p>It exemplifies the devotion to duty, the stubbornness in +adversity, and the great fighting qualities of the West-country +man, which qualities existed in the time of Drake, and which still +exist.</p> +<p>A repeating of their history of the past, a record of the +present, and an example for the generation to come.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page1" id="page1"></a>{1}</span> +<h2><a name="chap1" id="chap1">CHAPTER I</a></h2> +<h3>EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH</h3> +<h4>1899</h4> +<p>On returning from the North-West Frontier of India at the close +of the Tirah Expedition, 1897-8, the 1st Battalion Devonshire +Regiment, which had served with distinction under the command of +Colonel J.H. Yule in the campaign against the Afridi clans, was +ordered to proceed from Peshawar to Jullunder, at which place it +was quartered in 1898 and in the summer months of 1899, during +which time certain companies and detachments were furnished for +duty at Dalhousie, Kasauli, and Ghora Dakka (Murree Hills), and +located during the hot weather at these places.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page2" id="page2"></a>{2}</span> +<p>Towards the latter end of August, 1899, news from South Africa +appeared ominous, and war seemed likely to break out between +England and the Transvaal.</p> +<p>On the 8th September, 1899, confidential instructions were +received from army head-quarters at Simla ordering the Regiment to +get ready to move at short notice to South Africa, and a few days +later further orders were received to entrain on the 16th September +for Bombay <i>en route</i> to the Transvaal, which country the +Regiment was destined not to reach for some months, and then only +after severe fighting.</p> +<p>The companies quartered at Dalhousie and Ghora Dakka with +difficulty joined the head-quarters at Jullunder before the 16th, +and the following marches are worthy of record:—</p> +<p>The Dalhousie detachment marched to Pathankote, a distance of +54-1/4 miles, in two days. Major Curry, who was in command, gave +each man a coolie for his baggage, and ordered the men to get to +Duneera the first day the best way they could. At Duneera they +halted for the night, and the next day pushed on in the same manner +to Pathankote, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page3" id= +"page3"></a>{3}</span> where they immediately entrained and +proceeded to Jullunder.</p> +<p>The Ghora Dakka detachment under Lieutenant Emerson marched to +Rawal Pindi, a distance of fifty-four miles, in two days, and then +entrained for Jullunder.</p> +<p>No men fell out in either party, and considering the time of +year and the intense heat, they were fine performances.</p> +<p>Some officers were on leave in Cashmere, and only arrived at +Jullunder as the Regiment was entraining.</p> +<p>On September 16th, 1899, the 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, +under the command of Major C.W. Park, left Jullunder by rail for +Bombay with a strength as under:—</p> +<p>25 officers, 1 warrant officer, and 842 sergeants, rank and +file.</p> +<p>The following officers accompanied the battalion:—</p> +<p>Major C.W. Park, commanding.<br /> +Major M.C. Curry, second in command.<br /> +Captain M.G. Jacson.<br /> +Captain J.O. Travers.<br /> +Captain E.C. Wren.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page4" id="page4"></a>{4}</span> +Captain E.M. Morris.<br /> +Lieutenant P.H. Price-Dent.<br /> +Lieutenant J.E.I. Masterson.<br /> +Lieutenant A.F. Dalzel.<br /> +Lieutenant N.Z. Emerson.<br /> +Lieutenant G.H.I. Graham.<br /> +Lieutenant T.B. Harris.<br /> +2nd Lieutenant G.I. Watts.<br /> +2nd Lieutenant D.H. Blunt.<br /> +2nd Lieutenant H.R. Gunning.<br /> +2nd Lieutenant S.T. Hayley.<br /> +2nd Lieutenant H.W.F. Twiss.<br /> +Captain and Adjutant H.S.L. Ravenshaw.<br /> +Captain and Quartermaster H. Honner.<br /> +Warrant Officer Sergeant-Major G.E. Mitchell.</p> +<p>The following officers were attached for duty to the +battalion:—</p> +<p>Major Burnside, R.A.M.C., in medical charge.<br /> +Lieutenant E.G. Caffin, Yorkshire Regiment.<br /> +Lieutenant H.W.R. Cowie, Dorset Regiment.<br /> +Lieutenant A.M. Tringham, The Queen's West Surrey Regiment.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page5" id="page5"></a>{5}</span> +Lieutenant J.A. Byrne, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.<br /> +Lieutenant E.E.M. Walker, Somersetshire Light Infantry.</p> +<a name="illus-en-route" id="illus-en-route"></a> +<center><img width="500" height="370" src="images/to-ladysmith.png" +alt="En Route to Ladysmith" /></center> +<center>En Route to Ladysmith</center> +<p>The following officers were absent from the battalion on leave +in England:—</p> +<p>Captain W.B. Lafone.<br /> +Captain G.M. Gloster.<br /> +Lieutenant H.N. Field.</p> +<p>Colonel J.H. Yule, commanding the battalion, was appointed to +the command of the Indian Infantry Brigade, South Africa, with the +temporary rank of brigadier-general. Major A.G. Spratt was placed +in charge of the depot and details left at Jullunder.</p> +<p>The Regiment arrived without incident on September 21st at +Bombay, having halted, for a few hours only, at the following +places:—</p> +<p>On September 17th at Aligarh.<br /> + 18th at Jhansi.<br /> + 19th at Hoshangabad.<br /> + 20th at Deolali.</p> +<p>Embarkation took place immediately on arrival, the transport +<i>Sutlej</i> taking five companies, <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page6" id="page6"></a>{6}</span> head-quarters, band and drums, +under Major C.W. Park; and the transport <i>City of London</i> +taking three companies under Major M.C. Curry.</p> +<p>On the latter vessel sailed also Sir George White's Staff and +the Staff of the Indian Infantry Brigade.</p> +<p>The <i>Sutlej</i> sailed at noon on September 21st, and it was +reported that the ship was under sealed orders, and that her +destination was Delagoa Bay.</p> +<p>The days on board were occupied in keeping the men fit with +physical drill, free gymnastics, etc., and with instruction in +first-aid to the wounded and the use of the field-dressing and the +method of adjusting it.</p> +<p>On September 28th Agalega Island was sighted, and on the 30th +the ship was off the east coast of Madagascar.</p> +<p>On the 2nd October the S.S. <i>Purnea</i> with the 60th Rifles +on board was spoken, and communication by flag signal established, +both vessels inquiring for news. The <i>Sutlej</i> was the last to +leave port, but had nothing new to communicate.</p> +<p>At 7 a.m. on October 5th, in rough and <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page7" id="page7"></a>{7}</span> foggy weather, +the <i>Sutlej</i> arrived off the coast of Africa, and the fog +lifting about midday, she ran down the coastline for two hours, and +arrived outside the bar at Durban.</p> +<p>The ships conveying the 60th Rifles and the 53rd Battery arrived +an hour later. The <i>Sutlej</i> waited till 2 p.m. to enter the +harbour, and arrived alongside the quay at 4 p.m., when +disembarkation commenced at once in torrents of rain and heavy wind +squalls.</p> +<p>A deputation of the Durban "West of England" Association met the +Regiment on arrival and presented an address.</p> +<p>The first news received on landing was that war had not yet been +declared, but that it was inevitable, that President Kruger had +seized half a million of money on its way from Johannesburg to the +Cape, and that orders had been given by him to shoot any one +crossing the frontier. This may or may not have been true; a good +deal of <i>perfectly reliable</i> information was being circulated +about this time.</p> +<p>On the night of October 5th-6th the Regiment left in three +trains for Ladysmith. The rain and cold caused some inconvenience +to <span class="pagenum"><a name="page8" id="page8"></a>{8}</span> +the men, as they were packed into open trucks, and obtained neither +shelter nor sleep. They were new to the game then, but they saw the +inside of many a coal truck later.</p> +<p>The journey to Pietermaritzburg was in the nature of a triumphal +procession, for at various points along the line small knots of old +men women and children, waving Union Jacks, cheered the troops most +lustily as the trains passed.</p> +<p>A remark frequently heard was "How glad they are to see us," and +it was evident that these people at least, who were interested and +possessed homes in Natal, had not underrated the power and +intentions of the Transvaal. The Regiment had an enthusiastic +reception, as indeed did all troops passing to the front, flags and +handkerchiefs being waved from every house farm and village. At +some stations where a short stop was made to allow of other trains +getting on ahead, tea and refreshments were given out free, by +willing hands, to the soldiers in the trucks.</p> +<p>Trains were running with about 500 to 600 yards distance between +them.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page9" id="page9"></a>{9}</span> +<p>On October 6th between 7 and 8 a.m. the trains conveying the +Regiment reached Pietermaritzburg, and here the men had breakfast. +Pushing on again with as little delay as possible and passing +Estcourt at about 3 p.m., and Colenso about 4 p.m., Ladysmith was +reached at 6 p.m.</p> +<p>Detraining took place at once, and the Regiment marched off to +Tin Town, about two miles distant, where camp was pitched in the +dark.</p> +<p>The infantry at this time in Ladysmith consisted of:—</p> +<p>The Gordon Highlanders.<br /> +The Devonshire Regiment.<br /> +The Gloucester Regiment.<br /> +The Liverpool Regiment.</p> +<p>Rumours of war and warlike preparation on the part of the Boers +were continually being circulated, and at daybreak on October 11th +the Transvaal Boers crossed the frontier of Natal 18,000 strong +with fourteen guns.</p> +<p>On October 12th, at 2 p.m., orders were received for the +Regiment to prepare at once to go out as part of a flying column +towards <span class="pagenum"><a name="page10" id= +"page10"></a>{10}</span> Acton Holmes to check the advance of the +Free State Boers, who were reported to be crossing the Biggarsberg +by Vanreenen's Pass; and at 2 a.m. a force consisting of four +regiments of cavalry, four batteries R.A., and three regiments of +infantry (Liverpools, Gordons, and Devons) left Ladysmith, and +after great delay reached Dewdrop at 9 a.m.</p> +<p>The cavalry having been sent on to gain touch, failed however to +do so, and the column returned at once to Ladysmith. The +information turned out to be incorrect.</p> +<p>On the return march the Regiment was joined by Captain W.B. +Lafone and Lieutenants Field and Green, who had arrived from +England.</p> +<p>On Sunday, October 15th, the Royal Irish Fusiliers, who had +arrived about two days previously, marched out of the Tin Camp +Ladysmith to entrain for Dundee, which place it was reported the +Transvaal Boers were threatening; and on the same day the news was +confirmed that the armoured train at Mafeking had been twice +attacked.</p> +<p>It was said that our khaki uniform had <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page11" id="page11"></a>{11}</span> completely +nonplussed the Boers, and that they had expected to meet us coming +on in red, as in the days gone by, and that they were consequently +rather surprised and annoyed.</p> +<p>The Liverpool Regiment, 18th Hussars, and one battery left +Ladysmith by road for Colenso on October 18th, the Manchester +Regiment, the Devons, and Natal mounted troops covering their march +from the direction of Vanreenen's Pass. Refugees continually coming +through into Ladysmith from Acton Holmes during the day, reported +fighting going on between Boers and Natal Carbineers.</p> +<p>On its return to Ladysmith the same day, the Regiment moved from +the Tin Town Camp and encamped on the football ground under the +convent hill, and towards sunset the whole army marched out of +Ladysmith into strategical positions outside the town. The Regiment +at this time was reserve battalion.</p> +<p>On October 19th the Boers cut the telegraph wire between Dundee +and Ladysmith, and captured near Elandslaagte Station a train +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page12" id="page12"></a>{12}</span> +containing forty tons of flour consigned to the force at Dundee, +and the following morning the Devons, Gordons, one battery, 5th +Lancers, and some Colonial mounted infantry, moved out towards +Modder Station on the Ladysmith-Newcastle road.</p> +<p>At about 11 a.m. news was received that a fierce battle was +being fought at Dundee, and that a large force of Free State Boers +was advancing towards Ladysmith from Bester's Station, having +crossed the Vanreenen's Pass. The column was halted about four +miles out of Ladysmith, and three companies of the Devons under +Captain Travers were sent to hold Pepworth Hill on the flank +threatened by the Free State Boers. But at 4 p.m. Sir George White +came out and joined the force, and he ordered the column back into +Ladysmith.</p> +<p>He gave an account of the fighting at Dundee, which he had just +received. Dundee Camp was aroused in the morning by shells being +pitched into its midst. The artillery came into action, and the +60th Rifles and Dublin Fusiliers were then sent to capture the +position, which was occupied by 4000 Boers. <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page13" id="page13"></a>{13}</span> This was +gallantly carried. Another column of Boers was then turned on to, +and at 1.30 p.m. the enemy broke. Major-General Penn-Symons was +mortally wounded, and Major-General Yule had taken over command at +Dundee.</p> +<p>By next day a detachment of Boers had reached the neighbourhood +of Modder Station and had taken up a position near +Elandslaagte.</p> +<p>This detachment consisted of some 650 Boers, with two guns, +under the leadership of General Koch, who was charged with the task +of cutting off the retreat of the forces at Glencoe and Dundee, and +who had been sent forward for that purpose. General Koch had at the +same time practically joined hands with the Free State Boers, who +were in the neighbourhood of Bester's Station on the +Ladysmith-Harrismith line.</p> +<p>In order to reoccupy Elandslaagte and to secure General Yule's +line of retreat, Sir George White ordered out a force consisting of +infantry, cavalry, and artillery, of which four companies of the +Regiment formed a part, under the command of General French. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page14" id="page14"></a>{14}</span> +These companies went out in the morning by train under Major Curry, +and detrained near Modder Station.</p> +<p>One company and a Maxim gun under Captain Jacson and a squadron +5th Lancers were sent at 11 a.m. by road to Pepworth Hill to guard +the left flank of General French's force against the Free State +Army, which might seriously threaten General French's +communications with Ladysmith.</p> +<p>At 1 p.m. further reinforcements were sent out to General +French, and the three remaining companies of the Regiment were +ordered to proceed by train to Modder Station to join the wing +under Major Curry. The seven companies were then under the command +of Major Park.</p> +<p>The Boers occupied two cones of some low hills overlooking +Elandslaagte railway station. General French's artillery came into +action on some high ground 4400 yards distant from the Boer +position, and between the two forces was an open undulating plain +affording little or no cover, and across which the attack had to be +delivered.</p> +<p>The Gordon Highlanders and Manchesters <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page15" id="page15"></a>{15}</span> were to +attack round the Boers' left flank, whilst the Devons were to make +a frontal attack.</p> +<p>From the nature of the position which they had taken up, no +commanding positions affording flanking fire and protection to +their flanks were obtainable by the Boers. These were open and +could be easily threatened by the cavalry and the mounted +infantry.</p> +<p>The Boers had two guns in position on one of the two cones, and +with these guns they did good execution, knocking over a limber of +one of French's batteries at the second shot, and practically +before his guns came into action.</p> +<p>General French's force, now considerably augmented, marched off +at 2.30 p.m. The 1st Devon Regiment was formed in company column at +fifty paces as a reserve to the Manchester Regiment. After +proceeding about a mile heavy firing was heard on the right front, +direction was changed half-right, and the Regiment was then ordered +to form for attack on the left of the Manchesters, and to take up a +front of 500 yards.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page16" id="page16"></a>{16}</span> +<p>Three companies were placed in the firing-line and supports +under Major Park, and four companies in reserve under Major Curry. +At about 3.15 p.m. the firing-line reached the top of a low hill, +and came in sight of the enemy's position distant about 4400 yards. +Here a halt of a quarter of an hour was made, and at 3.30 p.m. +orders were received by the Regiment to make a frontal attack on +the position, to advance to within effective rifle range, and to +then hold on till a flank attack by the Manchesters and Gordons +came in on the right. The ground between the Regiment and the +position sloped slightly up to the foot of the low rocky hills, on +which the enemy was posted. There was no cover of any kind, except +a few ant-heaps, in the first half of the distance.</p> +<p>The firing-line advanced keeping intervals and covering a front +of about 600 yards, the centre being directed on to a conical hill +at the back of the enemy's camp. The reserve followed in column of +companies, in single rank, at fifty paces distance between +companies. The enemy's guns opened on the Regiment at once with +shrapnel, but most of <span class="pagenum"><a name="page17" id= +"page17"></a>{17}</span> the shells went high, only one striking +the reserve companies.</p> +<p>A steady advance to about 1200 to 1300 yards from the position +was made, when, the rifle fire becoming rather heavy, fire was +opened by section volleys. The light was bad, and it was very +difficult to see the enemy or estimate the distances. In a few +minutes the supports reinforced, and the firing-line then pushed on +to the foot of the slope, and established itself in a shallow ditch +800 to 900 yards from the position. Here it held on, firing +sectional volleys, till the flank attack appeared on the hill, +apparently about 500 yards from the position.</p> +<p>An advance by companies from the right was then ordered, and, +the reserve reinforcing, a further 200 yards was gained. Some +bugling and shouting was then heard on the hill. A rush to 350 +yards was now made, and, after a short pause to allow the men to +get breath, bayonets were fixed and the position charged, four +companies assaulting the detached hill on the left, the remaining +three companies assaulting the hill on which the enemy's guns were. +F and G Companies were the first to reach <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page18" id="page18"></a>{18}</span> and take +possession of the guns, the Gordon Highlanders coming up on the +right shortly afterwards. The companies then moved on down the +reverse slope and opened fire on the retiring enemy. On the +detached hill only five of the enemy were found alive, and they +showed a white flag as the hill was charged.</p> +<p>The Regiment was then re-formed, and held the detached hill +during the night.</p> +<p>During the three hours it was under fire, the battalion kept +line and intervals carefully throughout, and adjusted sights and +fired as steadily as if on parade. It is to the perfect steadiness +of the men and the absence of all crowding that the very small +losses from the enemy's fire, which at all times was heavy, can be +attributed.</p> +<p>The battalion's losses were:—</p> +<p>Captain W.B. Lafone, slightly wounded.<br /> +2nd Lieutenants Gunning, Hailey, and Green, severely wounded.<br /> +Twenty-nine non-commissioned officers and men wounded.</p> +<p>Parties of men were busy during the night <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page19" id="page19"></a>{19}</span> collecting +the Boer wounded and taking them down to the laager. Among them was +General Koch, who was badly hit in several places. He died of his +wounds a few days afterwards in Ladysmith.</p> +<p>The losses of the Boers were estimated at 62 killed, 150 +wounded, and 184 prisoners.</p> +<p>The force was moved back into Ladysmith early on the 22nd +morning, the infantry by rail, and cavalry by road. The company of +the Regiment and Maxim gun, which had been on Pepworth Hill during +the day and the following night, got back to camp the same +afternoon.</p> +<p>The 23rd was given up to rejoicings and congratulations over the +victory, and the two Boer flags which were captured were displayed +outside the officers' mess tent.</p> +<p>The Free State Army had by now come across to the east, and were +in the neighbourhood of Modder Station, and on October 24th a +column was again ordered out with the object of assisting General +Yule's force in from Dundee.</p> +<p>This column consisted of the 5th Lancers, <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page20" id="page20"></a>{20}</span> 19th +Hussars, Natal Carbineers, Border Mounted Rifles, Imperial Light +Horse, Devons, Liverpools, Gloucesters, 60th Rifles, and twenty +guns, in all about 5500 men.</p> +<p>The enemy was found posted on Tinta Inyoni Mountain, on the +summit of which they brought a gun into action and fired on to the +head of Sir G. White's force, which was in column of route on the +road, but without doing any damage. The action began at 8.30 +a.m.</p> +<p>At the commencement of the action the battalion was in reserve, +and was ordered to extend and lie down at the foot of the first +slope facing the enemy's position, and some 300 yards north-west of +the railway line, sending scouts to the crest of the ridge to watch +the front. Four companies were shortly afterwards ordered to +advance in attack formation, forming their own supports, and to +place themselves on the left of the Gloucester Regiment, which was +in front of the Regiment at the time. The Regiment was then on the +extreme left of the firing-line. The four companies of the reserve +worked round under cover to a small nullah about 300 yards on +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page21" id="page21"></a>{21}</span> +the left and then advanced up it. The firing-line advanced, under +slight rifle fire, across a rocky plateau till they gained a small +ridge overlooking the front, and opened fire by section volleys on +to a ridge about 800 yards in front, from which a rather heavy fire +was coming.</p> +<p>The Maxim gun under Lieutenant Price-Dent came into action in +rear of the left of the line and fired at the enemy to the left +front.</p> +<p>The enemy's fire from this ridge was soon silenced, and from +that time the only objective the line had was a few scattered Boers +and their horses on the rear slope of the high hill to the left +front, some 2000 yards distant.</p> +<p>The reserve was deployed into two lines of double companies on +and below a small ridge of rocks some 250 yards in rear of the +firing-line. At about 2 p.m. the retirement commenced, and the +battalion gradually followed the Liverpool Regiment and became +rearguard. Ladysmith was reached about 3.30 p.m., after a +sixteen-mile march in torrents of rain.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page22" id="page22"></a>{22}</span> +<p>The casualties of the battalion during the day were:—</p> +<p>1 private killed.<a id="footnotetag1" name= +"footnotetag1"></a><a href="#footnote1"><sup>1</sup></a><br /> +25 privates wounded, none dangerously.</p> +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote1" name= +"footnote1"></a><b>Footnote 1:</b><a href= +"#footnotetag1">(return)</a> +<p>This private, the first man of the Regiment killed in the war, +was Private Winsor. He was shot dead through the heart by a stray +bullet.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>This action was known as the action of Reitfontein.</p> +<p>On October 26th General Yule's force marched into Ladysmith. +They had had a bad time, having marched in drenching rain, day and +night, from Sunday till Wednesday. The garrison of Ladysmith gave +them food on arrival, the Regiment supplying the Dublin Fusiliers +(officers and men) with refreshments.</p> +<p>On October 27th it was reported that the Boers were nearing +Ladysmith and attempting to surround the place, and a large force +was ordered out by Sir George White to reconnoitre.</p> +<p>This reconnaissance was under the command of Colonel Ian +Hamilton, and his column consisted of three cavalry regiments, +three batteries, and four infantry battalions, to <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page23" id="page23"></a>{23}</span> which was +added later one infantry battalion and one battery.</p> +<p>Having advanced beyond the Nek between Lombards Kop and Bulwana, +and having crossed the Modder Spruit on the Helpmakaar road, the +Regiment was sent on outpost duty to the left front, whilst the +main body of the force halted on the bank of the stream.</p> +<p>From the outpost line large bodies of the enemy were observed +advancing over Long Hill. Boers were also seen very busy on the +kopjes south of Long Hill, entrenching.</p> +<p>At 8 p.m. orders were received from the officer commanding the +column, in which it was explained that the force was to make a +night march and attack, the infantry to advance at 2 a.m.</p> +<p>The Boer position as seen by the Regiment on the outpost line +was some three miles in length, and the point of attack was to be +the extreme left of their position, viz. Farquhar's Farm.</p> +<p>In the opinion of some the attack would have succeeded and the +evil days of the siege put back; in the opinion of others the +attack <span class="pagenum"><a name="page24" id= +"page24"></a>{24}</span> could not possibly have succeeded on +account of the length of the Boer position, which they had had time +to strengthen and entrench, and which had not been definitely +reconnoitred.</p> +<p>At midnight fresh orders were received from Sir George White in +Ladysmith. The whole force was ordered to retire and to proceed +back at once into their positions in and about the town.</p> +<p>It was reported that the Boers were in great numbers, some +17,000 under Joubert, and that they had their big guns with +them.</p> +<p>The Regiment commenced their retirement as rearguard to the +force at 4 a.m., and reached camp at 6.30 a.m. on October 28th.</p> +<p>October 29th was a Sunday, and except for rumours, which were +prolific, a quiet day was spent.</p> +<p>The Boers were reported to be entrenching themselves a mile and +a half out on the Dundee road, and at the same time the Ladysmith +defences were being prepared, and blasting operations were being +carried out for the construction of military roads.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page25" id="page25"></a>{25}</span> +<p>The battle of Farquhar's Farm was fought on October 30th, +1899.</p> +<p>The whole army was ordered out at 3 a.m.</p> +<p>The battalion formed part of the reserve brigade under Colonel +Ian Hamilton. This reserve brigade took up a position under Limit +Hill, and facing Pepworth Hill from the south.</p> +<p>The plan of the day was to have been as follows, had everything +gone as it was proposed:—</p> +<p>Five regiments of infantry, all the mounted troops, and four +batteries of artillery were to move round the enemy's left up the +Helpmakaar road towards Farquhar's Farm (the direction of the +proposed night attack on the night 27th-28th) to attack and drive +in his left.</p> +<p>Two regiments of infantry with one mountain battery were to move +off to the left of the British position to hold the enemy's right +(which comprised the whole of the Free State Army), and prevent him +from getting into Ladysmith.</p> +<p>The main attack was to be made in the centre by Colonel Ian +Hamilton's Brigade by <span class="pagenum"><a name="page26" id= +"page26"></a>{26}</span> an assault on Pepworth Hill, where the +Boer big guns were located, and which was the key of the +position.</p> +<p>The above was the plan; the result and the way in which it was +carried out is told in a few words.</p> +<p>The two infantry battalions and mountain battery, detailed to +guard the left flank, knocked up against the Free State Army under +Cronje (which was seen in the forenoon by the main body of General +White's force, coming over Walker's Hoek) on what is known now as +Surprise Hill, and which place is situated a little above and +nearer Ladysmith than Nicholson's Nek. Cronje attacked them in the +dark, scattered the gun mules which stampeded, and after some hours +of hard fighting captured the lot.</p> +<p>The force on the right, under Sir George White's personal +command, ran prematurely into Joubert's Transvaal Army, which had +advanced from its previous and partly reconnoitred position, and +which had formed up ready to receive them in a position somewhat +nearer Ladysmith. It received a very heavy cross fire from big +guns, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page27" id= +"page27"></a>{27}</span> field guns, machine guns, and musketry, +and was put to confusion, the artillery and the cavalry having some +difficulty in extricating themselves. General White took the +Manchester Regiment and the Gordon Highlanders from Hamilton's +Brigade to cover the retirement, and his force came back into +Ladysmith fired into with wonderful accuracy, at a range of about +7000 yards, by the big gun on Pepworth. Of the remainder of +Hamilton's Brigade, the Rifle Brigade (which had only arrived in +Ladysmith that day) and a half battalion Devon Regiment were told +off to bring up the rear, whilst the other half battalion of the +Devons was left on Limit Hill, two miles outside Ladysmith, to act +as a covering force.</p> +<hr /> +<p>The Naval Brigade under Lambton arrived at Limit Hill with three +naval 12-pounders just as the retirement was taking place, and they +were at once ordered back into the town. They returned without +coming into action. As they were retiring down the road past the +Piggery by the Orange Free State Junction Station, a well-aimed +shell from <span class="pagenum"><a name="page28" id= +"page28"></a>{28}</span> Pepworth Hill upset one of their guns, +killing some of the ox-team and a gunner who was being carried back +wounded in an ambulance.</p> +<p>The half battalion of the regiment under Major Curry was ordered +to take up a defensive position on Limit Hill and to stay there for +the night.</p> +<p>The Boer force was within 1000 yards, and it was thought +probable that they would follow up their defeated foe. Their +patrols were continually coming to within 300-500 yards of the +Devons' outpost line.</p> +<p>As the half battalion was well covered from view, it was deemed +expedient and prudent not to expose their position and weakness by +firing, but rather by lying quiet to trust to the Boer imagination, +allowing them to think there was a larger force in position at +Limit Hill than there really was. This plan was eminently +successful, for except for Boer patrols the position was not +threatened.</p> +<p>Orders were received by this half battalion at 9 a.m. on +November 2nd to retire on to Ladysmith. The defenders of Ladysmith +being unaware of the fact that any of their own troops were in +front of them, and mistaking <span class="pagenum"><a name="page29" +id="page29"></a>{29}</span> friend for foe, got down on their knees +to fire as the companies of the Devons appeared in sight.</p> +<p>The half battalion which had retired with the rest of the force +into Ladysmith on October 30th received orders at 10 a.m. on the +31st to strike camp, move off and form part of the garrison of +section "A" of the defences of Ladysmith, under the command of +Colonel W.G. Knox, C.B. The second half battalion followed +them.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page30" id="page30"></a>{30}</span> +<h2><a name="chap2" id="chap2">CHAPTER II</a></h2> +<h3>SIEGE OF LADYSMITH</h3> +<h4>1899-1900</h4> +<p>The siege of Ladysmith had now commenced; communication to the +south was interrupted on November 2nd, and on the same day the +Boers had their guns in action on Bulwana Mountain and were +shelling the works and town freely.</p> +<p>The perimeter of Ladysmith was divided into four sections, A, B, +C, D, under Colonel W.G. Knox, General Howard, Colonel Hamilton, +and Colonel Royston respectively. Section A extended from Devon +Post to Cove Redoubt; on the west of this was section B, extending +as far as Range Post on the Klip River. Section C included Maiden +Castle, Wagon Hill, and Cæsar's Camp, whilst the plain +between Cæsar's Camp and Devon Post was held by the Natal +Volunteers under Colonel Royston.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page31" id="page31"></a>{31}</span> +<p>The battalion was ordered to take up the two posts of Cemetery +Hill and Helpmakaar Hill. These were the most eastern kopjes of the +defences. They skirted the Helpmakaar road and were immediately +under Bulwana and Gun Hill. These were distant only some five +thousand yards, and dominated Devon Post.</p> +<p>The battalion was distributed: three companies on Helpmakaar +Hill, two companies on Cemetery Hill, with three companies in +reserve near the road and river-bed immediately beneath Cemetery +Hill.</p> +<p>Devon Post received its first shells on the morning of the 3rd. +These were aimed at the tents of the reserve companies, which were +rather ostentatiously pitched on the plain by the river-bed under +Cemetery Hill. The shells were fired from a high-velocity 3-inch +gun on Bulwana. The tents were immediately moved closer under the +hill, where they were out of sight from Bulwana. The Boer guns were +then trained on to the working parties, and some fifty shells were +burst in the works (just commenced and affording little cover) on +Helpmakaar and Cemetery <span class="pagenum"><a name="page32" id= +"page32"></a>{32}</span> Hill posts, but without doing much damage. +After this, owing to shell fire, it was impossible to work except +at night, or when Bulwana was obscured by fog. The fortifications +and defences were, however, hastily pushed forward, and the +platforms for the two large and ancient howitzers known as "Castor" +and "Pollux" were soon completed.</p> +<p>Shortly after the commencement of the siege one of the few +shells fired into Ladysmith which did any damage, burst amongst a +party of Natal Carbineers on the road under Cemetery Hill, killing +five men and seven horses.</p> +<p>On November 5th the Intombi Camp was formed, and all the wounded +and most of the women and children, with a few of the able-bodied +male civilian inhabitants of Ladysmith, were moved into the neutral +camp.</p> +<p>On November 6th and 7th, with the exception of a shell or two, +things were quiet on Devon Post, but on the evening of the 7th a +furious bombardment began at four o'clock, the Boer guns all round +firing into the town and at anything they could see moving. No +damage was done.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page33" id="page33"></a>{33}</span> +<p>In addition to the works on Devon Post, which were manned by the +Regiment, a half-company picquet was told off nightly. This picquet +extended and lay down across the main road at the foot of the +forward work. It mounted after dark and was relieved before +daylight in the morning. Many will remember the spot where this +picquet was posted as the most ill-chosen, inconvenient, and hard +platform for a bed on a rainy night.</p> +<p>The nights of the 6th, 7th, and 8th were occupied in making the +works stronger and building additional works.</p> +<p>On November 9th the Boers made their first attempt against +Ladysmith. The attack commenced at 6 a.m. with heavy musketry fire +directed on to the northern defences; and three hours later the +attack developed on Helpmakaar Post and Cæsar's Camp. Shells +came very thickly from two howitzers and three high-velocity +Creusot guns into Devon Post. This lasted till about 2 p.m., when +the action was concluded with a royal salute from the naval +batteries and three hearty cheers, which, started by the Naval +Brigade, were taken up all round the defences in honour of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page34" id="page34"></a>{34}</span> +the birthday of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. A curious ending to a +battle.</p> +<p>During the action a well-directed shell from one of Christie's +ancient howitzers, which were now located on Helpmakaar Hill, +pitched with good effect into the middle of a large group of Boers +who were entrenching themselves on a small rise of ground +underneath Gun Hill.</p> +<p>Helpmakaar, which had always been a single-day post, was now +turned into a three days' post, companies remaining in the fort for +three days before being relieved.</p> +<p>On the 11th three companies of the Regiment were sent out under +Captain Lafone to blow up a farm building under Bulwana, about one +and half miles distant from Devon Post. After a long delay, owing +to the blasting materials having been forgotten, the operation was +successfully carried out, and the party returned with only some +slight annoyance from the enemy's pompom and a few shots from a +high-velocity gun stationed on Bulwana.</p> +<p>The Boer artillery on Bulwana and Gun Hill was well served, and +their shooting was excellent. One morning they opened with a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page35" id="page35"></a>{35}</span> +40-pounder howitzer, known under the name of "Weary Willy," on to +the main work at Devon Post, at a portion of the work occupied by +"Walker's Hotchkiss Gun Detachment." About twelve consecutive shots +pitched within a five yards' radius, and one crashed into and +nearly breached the parapet, which was here about six feet thick +and built of large stones.</p> +<p>The men worked on the 11th from dark till 1 a.m., when the works +were practically completed and sufficiently strengthened to answer +all purposes, although building was being carried on till the last +day of the siege, and the men were still building at the actual +moment when the relief cavalry were marching across the plain into +Ladysmith.</p> +<p>The willingness and the cheery manner in which the men of the +battalion worked at these defences are worthy of record. On +pitch-dark nights in pouring rain the men, wet to the skin, covered +with mud and filth, without a smoke, groping about in the dark to +find a likely stone, carried on the work in silence; and when the +word was passed along to knock off work, they "turned in" without a +grumble into a wet bivouac. There was no complaining, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page36" id="page36"></a>{36}</span> +the men were never required by their officers to bring along the +stones faster. The only noise that broke the stillness of the night +was the incessant "click, click, click" of the picks at work +loosening the stones, and the men, in spite of the conditions under +which the work was being carried on, joked among themselves in an +undertone.</p> +<p>Work was nightly carried on from dark till midnight and +sometimes till 2 a.m., and the men turned out again to stand to +arms at 3.30 a.m.</p> +<p>By the middle of November the works at Devon Post were from +4-1/2 to 10 feet high, from 8 to 10 feet thick at the top (the +whole built roughly of stone), with the superior slope nearly flat, +exterior slope about 1/1, interior slope nearly upright. The front +work had a thickness at the bottom of about 18 feet, owing to the +work being constructed on the slope of the hill.</p> +<a name="illus-trenches" id="illus-trenches"></a> +<center><img width="450" height="334" src= +"images/ladysmith-trenches.png" alt= +"In the Trenches, Ladysmith" /></center> +<center>In the Trenches, Ladysmith</center> +<p>Things passed quietly with intermittent shell fire till the +afternoon of the 14th, when General Brocklehurst took out the +Cavalry Brigade and two batteries of artillery, with the intention +of turning the Boers off Rifleman's <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page37" id="page37"></a>{37}</span> Ridge. This they failed to do, +and returned to their lines about 5 p.m. well peppered by the Boer +big guns, one shell from the big gun on Pepworth pitching into the +centre of the road just short of a battery of artillery which was +coming back into Ladysmith, near the defences on the north-west +front held by a detachment of the Dublin Fusiliers—an +accurate shot, and the distance measured on the map 10,500 yards. +Shortly afterwards the Naval Brigade in their turn did some good +shooting, pitching a shell on to the muzzle of the big gun on +Pepworth, and a few moments after this shot, another on to his +parapet. Boers were afterwards seen carrying litters away from the +work. This big gun never fired again during the siege, but the +Boers patched him up and he lived to do good work for them against +General Buller in his advance north to Lydenburg, and the Boers +finally blew him up in front of the battalion near Waterval, in the +Lydenburg district, when engaged with a column under General Walter +Kitchener.</p> +<p>For the next few days nothing of consequence occurred beyond the +usual shell fire, varied at intervals from day to night time. It +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page38" id="page38"></a>{38}</span> +rained in torrents most of the time, and the men were continually +wet through. They however kept very fit, and there were very few in +hospital.</p> +<p>An amusing incident occurred on the 17th. Good targets being +scarce the Boers continually fired shell at any moving or +stationary object they could catch sight of—sometimes at a +single scout. They often fired their pompom at a range of about +5000 yards at the vultures feeding on the dead horses under Devon +Post. On this day they sent three 40-lb. shells at an old man named +Brown who contracted for the dead horses. Brown used to take these +out into the open in full view of the Boers, to some flat ground +under the Post, and there skin them at his leisure. The old man +would take his load out once a day in a four-horsed cart. If he was +seen by the Boers he would come back at a gallop pursued by Boer +shells. This time he came back on three wheels, much to the +amusement of Section A of the defences; the fourth wheel had come +off and he was in too great a hurry to readjust it, and it was in +consequence left behind. The old man was never hit.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page39" id="page39"></a>{39}</span> +<p>On November 20th the Boers mounted some more guns on Bulwana and +also on Umbrella Tree Hill, which lay in the Nek between Bulwana +and Gun Hill. Colonel Knox ordered a dummy battery to be made at +night on the further side of the Klip River and out in the open. +Wooden imitation guns and imitation gunners were erected, and these +were worked with a string by a gunner concealed in the bank of the +river.</p> +<p>Captain Kincaid-Smith, with the two Maxim-Nordenfeldt guns +captured at Elandslaagte, of which he was now in charge, was to +open fire from Devon Post on to the Boer guns newly placed on +Umbrella Tree Hill, and as he was perfectly concealed and fired +smokeless powder, it was supposed that the Boers would imagine that +the firing came from the new dummy battery just erected.</p> +<p>Kincaid-Smith began firing at about six o'clock on the following +morning. He fired some five shells in perfect silence unanswered by +the Boers. He was then suddenly located by them, and shells were +hurled on to him from all sides and from all descriptions of guns. +This continued for a quarter of an hour <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page40" id="page40"></a>{40}</span> and then +slackened off. The Boers burst their shrapnel better than usual, +and in the evening just before dark one shrapnel got into a working +party on Devon Post, killing one man and severely wounding +another.</p> +<p>There was some heavy musketry fire during the night at a +reconnaissance party sent out from Ladysmith towards Umbrella Tree +Hill. The party had orders to disturb the Boers and draw their +fire. This they very successfully accomplished. On the 22nd night +another "disturbing party" was sent out under Captain Jacson, +consisting of one company of the Regiment and a party of cavalry, +to "stir up" the Boers on Flag Hill. It was pitch-dark, pouring +with rain, and the ground was covered with boulders of rocks. The +cavalry were obliged to leave their horses behind and proceed on +foot in front of the infantry; so little was gained by the +enterprise and no "stirring up" was effected.</p> +<p>Up to this date there had been very little news from the outside +world, but now the Regiment was informed that General French had +fought a successful engagement at Estcourt and had got in with the +cavalry. They were <span class="pagenum"><a name="page41" id= +"page41"></a>{41}</span> also told that the garrison might expect +to be relieved by the 13th December by one division which was +coming up from Durban.</p> +<p>About November 22nd the news was received that the armoured +train at Colenso had been attacked, derailed, and captured.</p> +<p>On the 23rd Kincaid-Smith received orders to proceed with one of +his guns during the following night down to the river-bed near the +dummy battery and open fire if the Boers fired at it in the +morning. This they had done the previous day, much to every one's +amusement. At daybreak he opened fire from the river-bed. After his +second shot the Boers found him and made wonderful practice, +bursting shrapnel all over him. No damage, however, was done as he +was well dug into the bank. They continued their shelling for an +hour, after which they turned their big guns on to Tunnel Hill for +a short time. This hill was held by the Liverpool Regiment, who +lost two killed and twelve wounded, of whom five died of their +wounds next day.</p> +<p>The works on Devon Post and Cemetery Hill were strengthened +during the next few nights until the front walls were from twelve +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page42" id="page42"></a>{42}</span> +to fifteen feet thick. Most of this work was carried on in heavy +rain, which greatly added to the general discomfort of the men.</p> +<p>On November 28th the garrison was encouraged by the information +that the Boers had been badly beaten near Estcourt, that 3000 of +them had gone off (it was not reported where to!), and that General +Clery was at Colenso.</p> +<p>On November 30th General Clery opened up signalling +communication with Ladysmith by flashing his message with his +searchlight at night on to the clouds. The message, which was in +cipher, could be easily read by every one, but the garrison was +unable to reply as they had no searchlight.</p> +<p>In the early days of December, in order to keep the men as far +as possible in a condition for any eventualities, the Regiment +evacuated their works twice a week at dusk and went for a march +twice round the town. Starting at nightfall the works were regained +about 10 p.m. The exercise was good for the men's limbs and the +change of scene undoubtedly nourishment for their minds, but it is +doubtful if it conduced to the health of the men, as during the +march they were smothered in their own <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page43" id="page43"></a>{43}</span> dust, and +also in that kicked up by the artillery horses exercising at the +same time and on the same roads. It certainly gave the men +something to think about besides rocks and stones and building, and +the walking stretched their legs.</p> +<p>On December 2nd Colonel Knox, desirous of carrying on the work +of building in the daytime as well as by night, ordered some canvas +screens to be put up in the Post, behind which the men could work +concealed from view. But although stained the colour of the +surroundings, the screens were seen at once by the Boers, and the +battalion was much troubled by a new gun stationed near Pepworth +Hill, which opened fire shortly after they were erected. One shell +from this howitzer topping the hill pitched within a yard of the +guard tent underneath, which was full of men. No damage was done, +however, beyond scattering the ammunition boxes and covering the +men with mud. The screens were then taken down, and on the +disappearance of the noxious objects the firing ceased, and the +Boers appeared pacified. At 10 p.m., whilst the Regiment was at +work building on Cemetery Hill, <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page44" id="page44"></a>{44}</span> an order came to parade at +once and march to a rendezvous down in the town in Lyle Street. It +was given out "for operations near Limit Hill." On reaching the +rendezvous it was learnt that the force consisted of two brigades +of infantry, some batteries, and all the mounted troops. After half +an hour's wait, a staff officer rode up to say that the operations +were cancelled.</p> +<p>About this time the siege newspaper, the <i>Ladysmith Lyre</i>, +came into existence. There were only four issues, on account of +want of paper.</p> +<p>Shelling continued daily with but little or no result. The Boers +were apparently much incensed with the Town Hall, upon which the +Geneva red cross flag was flying, and which was being used as a +hospital, for they continually fired at it till the flag was taken +down early in December, when they scarcely ever fired at it +again.</p> +<a name="illus-tower" id="illus-tower"></a> +<center><img width="550" height="380" src= +"images/ladysmith-tower.png" alt= +"Town Hall, Ladysmith, Clock-Tower Damaged by Shell Fire" /></center> +<center>Town Hall, Ladysmith, Clock-Tower Damaged by Shell +Fire</center> +<p>On December 7th General Hunter made his sortie to Gun Hill. The +secret was well kept. In the evening, at dark, the battalion was +sent to Abattis Hill with orders to entrench, the scheme ostensibly +being that a <span class="pagenum"><a name="page45" id= +"page45"></a>{45}</span> force was to go out and stir up the Boers +round Pepworth Hill whilst the Regiment threatened to attack the +Boers on the other flank.</p> +<p>At 11 p.m. a letter was received telling the officer commanding +the Devon Regiment to meet General Hunter under Devon Post at 11.30 +p.m. Shortly after this hour a force of Colonial mounted infantry, +with General Hunter at their head, passed the post to assault Gun +Hill. This they found but sparsely guarded, and, dispersing the +small picquet, they succeeded in blowing up the two big guns and a +Maxim located there. The Regiment remained out till the operation +was over. It had been placed in this position on Abattis Hill to +act as a flank guard, with the object of preventing the Boers +attacking from the left round General Hunter's rear, which was very +open, and to act as a support upon which General Hunter could fall +back in case his surprise failed and he was driven in.</p> +<p>This successful operation was accomplished with the loss of +seven men wounded.</p> +<p>The operation that followed was not, however, so successful. +Colonel Knox reported <span class="pagenum"><a name="page46" id= +"page46"></a>{46}</span> that his mounted troops had gone out eight +miles up the Newcastle road past Limit Hill, and had not met or +seen a single Boer. He suggested that the Cavalry Brigade should go +out and capture and burn the Boer stores at Elandslaagte Station. +They proceeded to carry out the suggestion, starting at 7 a.m., but +they fell in with a large force of Boers under Pepworth Hill who +had been in their laagers when the reconnaissance was made and had +thus escaped detection. They came under heavy musketry fire as well +as shell fire, and retired back to Ladysmith with a loss of three +killed and fifteen wounded.</p> +<p>On December 10th an attack on Devon Post was expected, and +precautions taken accordingly. The attack, however, did not come +off.</p> +<p>On the night of December 10th the Rifle Brigade made a sortie +and blew up a Boer big gun on Surprise Hill. This attack was +admirably planned and carried out, but the losses sustained by the +Rifle Brigade were heavy, being fourteen killed and fifty wounded +out of the five companies employed. The Boers attacked them as they +were retiring; there was a good <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page47" id="page47"></a>{47}</span> deal of indiscriminate firing, +and the bayonet was freely used. The Boers lost considerably, +partly in the general mix-up, from their own fire, and partly owing +to the close-quarter combat with the Rifle Brigade.</p> +<p>The Regiment, with other troops, was ordered out with all +baggage on the night of the 12th, the rendezvous being the iron +bridge on the Vanreenen's Pass road. On arrival there the order was +received to go home. This was supposed to be a rehearsal for a +sortie. On December 13th General Buller's guns were heard for the +first time due south from Ladysmith, and at 8 p.m. the Regiment and +transport were inspected by Colonel Knox to see if everything was +complete and in readiness to move out, and on the 14th the Regiment +was placed with other troops in a flying column formed under the +personal command of Sir George White.</p> +<p>It was expected by all that General Buller would relieve the +Ladysmith garrison on December 15th.</p> +<p>The following day, December 15th, a very heavy cannonade +commenced at 6 a.m. in the direction of Colenso; and at 7 a.m. a +heliograph <span class="pagenum"><a name="page48" id= +"page48"></a>{48}</span> message was sent into Ladysmith which told +the garrison that "the Boers are suffering terribly from our thirty +guns and 23,000 men." The cannonade ceased at about 1 p.m.</p> +<p>This day the meat ration was reduced to 9 oz. per man, but 1-1/4 +lb. of bread per man was still being issued.</p> +<p>December 16th being Dingaan's Day, the garrison of Ladysmith was +treated to heavy shell fire at daybreak.</p> +<p>On December 17th the Regiment and the Gordon Highlanders were +told off as reserve battalions under the immediate orders of Sir +George White.</p> +<p>It was officially given out that Sir R. Buller had been unable +to make good his advance at Colenso, and that the garrison must be +prepared to hold on for another two weeks. The orders publishing +this news stated that the "Lieutenant-General regrets to have to +announce that the Lieutenant-General Commanding-in-Chief in South +Africa failed to make good his first attack on Colenso; +reinforcements will therefore not arrive as early as expected."</p> +<p>On the evening of December 18th the Regiment <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page49" id="page49"></a>{49}</span> gave over +the good works they had completed on Devon Post and Cemetery Hill +to the Liverpool Regiment, and moved into the latter's camp at +Tunnel Hill, or, as it was otherwise known, Railway Cutting +Camp.</p> +<hr /> +<p>Helpmakaar Hill, on account of being so exposed, had, at the +commencement of the siege, been considered indefensible and +untenable.</p> +<p>Under the vigorous superintendence of Colonel Knox, the +commandant of the section who planned the defences, the works on +this hill had by now been almost completed by the officers and men +of the Battalion.</p> +<p>The defences were as complete as possible—flanking works, +covered ways, splinter and shell-proof covers were dug or erected, +and the main trenches had been turned into defensible barracks with +head cover to keep off the rain.</p> +<p>It was possible to proceed from the reserve under Cemetery Hill +up to and round the front and main works, and round the other side +of the hill back to the reserve again, without once coming into +view from the Boer <span class="pagenum"><a name="page50" id= +"page50"></a>{50}</span> positions on Gun Hill, Bulwana, or +elsewhere, a six-feet covering wall having been built for this +purpose. It was thus possible to send reinforcements to any part of +the works without exposure to fire or view.</p> +<p>During the siege this post was never attacked or seriously +threatened.</p> +<p>The Regiment, being now in the general reserve, was ordered to +be ready to jump into mule wagons, and be carted at a gallop to any +place where they might be required, at any moment, and on the 20th +the manoeuvre was put into execution.</p> +<p>It was not altogether a success.</p> +<p>At dusk the Regiment proceeded to the railway station and the +men were duly loaded up in the wagons. A start was then made, but +as the second wagon nearly took the whole station with it in its +endeavours to negotiate the first corner of the galvanized iron +goods shed, no great speed was effected, for this wagon and the +demolished corner of the shed blocked all further egress from the +station till the road was cleared. Shortly afterwards the wagons, +at last let loose, came into contact with the two city filth carts, +the "Powerful" <span class="pagenum"><a name="page51" id= +"page51"></a>{51}</span> and "Terrible," which were parading about +the streets on their own. These exceedingly powerful ironclads +completed the defeat of the mule wagons, upset finally their order +of going, and the retirement was effected in detachments. The +manoeuvre was never repeated.</p> +<p>Wonderful tales and reports were continually being circulated +from day to day. On one day there would perhaps be no news of any +value, followed on the next day by the most woeful tidings; but on +the third day, as if ashamed of themselves for furnishing such bad +news the previous day, the tale-bearers would turn the winter of +its discontent into the most glorious summer, by sending forth to +the garrison shaves bubbling over with pleasing items.</p> +<p>On the evening of the 21st a heliograph message was received +from the 2nd Battalion, which was with Sir Redvers Buller, stating +that at the Colenso fight on the 15th December Colonel Bullock, +Major Walter, and Lieutenant Smyth-Osbourne had been taken +prisoners, and Captains Goodwyn, Vigors, and Radcliffe and +Lieutenants Gardiner and Storey wounded.</p> +<p>After standing to arms daily at 4.15 a.m. <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page52" id="page52"></a>{52}</span> till +daylight, the Regiment was employed in building long stone +traverses, behind which the men were to live, and this work was +carried on again in the evening after dark by the light of candles. +The dimensions of the traverses were sixty yards long, eight feet +high, six feet (of stonework) thick at the top, and nine feet of +stonework at the base, the earth from a ditch in front being thrown +up at an angle of 1/1. They had a topping of sand-bags, with +intervals for air passage; and a tent, stretched lengthways from +the top down to ground, afforded the men shelter and +accommodation.</p> +<p>On December 22nd a serious catastrophe happened to a party of +the Gloucester Regiment, who were quartered in a small traverse +near those occupied by the Regiment. A shell caught the whole party +of twelve men as they were sitting away from the cover of the +traverse. Five were killed, four died of their wounds almost +immediately, and three were severely wounded.</p> +<p>A man with a telescope was now placed on the look-out, with +orders to blow a whistle if he saw the big gun on Bulwana turned +towards <span class="pagenum"><a name="page53" id= +"page53"></a>{53}</span> the lines when firing; and as the shell +took about thirty seconds from the time of the discharge to reach +its mark, the warning gave the men time to get under cover.</p> +<p>There were frequently some very amusing incidents when the +look-out man blew his whistle. One morning whilst the business at +the orderly-room was being conducted, and a culprit being told off, +the whistle gave warning that the gun on Bulwana had fired, and in +the direction of Tunnel Hill. As all could not get inside the +orderly-room shelter, which was merely a hole dug into the side of +the hill, there was a general scuttle and <i>sauve qui peut</i>. +One officer, trying to get into the orderly-room from outside, ran +into another who was escaping from it to get into the first +traverse, and each tumbled over the other. The Quartermaster, +trying to crawl on his hands and knees under the tenting of the +second traverse, got blocked out, and at the same time shut out +another officer flying for safety. At the same moment a man jumped +from above on the Quartermaster's back, and he, fancying that it +was the shell and that his end had come, gave himself up for lost. +All, however, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page54" id= +"page54"></a>{54}</span> ended happily for the immediate +neighbourhood, for the look-out man had made a mistake, and the +shell, instead of arriving at Tunnel Hill, crashed into the +town.</p> +<p>All these incidents and accidents, individually very serious at +the time, were always amusing in the telling as soon as the tyranny +was overpast, and, resulting in a hearty laugh, helped to relieve +the strain.</p> +<p>The London <i>Gazette</i> of October 9th was signalled into +Ladysmith by the 2nd Battalion. This stated: "Major Park to be +Lieutenant-Colonel; Davies, 2nd-in-Command; Ellicombe, Major; +Radcliffe, Captain."</p> +<p>A list of prices at this time in Ladysmith at the public auction +is of interest:—</p> +<p>Eggs per dozen, 11s. 6d.<br /> +Small vegetable marrow, 1s. 6d.<br /> +Twelve small carrots, 2s. 6d.<br /> +Small water melon (worth 1d.), 6s. 6d.<br /> +Condensed milk per tin, 5s. 6d.<br /> +Fifty-two small potatoes, £1 10s.<br /> +Chickens, each, 8s.<br /> +Ducks, 13s. 6d.<br /> +Dutch butter in tins, 6s. 6d. per lb.<br /> +1/2d. Manilla cigars, 1s.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page55" id="page55"></a>{55}</span> +<p>There was no English smoking tobacco obtainable, and one bottle +of whisky changed hands at £5 10s.</p> +<p>December 25th, Christmas Day.</p> +<p>"Hark, the herald angels sing!" was forcibly brought to notice +by the whistling of shells passing overhead at daylight. No Divine +Service was therefore held. The garrison received the following +message from Her Majesty the Queen: "I wish you and all my brave +soldiers and sailors a happy Christmas. God protect and bless you +all.—V.R.I." In the evening there was a soldiers' sing-song +in the lines, which was finished off by three most hearty cheers +for Her Majesty. Christmas Day completed the eighth week of the +siege.</p> +<p>The losses which the 2nd Battalion sustained at Colenso were +heliographed into Ladysmith. These were 15 N.C.O.'s and 10 men +killed, 72 wounded, and 33 taken prisoners. This was in addition to +the officers wounded and taken prisoners already mentioned.</p> +<p>On December 27th, shortly after breakfast, a shell from the big +gun from Bulwana pitched and burst in the officers' mess shelter, +where <span class="pagenum"><a name="page56" id= +"page56"></a>{56}</span> fourteen officers had taken cover on the +whistle being blown. Lieutenant A.F. Dalzel was killed and the +following were wounded:—</p> +<p>Lieutenant P.H. Price-Dent, dangerously in the head.<br /> +Lieutenant Caffin, dangerously in arm and shoulder.<br /> +Lieutenant Byrne, slightly.<br /> +Lieutenant Tringham, slightly.<br /> +Lieutenant Kane, slightly.<br /> +Lieutenant Scafe, slightly.<br /> +Lieutenant Twiss, slightly.<br /> +Lieutenant Blunt, slightly.<br /> +Captain Lafone, slightly.<br /> +Private Laycock, mess waiter, slightly.</p> +<p>The wounded were taken into the Railway Cutting and there cared +for. They were then sent down to hospital in a church in the town. +Lieutenant Dalzel was buried that night in the cemetery after dark +during a heavy thunderstorm and in torrents of rain.</p> +<p>The men had a bad experience on the night of the 29th. The rain +flooded their bivouacs, and the morning found blankets and clothes +floating about in the water in the trenches. <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page57" id="page57"></a>{57}</span> Later on, +however, the weather cleared, the sun came out, and everything was +soon dried.</p> +<a name="illus-wet-night" id="illus-wet-night"></a> +<center><img width="600" height="357" src="images/wet-night.png" +alt="After a Wet Night in the Traverses, Ladysmith" /></center> +<center>After a Wet Night in the Traverses, Ladysmith</center> +<p>At the latter end of December marksmen were sent out daily to +the hill-tops some 1000 yards in front of the line of forts to act +as countersnipers to the Boers, who continually fired at the +grazing guards. One man was hit twice in one day by a Boer sniper, +but only slightly wounded. It would appear from a letter written by +a Boer that these marksmen made it very uncomfortable for the Boer +snipers. In the letter, which was afterwards published in a Boer +newspaper, the correspondent, writing to a friend in Pretoria, +said: "I and my two comrades went out this morning to fire into the +English position. We had only just got to our hiding-place when one +of my comrades was shot dead; shortly after, my other comrade was +badly wounded, and I lay down and hid the whole day till dark, when +I got back to the laager." This would go to prove that, comparing +him with the Boer, the British infantry soldier is not such a +duffer with his weapon as some of those in authority were in the +habit of asserting.</p> +<p>There was a good deal of musketry fire <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page58" id="page58"></a>{58}</span> whilst the +scouts were out, and it was supposed that shots were being +exchanged with the Boer snipers; but when the marksmen, who were +posted on the hills near the Orange Free State Junction Station and +just above the abandoned piggery, came back with portions of the +carcasses of pigs, it was evident that all the firing had not been +at Transvaal Boers.</p> +<p>Lieutenant Price-Dent died at 6 a.m. on the 31st December in the +Intombi Hospital. It was found that a piece of shell had penetrated +his brain and lodged there. He was buried in the Intombi +cemetery.</p> +<p>Up to the end of December things had been going fairly well with +the besieged. The Regiment had had plenty of hard work to keep them +fit, although they had been exposed to the elements and had had to +rough it considerably. But nothing in the way of disease had +troubled them. With the advent of January, however, whether it was +from want of exercise or from the surroundings of their new camp, +disease in the form of fever and dysentery became rife. They had +been situated formerly for the most part on a well-drained +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page59" id="page59"></a>{59}</span> +kopje, whereas now they were down on the flat, and in a position +that was not altogether healthy. There were no longer any comforts +in the shape of tobacco, etc., and the news given to them from the +outside world in the place of food was of so poor a quality that +the men's minds as well as their bodies were becoming affected.</p> +<p>The Regiment kept heart under the depressing circumstances in a +wonderful manner, and when Sir Redvers Buller kept putting off his +arrival from day to day and week to week, the news that he was +coming at last was generally received with a smile as if it was +rather a joke.</p> +<p>The Boers were very busy on New Year's Day, 1900. It was +supposed that a number of excursion trains filled with the youth +and beauty of the Transvaal had arrived, and consequently the young +Boer blood was all for showing off. The big gun on Bulwana threw in +the aggregate during the day 1-1/2 tons of iron into the town, with +the result that two men were killed. There was likewise a good deal +of sniping, chiefly at the Indian "grass cuts."</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page60" id="page60"></a>{60}</span> +<p>One shell thrown into Ladysmith on New Year's Day had engraved +on it "Compliments of the season," and contained a bursting charge +of liquorice in the place of melinite, and a paper on which was +written:—</p> +<blockquote> +<p>"Good morning Mr. Franchise, don't be so cowardly to stay in +holes, ye brave hero.</p> +<p class="i6">"Your faithfully,<br /> +"SMALL LONG TOM."</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Another blind shell picked up was full of sweetmeats.</p> +<p>Messages of good wishes to the garrison were received from Her +Majesty, from Sir Redvers Buller, and from the soldiers, sailors, +and civilians of Hong Kong.</p> +<p>Sir George White came round to see the Regiment in the evening, +and informed the officers that Sir Redvers Buller would make no +move for a fortnight. This was definite news, at any rate.</p> +<p>At dawn on January 3rd most of the naval guns fired off a large +amount of shell, and there was considerable guessing amongst the +uninitiated as to what was or were the targets. Shells fell at the +foot of Bulwana, near the <span class="pagenum"><a name="page61" +id="page61"></a>{61}</span> searchlight on the top, and also near +the big gun. It was afterwards learnt that all the shells were +meant for one particular spot on Bulwana, viz. the big gun.</p> +<p>On occasions it was the duty of the Regiment to send one company +to dismount the 4.7 gun known as "Lady Anne" and place it on carts +preparatory to its being shifted elsewhere. This was easily +accomplished at the commencement of the siege in one night by 100 +men. At the end of the siege, however, owing to the weakness of the +men, the task was never completed under two nights, and then by 200 +men.</p> +<p>About this time one company of the Regiment was ordered down to +the railway station as a station and bridge guard. This was a +three-days' post, and was much appreciated, as the men, being quite +concealed amongst trees, had more freedom, and the officer in +command had a railway carriage to sleep in.</p> +<p>On January 5th the following moves took place, and as the +position of companies is important, they are given in full.</p> +<p>Three companies proceeded under Major Curry to Observation Hill +to relieve the companies <span class="pagenum"><a name="page62" id= +"page62"></a>{62}</span> of the 60th Rifles ordered to +Cæsar's Camp. One company was ordered to the railway station +as bridge guard. A half company was sent to form the Bell's Spruit +picquet, the other half remaining at the Railway Cutting. In the +early hours of January 6th three fresh companies relieved those on +Observation Hill, the latter returning to the Railway Cutting; the +two companies at the railway bridge and at Bell's Spruit stood fast +in their positions of the previous day.</p> +<p>The Boer attack of January 6th on the positions round Ladysmith +commenced on Wagon Hill at about 2.45 a.m., and the Boers were not +finally repulsed till after dark on the evening of the same +day.</p> +<p>As the great attack has been so ably described by various +authors, it will suffice here to give a rough outline of what took +place on Cæsar's Camp and Wagon Hill prior to the companies +of the Regiment reaching the latter place.</p> +<p>The Boers attacked Wagon Hill at about 2.45 a.m., and amidst a +good deal of confusion on the top, where 4:7 gun was in the act of +being mounted, gained possession of the front <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page63" id="page63"></a>{63}</span> crest. Their +attempt to take Wagon Hill itself failed. Reinforcements consisting +of two companies Gordon Highlanders and three squadrons of I.L.H. +were sent to assist the 60th Rifles, the men of the I.L.H., and the +detachment of Sappers already engaged with the Boers.</p> +<a name="illus-railway-bridge" id="illus-railway-bridge"></a> +<center><img width="550" height="397" src= +"images/railway-bridge.png" alt= +"The Railway Bridge, with Caesar's Camp in Distance, Ladysmith" /></center> +<center>The Railway Bridge, with Caesar's Camp in Distance, +Ladysmith</center> +<p>An hour later the attack on Cæsar's Camp developed. The +Manchesters were prepared for them, and one company Gordon +Highlanders was sent to reinforce. The Boers, unable to advance +against the front crest of Cæsar's Camp, attempted to turn +the flank of the Manchesters along the northern slopes. This +attempt was foiled by the advance of the one company Gordon +Highlanders, assisted by the 53rd Battery which had come into +action on the plain below. The Rifle Brigade reinforced +Cæsar's Camp at about 7 a.m., and two more companies of the +Gordons were sent there at about 2 p.m. By 10 a.m. the Boers had +been pushed back off Cæsar's Camp, and Wagon Hill was +reported nearly clear.</p> +<p>Wagon Hill was further reinforced by the 18th Hussars at 10 +a.m.</p> +<p>At 1 p.m. the Boers, who had always hung <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page64" id="page64"></a>{64}</span> on to their +crest line, again attempted to rush Wagon Hill point, and though +they gained a temporary advantage failed to establish +themselves.</p> +<p>Sir George White ordered that the hill should be cleared of +Boers at all costs before nightfall, and he sent the 5th Lancers +and 19th Hussars to support the troops already at Wagon Hill, and +at the same time three companies of the Devons were ordered to +proceed there with all dispatch.</p> +<p>At 10 a.m. the three companies of the Devons, which were in +camp, commanded respectively by Captain W.B. Lafone, Lieutenant +Masterson with Lieutenant Walker, and Lieutenant Field, the whole +commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Park, had been ordered to proceed +to the camp near Iron Bridge vacated that morning by the Gordon +Highlanders, to be ready as a reserve if wanted.</p> +<p>At about 3.30 p.m. these three companies received orders to +proceed at once to Wagon Hill to reinforce Colonel Ian Hamilton's +command and to push on, as help was urgently required. The +Adjutant, Captain H.S.L. Ravenshaw, was sent back to camp to order +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page65" id="page65"></a>{65}</span> +rations and water to be sent out. Wagon Hill was reached at 4.45 +p.m., and it was then ascertained that the 5th Lancers and 19th +Hussars had already been merged into the firing line, and that a +party of forty or fifty Boers were still in possession of the hill +some 100 yards in front of the ridge held by the Imperial Light +Horse, and directly in front of where the three companies were then +halted under cover, that these Boers had been holding on all day +there and inflicting great loss, and that our troops had been +unable to dislodge them. Colonel Park was asked if he could turn +them out by rushing them with the bayonet. He answered, "We will +try." After the three companies had been formed up in column with +bayonets fixed and magazines charged, Colonel Park gave the order +to advance at fifty paces interval in quick time, and when the top +of the ridge was reached to charge the position occupied by the +Boers.</p> +<p>The charge took place in a blinding hail-storm, a time well +chosen, as the hail was beating into the faces of the Boers. The +men, before reaching the place where they formed up for the charge, +were wet through, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page66" id= +"page66"></a>{66}</span> and had put on their warm coats which they +had carried strapped on to their belts.</p> +<p>When the storm was at its height, Colonel Park gave the order to +charge. Lieutenant Field, who commanded the leading company, rushed +forward up the slope, shouting, "Company, double charge!" He was +immediately followed at a distance of about ten yards by +Masterson's company, which was immediately followed by Lafone's. As +they got to the top of the crest they came in view of the sangar of +rocks held by the I.L.H. At the corner of this they had to change +direction half right, and the moment they reached it came under +fire from the Boers. There was necessarily some crowding at this +corner, owing to the change of direction, and the fact that the +companies in their eagerness had followed so soon the one behind +the other. There was, however, no halting, no dwelling here. On +they went to reach their goal, 130 yards away, over perfectly flat +open ground, fired into at short range from right, left, and front. +Three-parts of the way across Park directed the rear company more +to the right, the position the Boers occupied being in a +semicircle.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page67" id="page67"></a>{67}</span> +<a name="illus-colonel-park" id="illus-colonel-park"></a> +<center><img width="300" height="443" src="images/colonel-park.png" +alt="Lieut.-Colonel C.W. Park" /></center> +<center>Lieut.-Colonel C.W. Park</center> +<p>The enemy held on, firing most heavily, until the charging lines +were within fifteen yards of them, and then ran down the slope and +disappeared behind a ridge of rocks some forty yards ahead, beyond +which the ground was dead and fell steeply away to the front. +Almost before the men could be secured in the position they had +won, bullets began to come in quickly from the right and left, and +the cover of the rocks had to be sought as several men were hit. A +few of the Boers who had been dislodged also crept back to the low +ridge of rocks in front and began firing, and it was at this time +that Captain Lafone and Lieutenant Field were hit. Lieutenant +Walker, Somerset Light Infantry, and about thirty-five men were hit +during the charge. Colonel Park was then the only officer left, the +three companies being commanded by non-commissioned officers.</p> +<p>Lieutenant Walker was one of the last shot dead in the charge. +He was shot through the head (as were most of the killed) within +fifteen yards of the kopje held by the Boers.</p> +<p>Lieutenant Field rushed forward beyond this kopje and lay down +in the open and commenced <span class="pagenum"><a name="page68" +id="page68"></a>{68}</span> firing at the Boers at the crest just +in front. He was very shortly afterwards shot through the head.</p> +<p>Captain Lafone was shot shortly before Lieutenant Field. He was +in the act of firing at the time, taking aim, and was shot by a +Boer lying in the grass some twenty-five yards away on his right +rear. Before he was killed he had suggested to Lieutenant Masterton +that some one should go back to the I.L.H. sangar to ask them to +direct their fire on to some Boers on the left front; these were +firing into the dead and wounded who had been hit during the charge +and left out in the open.</p> +<p>Lieutenant Masterton at once volunteered, and started to run +back over the 130 yards. He got most of the way across when he was +hit in the legs by a bullet, but he continued his course, and being +struck again fell, and was dragged behind cover by the I.L.H. He +delivered his message.</p> +<p>The position won was held until the Boers retired under cover of +darkness. The men were then placed in defensive positions, and +picquets told off.</p> +<p>The wounded were subsequently cared for, <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page69" id="page69"></a>{69}</span> and the dead +left where they had fallen till daylight.</p> +<p>Colonel Park described the fire of the Boers as like the crackle +of a piece of gorse in a blazing fire. Colour-Sergeant Palmer, who +so greatly distinguished himself both during and after the charge, +said the air was hot with bullets. His rifle was shot in two at the +lower band as he was taking aim, splinters grazing his face and +hands. Half the survivors had their clothing shot through, and the +majority of the killed were found to have been hit two or three +times.</p> +<p>The strength of the force was 5 officers and 184 +non-commissioned officers and men, of whom 3 officers and 14 men +were killed and 1 officer and 34 men were wounded.</p> +<p>Although the loss was great, viz. nearly one-third of the total +number, it is a matter of surprise that more were not hit during +the run of 130 yards, exposed as they were for about three minutes +to magazine fire at a point-blank range. It can be accounted for by +the fact that the Boers crouching behind the rocks were rather +below than above the level of the men, and their fire being +consequently <span class="pagenum"><a name="page70" id= +"page70"></a>{70}</span> directed upwards, the bullets passed high +and over the heads of the charging companies. This would explain +why the majority of the killed were shot through the head. +Lieutenant Walker was hit in the chin, the bullet cutting his +chin-strap and passing out at the back and top of his head.</p> +<p>The following morning, as the men were collecting and parading +preparatory to marching back to the railway cutting, Sir George +White rode up and addressed them. Shaking Colonel Park by the hand +he said: "I congratulate and thank you for the splendid work you +and your men did yesterday. It was magnificently done. I am afraid +you suffered very heavily, but you must remember that such work as +that cannot be done for the Empire without loss."</p> +<p>Whilst the three companies were performing such gallant deeds on +the southern defences, the three companies under Major Curry were +holding their own on the north-west defences at Observation +Hill.</p> +<p>The Boers attacked this post heavily in the morning, and were +supported by six field-guns, which were supposed to have been the +Colenso <span class="pagenum"><a name="page71" id= +"page71"></a>{71}</span> guns of General Buller's army, shrapnel +being continually burst with excellent precision over the +defences.</p> +<a name="illus-battery-hill" id="illus-battery-hill"></a> +<center><img width="800" height="228" src="images/battery-hill.png" +alt="Naval Battery Hill, Ladysmith" /></center> +<center>Naval Battery Hill, Ladysmith</center> +<center><img width="800" height="224" src= +"images/wagon-hill-monument.png" alt= +"Monument Erected to Devons on Wagon Hill, On Spot Where the Charge Took Place, Ladysmith" /> +</center> +<center>Monument Erected to Devons on Wagon Hill, On Spot Where the +Charge Took Place, Ladysmith</center> +<p>The account of the fighting which took place is told in Major +Curry's own words:—</p> +<p>"The battle of Ladysmith commenced between 2 and 3 a.m. on +Cæsar's Camp and soon we were engaged all round. The three +companies which had proceeded to Observation Hill originally had +just been relieved by three fresh companies. At about 4 a.m. +Lieutenant Emerson reported to me that there was a party of Boers +to his front, that he had fired on them, and that they had retired. +I thought it was the usual picquet and that they had gone right +back (it was too dark to see much); but such was not the case, for +they had concealed themselves in a fold in the ground about 300 +yards to our front. Their strength must have been between seventy +and eighty.</p> +<p>"The enemy brought fire to bear on us from a 40-pounder +howitzer, a field-gun, and a hotchkiss on Surprise Hill, and from +one or two field-guns on the hill to our right over Hyde's Farm. +They pounded away all the morning, and brought a continuous rifle +fire <span class="pagenum"><a name="page72" id= +"page72"></a>{72}</span> on our position as well. At about 9.30 +a.m. I heard a rattle of musketry from our centre work, and when I +went up there I found that the enemy, who had concealed themselves +in the fold in the ground in the early morning, had advanced right +up the hill and had got within a few yards of our sangars before +being seen. We killed nine and wounded twelve. They retired again +to their cover, where they remained for the greater part of the +day, slipping away by ones and twos back to their position. At +about 4 p.m. a tremendous thunder and hail storm came on, which +blotted out everything. The fire, which had ceased as the storm +came on, was not renewed. Our loss was two killed by rifle fire, +when the Boers made their attack. Our sangars were frequently +breached by the 40-lb. shell during the day, but there was no loss +from shell fire."</p> +<p>These three companies were relieved by the Leicesters the next +evening.</p> +<p>Lieutenant Masterson was rewarded with the Victoria Cross, and +the following is the official account of his gallant +deed:—</p> +<p>"During the action at Wagon Hill, on the 6th January, 1900, +Lieutenant Masterson <span class="pagenum"><a name="page73" id= +"page73"></a>{73}</span> commanded with the greatest gallantry and +dash one of the three companies of his regiment, which charged a +ridge held by the enemy, and captured the position.</p> +<p>"The companies were then exposed to a most heavy and galling +fire from the right and left front. Lieutenant Masterson undertook +to give a message to the Imperial Light Horse, who were holding a +ridge some hundred yards behind, to fire to the left front and +endeavour to check the enemy's fire.</p> +<p>"In taking this message he crossed an open space of a hundred +yards, which was swept by a most heavy cross fire, and although +badly wounded in both thighs managed to crawl in and deliver his +message before falling exhausted into the Imperial Light Horse +trench. His unselfish heroism was undoubtedly the means of saving +several lives."</p> +<p>The gallant conduct of Colour-Sergeant Palmer was brought to +notice under the following circumstances: When three companies of +the Regiment were ordered to charge the ridge held by the enemy on +Wagon Hill on January 6th, 1900, Colour-Sergeant Gilbert Palmer was +with the leading company, and he <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page74" id="page74"></a>{74}</span> at once dashed out to the +front with most conspicuous bravery, and went straight for the +point from which the heaviest fire was coming. The enemy ran before +they were reached, but the three companies were exposed to a +galling fire from the right, left, and front. Colour-Sergeant +Palmer got behind a rock and shot several of the enemy, at the same +time keeping a constant eye upon his own men, telling them when and +where to fire, and when to take cover. When all the company +officers were either killed or wounded, he at once recognized his +position as senior non-commissioned officer, and was invaluable in +getting orders passed to the other companies, and in superintending +the men till dark, when the enemy retired. He then, acting under +orders, personally placed the outpost line, saw to the collection +of the dead and wounded, and, in fact, rendered invaluable +assistance in every way.</p> +<p>His dash and pluck during the bayonet charge, his coolness and +steady courage under a heavy cross fire, and the power of command +and of quick and correct judgment displayed by him were most +brilliant. Colour-Sergeant <span class="pagenum"><a name="page75" +id="page75"></a>{75}</span> Palmer's name was previously brought to +notice for gallant conduct at the battle of Elandslaagte on October +21st, 1899, so that this made the second occasion on which he +conspicuously distinguished himself.</p> +<p>The names of the following non-commissioned officers and men +were also brought to notice for gallantry on the +occasion:—</p> +<p>Lance-Corporal Gilbert Young.<br /> + Frank John Rowe.<br /> +Private Henry Brimmicombe.<br /> + R.G. Hansford.<br /> + E. Norman.<br /> + H. Cox.</p> +<p>The following message from Her Majesty the Queen was received by +Sir George White for promulgation:—</p> +<p>"To Sir George White,</p> +<p>"Ladysmith.</p> +<p>"Warmly congratulate you and all under your command on your +brilliant success. Greatly admire conduct of Devonshire +Regiment.</p> +<p>V.R.I."</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page76" id="page76"></a>{76}</span> +<p>The following telegram was also received:—</p> +<p>"O/C Devon Regiment,</p> +<p>"Railway Cutting.</p> +<p>"G.O.C. directs me to convey direct to you the following message +from Sir R. Buller:—</p> +<p>"'Congratulate all troops on gallant defence, especially Devon +Regiment.'"</p> +<p>The losses sustained by the garrison of Ladysmith on the 6th +January were:—</p> +<pre> + Killed. Wounded. +Officers 18 25 + +Men 150 224 + +Total killed and wounded, 417. +</pre> +<p>By the death of Captain Lafone the Regiment lost one of the +kindest-hearted and best officers that ever led a company.</p> +<p>The Boers' losses are estimated at 64 killed and 119 wounded. +This estimate may be considered low, for the <i>Standard and +Diggers' News</i>, copies of which were found later on in the war, +gave six full-length columns of killed and wounded amongst the +various commandos.</p> +<p>A large donga was utilized by the Boers as a dressing station. +The violent storm on the <span class="pagenum"><a name="page77" id= +"page77"></a>{77}</span> afternoon of the 6th filled all the dry +dongas and turned them at once into mountain torrents. It is said +that all the wounded Boers in this donga were swept out into the +Klip River and drowned. The dead of the Regiment were buried with +those of other regiments, in a grave under Wagon Hill. Captain +Lafone and Lieutenant Field were buried in the cemetery in +Ladysmith.</p> +<p>On the morning of January 8th all the wounded were sent by train +to Intombi Camp, including Lieutenant Masterson, who was doing +well.</p> +<p>On January 9th the Regiment was concentrated at the railway +cutting, the company at the railway station having been permanently +relieved from the post by a company of the Liverpool Regiment. The +battalion was thus ready to be moved to any portion of the defences +requiring assistance, in case of attack.</p> +<p>The estimation in which the battalion was held at this time by +the Ladysmith garrison was well borne out by a remark made by Sir +George White. "The Devons," he said, "have never failed me yet. On +the 6th they held one place and took another."</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page78" id="page78"></a>{78}</span> +<p>A scare in the evening that the Boers were to attack again in +the morning caused various preparations to be made for their +advent. The garrison stood to arms at 3.15 a.m. awaiting the +attack.</p> +<p>It is a curious fact that the Regiment was never ordered to +stand to arms in the morning before three o'clock at any time +previous to or after the 6th January, and the only time the Boers +made a night attack they did so at 2.15 a.m. This was on January +6th, on which day the Regiment was ordered to stand to arms at 4.15 +a.m.</p> +<p>During the night of January 9th-10th the naval guns fired in the +direction of Surprise Hill, and whilst this was proceeding the +mountain battery's two remaining guns also threw some star shell in +the same direction. The Boers were hugely elated at the sight of +the star shell. This was probably the first time they had seen +them. They turned their searchlight on to the stars when they fell +on the ground, and cheered lustily. They evidently considered that +it was a performance got up for their special entertainment by +Messrs. Brock and Co., direct from the Crystal Palace.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page79" id="page79"></a>{79}</span> +<p>The cause of all this shell fire was not known, but it would +appear as if information had been received that the Boers had been +collecting at the back of Surprise Hill the evening before, with a +view to a renewed attack. Nothing, however, in the shape of an +attack occurred, and at 3 a.m. firing ceased, and the sun rose in +the morning in tranquillity.</p> +<p>On the 11th three messages were received by the garrison +congratulating them on their good work of January 6th: one from the +Governor of Natal, one from Valparaiso, and one from General +Buller. The last named stated in his telegram that he would relieve +Ladysmith as soon as possible.</p> +<p>It was stated that Sir George White had heliographed to Sir +Redvers Buller informing him that there were over 2000 sick and +wounded in Intombi Hospital Camp, that he could not hold out for +much longer, and that he must not expect any assistance from him +when he made his effort. Sir Redvers Buller had replied that he was +sparing no effort to push forward, and that he hoped to be ready +soon.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page80" id="page80"></a>{80}</span> +<p>The number of patients in the Intombi Hospital Camp had +increased by January 10th to—</p> +<p>Over 400 cases of dysentery;<br /> + 600 cases of enteric fever;<br /> + 200 cases not yet diagnosed, but probably enteric fever;<br /> + 800 cases wounded and various.</p> +<p>The daily rations of the garrison now consisted of 1/2 lb. of +tinned meat and 1 lb. of bread per man.</p> +<p>Had it not been for the Indian Contingent there would have been +no flour at all in Ladysmith. All the flour, all the rum, in fact +almost everything that the garrison lived upon with the exception +of meat, was brought from India with the Indian Contingent, which +carried with it six months' supply of every description.</p> +<p>From January 12th, another duty assigned to the Regiment was the +sending of two companies every morning at two o'clock to the +examining guard on the Newcastle road, which was situated just +under the 4.7 naval gun "Lady Anne." They had orders to stop there +till <span class="pagenum"><a name="page81" id= +"page81"></a>{81}</span> 4.30 a.m. to check any rush of Boers into +Ladysmith down the Newcastle road. Later on, the ground in front of +this post was covered with barbed wire entanglement, but up to this +time there was nothing at this point to prevent the Boers galloping +right into the town.</p> +<a name="illus-peaceful-sunday" id="illus-peaceful-sunday"></a> +<center><img width="475" height="347" src= +"images/peaceful-sunday.png" alt= +"A Peaceful Sunday: Klip River and Camp of the Imperial Light Horse, Ladysmith" /> +</center> +<center>A Peaceful Sunday: Klip River and Camp of the Imperial +Light Horse, Ladysmith</center> +<p>As these two companies went to their places on the 12th, the +Boer searchlight on Bulwana was flashing everywhere, and the +mountain guns throwing star shell. It looked as if both sides +expected an attack. The officer commanding the two companies had +orders to operate on the flank of any attack made on the northern +defences.</p> +<p>On the following morning the garrison was told that General +Buller was moving round by Springfield; in the evening it was given +out that he was moving west of Chieveley and Colenso, and was +twelve miles from Ladysmith; and on the 14th the news came in that +he was at Potgieter's Drift, and that General Warren was across the +Tugela River; and in confirmation of this last information heavy +gun fire was heard on the 17th in the direction of Potgieters, and +the relieving army's balloon <span class="pagenum"><a name="page82" +id="page82"></a>{82}</span> was seen on the following day in the +same direction.</p> +<p>As an attack was expected on the night of the 19th on +Observation Hill, three companies of the Regiment under Major Curry +proceeded there in the evening and bivouacked, the remainder of the +Regiment being under orders to hold themselves in readiness to +proceed there at a moment's notice. The night, however, passed +quietly, and the companies returned to their camp before dawn.</p> +<p>On January 20th better news was received from Sir Redvers +Buller; his advance had been very satisfactory. Reports stated that +he had reached Acton Holmes, and that four brigades had crossed the +Tugela. His shells were seen falling thickly on Thabba Nyama +mountain.</p> +<p>The tea and sugar rations were, however, cut down to half. The +health of the men began now to generally improve, probably owing to +better drinking water which was obtainable from the condenser, +recently arranged for, at the railway station.</p> +<p>Very heavy gun fire, night and day, was continually heard from +the direction of Spion <span class="pagenum"><a name="page83" id= +"page83"></a>{83}</span> Kop and Acton Holmes, and on the 23rd a +demonstration was made from Ladysmith, the mounted troops going out +under cover of the fire of all the guns. The Ladysmith guns on all +the fronts opened, but were answered only by the Boer guns on Gun +Hill and Bulwana. There was but little musketry fire from Pepworth +direction, and Surprise Hill seemed deserted.</p> +<p>Still no relief appeared, and the rations were:—</p> +<p>12 oz. of beef,<br /> +1 lb. of bread.<br /> +Half ration of sugar.<br /> +Half ration of tea.</p> +<p>An order published on the 23rd gave hope:—</p> +<p>"Sir George White has received further satisfactory news as to +Sir R. Buller's advance. The relief of Ladysmith may be said to be +within measurable distance."</p> +<p>Very heavy gun fire was heard from 3 a.m. on the 24th till 2 +p.m., and in the evening further encouragement was +circulated:—</p> +<p>"Reassuring news has been received from Sir R. Buller."</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page84" id="page84"></a>{84}</span> +<p>No news from the relieving army was received on the 25th. Heavy +firing continued, and in the evening the Boers were seen trekking +from the direction of Spion Kop, all the laagers on the rear slopes +of the mountain clearing off and making for Vanreenen's Pass and +Newcastle. In fact, the whole country round Spion Kop seemed about +to be hurriedly abandoned by the Boers. Great excitement prevailed +in Ladysmith.</p> +<p>An investigation of the slopes of Spion Kop through the glasses +at daybreak on the following morning proved, however, +disappointing, for the laagers which had cleared off the night +before were back again in their places. Moreover, the Boers round +Ladysmith were very truculent on the morning of the 26th, which +necessitated the garrison standing to arms till 6 a.m.</p> +<p>Prices at the weekly auction had gone up considerably.</p> +<p>Two vegetable marrows were sold for 5s. 6d.</p> +<p>Pumpkins fetched 2s. 6d. each.</p> +<p>A small plate of potatoes reached 11s.</p> +<p>Whilst four sticks (4 oz.) of black tobacco, <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page85" id="page85"></a>{85}</span> "Fair-maid" +brand, changed hands at £5 10s.</p> +<p>From now till the end of the siege two companies of the Regiment +were moved to a healthier spot, known as the "Convalescent Camp." +It was situated at the eastern end of Convent Hill. This post was +relieved weekly, and as the men were concealed and in a healthier +position the change was much appreciated.</p> +<p>On the morning of January 27th a native runner brought in news. +His account was:—</p> +<p>"Boers lost heavily from artillery fire on Wednesday, and say +that the British artillery is too much for them. I saw six field +cornets dead on one wagon. Some English were taken prisoners, and +they were from the left flank attack. The English attacked Spion +Kop and surrounded the base of the hill, and the Boers lost heavily +from the English shrapnel fire. When the English got to the top of +the hill the Boers ran down the other side. The Boers are much +disheartened by their losses."</p> +<p>Judging from the above, the native must <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page86" id="page86"></a>{86}</span> have then +run away and not have waited to see the finish, for in the evening +the following news came in:—</p> +<p>"Buller attacked Spion Kop, seized and occupied it, but was +driven off again the next night. Our loss is estimated at 200 +killed and 300 wounded."</p> +<p>With the knowledge that history has given the world about the +battle of Spion Kop, further comment is needless. The news above is +given as it was received by the garrison of Ladysmith, who of +course knew nothing but what was sent in in scraps by Sir Redvers +Buller, and what came in to the Intelligence Department by native +runners.</p> +<p>On the 30th the daily ration was further cut down to 1/2 lb. of +meat, 2 biscuits, 1/6 oz. of tea, and 1/2 oz. of sugar per man. +Horses, except those belonging to the artillery, went +rationless.</p> +<p>On January 31st horse-flesh was issued for the first time as a +ration.</p> +<p>One dozen whisky was raffled in the town, and fetched +£144—£1 10s. per wineglass!</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page87" id="page87"></a>{87}</span> +<p>The only news received from the outside world on February 2nd +was that—</p> +<p>"Sir R. Buller has retired behind the Tugela to rearrange, and +Sir John Lubbock has been made a peer."</p> +<p>The question asked is, Who is Lubbock, and is he connected in +any way with the evacuation of Spion Kop?</p> +<p>Some say that the news is the wrong way about, and that Lubbock +has retired and Sir R. Buller been made a peer. Confirmation of the +news was anxiously awaited.</p> +<p>Whichever way it was, in the face of the evacuation of Spion Kop +it was poor news to feed a half-starved and anxious garrison on. +However, in the meantime the big gun on Bulwana had fired his great +shells into the Railway Cutting Camp and killed the doctor's +horse.</p> +<p>About this time a decoction called "chevril" was issued to the +men. It was supplied by the 18th Hussars' horses, whose bodies were +boiled down for the purpose. It was nourishing and the men liked +it, which was a good thing. There was nothing else by which to +recommend <span class="pagenum"><a name="page88" id= +"page88"></a>{88}</span> it. The men were also allowed to go down +to the chevril factory, which was close to the station, and buy the +flesh of the horse after it had passed through the boiling process. +This did not appear appetizing, but again the men liked it, and +when cooked up with wild spinach which grew about the lines it was +considered very tasty.</p> +<p>Two items of news were received on February 4th, one being that +General Buller had again crossed the Tugela in three places and was +to be expected shortly, and the other that the garrison of +Ladysmith was to be attacked again next morning by 10,000 Boers. +Arrangements were made to meet the latter, the arrival of the +former being considered hypothetical. The garrison stood to arms at +three o'clock the following morning and anxiously awaited the dawn, +but everything went off quietly, and at 5.30 a.m. General Buller's +guns commenced in three different directions. The sound of the +heavy gun fire increased in intensity, till at 2.30 p.m. the noise +could be compared to a heavy storm with incessant thunder.</p> +<p>The Regiment was now told off as part of <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page89" id="page89"></a>{89}</span> a flying +column. This was hopeful, as it was supposed that arrangements were +being made to co-operate with the relieving army.</p> +<p>At 5.15 a.m. on the 5th Buller's guns began firing again and +continued the whole day.</p> +<p>For the next few days there was no news from the outside world. +Buller's guns were heard incessantly, and one Boer big gun was seen +firing on Dornkloof, south of Manger's Hill. A few of Buller's +lyddite shells were bursting near him, and one shell was seen to +strike his magazine and explode it.</p> +<p>On the seventh night 100 men of the Regiment were again engaged +in shifting the 4.7 gun "Lady Anne."</p> +<p>On the 9th nothing was heard of Buller's guns—perfect +silence!</p> +<p>This gave rise to all sorts of reports, one actually given out +being that Buller had taken his position and could come in at any +time he liked, but he had been stopped by a telegram from the Cape +in order to allow of Lord Roberts pushing up through the Free +State; and then both Buller and Roberts would relieve Ladysmith and +take Bloemfontein respectively <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page90" id="page90"></a>{90}</span> on the same day. And this on +the very day on which Buller was retiring south of Tugela again +from Vaal Krantz.</p> +<p>It was now considered advisable to strengthen the defences held +by the Regiment by an additional work, and the men were kept hard +at it from 7.15 p.m. till 10 p.m. A dish of chevril was served out +to each man of the working party before turning in.</p> +<p>On February 13th information was received that Buller had taken +two positions on the north side of the Tugela with small +loss—one Krantz Kloof, and the other Vaal Krantz Spruit. This +information seemed somewhat belated. A message was also received +from Lord Roberts in which he stated that he had entered the Free +State with a very large force, chiefly of artillery and cavalry, +and hoped that the pressure on Ladysmith would shortly be reduced. +Heavy gun fire commenced in the Colenso direction on the night of +February 14th, and continued with slight interruption till the +18th; and on the 15th the Boer pompom was heard in action, which +went to show that the opposing forces were not very far from each +other.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page91" id="page91"></a>{91}</span> +<p>At the last public auction ever held in the town, i.e. on the +14th evening, the prices were:—</p> +<p>Eggs, 48s. per dozen.<br /> +Vegetable marrows, 28s. each.<br /> +Mealies, 3s. 8d. each.<br /> +Pot of jam, 32s. 6d.<br /> +Crosse & Blackwell's piccalilli, 19s. 6d.<br /> +Tin of ox tongue, 20s. 6d.<br /> +2 oz. stick of cake tobacco, 22s.<br /> +Fifty cigars, 10 guineas.</p> +<p>As much as 25s. per stick was paid about this time for two +ounces of cake tobacco. No Kaffir leaf tobacco was to be bought in +the town, although as much as £5 per leaf was offered.</p> +<p>On the 15th the Railway Cutting Camp again received the +attention of the Long Tom gunners on Bulwana, who pitched some +shells into the lines, but without doing damage.</p> +<p>The news of the relief of Kimberley was received by the garrison +on February 17th, and it was reported that General French had +captured five laagers.</p> +<p>On Sunday, the 18th, the battalion and 13th <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page92" id="page92"></a>{92}</span> Battery, the +remains of the Gloucester Regiment, and the Mountain Battery +assembled as usual under "Liverpool Castle" for Divine service. The +Reverend J. Tuckey officiated. The usual "extermination" service +and prayers for the "Right" were said, the hymns chosen +being—</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>There is a blessed home</p> +<p>Beyond this land of woe;</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>and</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>There is a green hill far away,</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>sung sadly to the accompaniment of Buller's guns.</p> +<p>He appears to be nearer, and his shells have been bursting on a +hill and ridge in the distance, Colenso way.</p> +<p>The following statistics are of interest:—</p> +<p>Early in November the garrison of Ladysmith numbered about +13,500 men. During the siege there were over 10,500 admissions to +hospital.</p> +<p>Thirty-eight men had been killed by shell fire, and 430 men had +died of disease. Four shells only had accounted for nearly all the +thirty-eight.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page93" id="page93"></a>{93}</span> +<p>On February 19th news was sent in that General Buller had +captured Cingolo Mountain and Monte Christo, and that excellent +progress was being made by him. The Boers were seen trekking north +all day; and in the evening Buller's heliographs were seen flashing +from Monte Christo, and two guns on the same hill firing at the +Boers. With the exception of Buller's heliograph and balloon this +was the first occasion that the relieving army was seen from +Ladysmith.</p> +<p>On February 22nd, with the intention of finding out whether +there had been any reduction in the investing force, the Regiment +with some mounted infantry were ordered to reconnoitre in the +direction of Flag Hill. A start was made at 3.30 a.m. Some sixty +Boers were encountered, and the Regiment was ordered back to camp +at 6.15 a.m., fired at by the sixty Boers.</p> +<p>Buller's guns were heard firing incessantly all day and every +day. His shells were now seen bursting on a southern spur of +Bulwana and near Intombi Camp.</p> +<p>During the siege the Boers conceived the idea of flooding the +Ladysmith plain and the <span class="pagenum"><a name="page94" id= +"page94"></a>{94}</span> town by damming the Klip River below +Intombi Camp. This dam was commenced towards the end of the siege, +but was not completed when Ladysmith was relieved. It was a good +target for the naval 12-pounder guns on Cæsar's Camp, which +frequently fired at it. These in their turn received on such +occasions a good deal of attention from the Boer big gun on +Bulwana.</p> +<p>On the night of the 24th the 4.7 gun "Lady Anne" was again +moved; this was for the fourth and the last time. On the same night +very heavy rifle and Maxim gun fire was heard on the hills south of +Cæsar's Camp. This continued for about one hour, when the +firing was taken up by the Boer outposts all round Ladysmith, a few +bullets reaching the Convalescent Camp on Convent Hill.</p> +<p>February 27th being Majuba Day, the garrison, expecting a +demonstration from the Boers, stood to arms at 4.15 a.m., but, much +to the astonishment of everybody, not a shot was fired. General +Buller sent the garrison in the following message:—</p> +<p>"Colenso rail bridge, which was totally destroyed, is under +repair; road bridge partially <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page95" id="page95"></a>{95}</span> destroyed; am doing very well, +but the country is difficult and my progress is slow; hope to be +with you soon."</p> +<p>Official news was also received that Lord Roberts had surrounded +Cronje, who had surrendered with 4000 Boers, the English losses +being given as 1700 killed and wounded.</p> +<p>On the 28th rations were further cut down to one biscuit and +three ounces of mealies, with one pound of horse as before per man. +This was perhaps the most distressing circumstance connected with +the siege, and it had a most depressing effect. It was not so much +the reduction of the ration that was of consequence, as the reason +for the reduction. This could not be guessed at, and it gave rise +to conjectures, the chief being that Buller had again failed, and +could not get through. His shells had been seen bursting on the +hills, and that had encouraged the garrison; but the garrison had +been encouraged before by the sight of Buller's shells bursting on +Thabba Nyama. Three days previously, owing to the good news +received from Buller, the garrison had been put on full rations, +but now, after <span class="pagenum"><a name="page96" id= +"page96"></a>{96}</span> further good news, the order was +promulgated:—</p> +<p>"Highly satisfactory reports have been sent from General Buller +as to his advance, but the country is difficult and progress slow, +therefore I am obliged to reduce the ration, etc. etc."</p> +<p>This sudden cancelling of the increase of the ration, and its +still further reduction in the face of the news received and in the +sight of Buller's shells, was disappointing. Having ascertained +that the garrison could exist till April 15th and not longer, and +that then there would not be a horse, ox, or mule left, Sir George +White, much against his will, but to make things certain in case +General Buller was again checked, gave the orders for the reduction +on the day before the relief.</p> +<p>During the day the big gun on Bulwana made an attempt to reach +Observation Hill Post, which were the furthest works from him in +that direction. His attempt succeeded, and he put many shells into +the works. His record for the siege was an attempt to reach +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page97" id="page97"></a>{97}</span> +Wagon Hill. He failed in this, but his range, as measured on the +map, was 11,560 yards, or 6 miles and 1000 yards.</p> +<p>February 28th, the last day of the siege, was very hot and +oppressive; everybody seemed depressed, trying to guess at some +reason for the ration reduction. At about 2 p.m., however, Major +Riddel, brigade-major to Colonel Knox, came up to the officers' +mess smiling all over, and said that excellent news, the very best, +had come in, but that "<i>it is confidential, and I am not allowed +to say what it is</i>." He called for volunteers who were willing +and able to march seven miles and fight at the end of it. The whole +Regiment, officers and men, volunteered, but after a medical +examination had been made of the battalion, only one hundred men +were found to come up to requirements.</p> +<p>At about 3.30 p.m. the news was distributed that General Buller +had gained a complete victory over the Boers, who were in full +retreat. Hundreds of wagons were seen going off north towards +Modder Station and Vanreenens, and at 4 p.m. a derrick was seen +hoisted over the big gun on <span class="pagenum"><a name="page98" +id="page98"></a>{98}</span> Bulwana, and the naval guns opened fire +on him. The Boers dismounted him under a heavy fire from one 4.7 +and two naval 12-pounders, and got him away.</p> +<p>At 6.20 p.m. a welcome sight greeted the eyes of the weary +garrison, for suddenly out of the bush appeared two squadrons of +mounted men, riding leisurely in across the plain from the +direction of Intombi, and the truth dawned on the garrison that +Ladysmith was at last and in reality relieved.</p> +<p>The siege had lasted four calendar months to the day.</p> +<p>Frantic cheering greeted them as they crossed the ford and +reached the town.</p> +<p>On the following day a column, consisting of the Devons, Gordon +Highlanders, three batteries of artillery, all the cavalry who had +horses, and the two mounted colonial corps, the whole under the +command of Colonel W.G. Knox, sallied forth at 10 a.m. towards +Modder Station to pursue and to stop the Boers getting their big +guns away by train. On arriving abreast of Pepworth Hill, which the +Boer rear-guard had occupied, the advanced troops, consisting of +Devons and the batteries, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page99" +id="page99"></a>{99}</span> came under rather a sharp fire. All +further progress was stopped, and the column returned to camp. The +Devons had two men wounded. Camp was reached at 4.30 p.m. The +battalion was met on the way home by Major Davies, Captains Bols +and Vigors, Lieutenants Lafone and Munro, all of the 2nd Battalion. +These had ridden in from their camp, and brought with them tobacco, +whisky, rum, and milk. The companies of the 2nd Battalion sent in +to their corresponding companies tea, sugar, tobacco, matches, etc. +These were all most eagerly accepted.</p> +<p>Sir Redvers Buller and his staff rode into Ladysmith in the +afternoon.</p> +<p>Explosions at Modder Station and on the railway could be heard, +signifying that the Boers were making good their retreat by blowing +up the bridges.</p> +<p>On March 3rd General Buller made his public entry into Ladysmith +at the head of his army. The march of Buller's army through +Ladysmith was a pageant which those who took part in the siege will +never forget.</p> +<p>The garrison of Ladysmith lined the streets. <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page100" id="page100"></a>{100}</span> Sir +George White with his staff took his stand mounted, under the +damaged clock tower of the Town Hall—the Gordons on the one +hand, the Devons on the other—the Gordon pipers facing him on +the opposite side of the road.</p> +<p>It was a great sight, and those who had been through the siege +and had heard the words of their leader at the end, "Thank God we +have kept the flag flying," knew it for a great sight.</p> +<p>General Buller rode at the head of his army, and received an +immense ovation, as did all his regiments and artillery as they +passed through the lines of the weedy, sickly-looking garrison. +These with their thin, pale faces cheered to the full bent of their +power, but after standing in the sun for some time they became +exhausted, and Sir Redvers sent back word for them to sit down, +which they gladly did, whilst the relievers, as they passed along, +chucked them bits of tobacco, ready cut up, from their small store, +small because they themselves were also hard put for luxuries.</p> +<p>The tramp! tramp! of these men, who to <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page101" id="page101"></a>{101}</span> the +weakly garrison appeared as veritable giants, will never be +forgotten, as they hurried past to the strains of the Gordons' +pipes, cheering with the utmost enthusiasm the figure of Sir George +White as they passed him. They were almost to a man reservists, +well covered, hard, and well set up. They were filthy, their +clothes were mended and patched, and most of them had scrubby +beards. Tied on to their belts in almost all cases was a Boer +blanket, telling that they had been busy in some Boer laager; on +the top of this a small bundle of sticks for each man to cook his +own tea, and by his side, attached to his belt, hung his black tin +pot. But how well they looked—the picture of vigour, health, +and strength, as they "tramp, tramp"—"tramp, tramp" through +the town.</p> +<p>A corps that came in for a good deal of notice was the Bearer +Company. They were at first taken for Boer prisoners, but when it +became known who they were they were much cheered. Clad in worn-out +"slops" they slouched along, in each man's hand a pot of sorts, +enamel or china, and a bundle of something over each man's +shoulder.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page102" id= +"page102"></a>{102}</span> +<p>The meeting of the two battalions was not quite so emotional as +has been depicted by some authors. The 2nd Battalion, the +relievers, came through late at the rear of Buller's army, and by +that time the 1st Battalion, the relieved, had been in the sun, +standing or sitting down on the curbstone, for some hours, and a +great many men had fallen out exhausted. Still the meeting was very +hearty, officers recognizing men and men old comrades. There was +little time to enact the scene so graphically described by one +author "which would make old men weep." Buller's army was straggled +out a good deal and the rear had to catch up, so if a pal was seen +he was gone next moment to give way to another pal. Most of the +reservists had been through the ranks of the 1st Battalion, and +with it through the Tirah Campaign; almost all were hurriedly +recognized, and a hearty and hasty shake of the hand was all the +greeting exchanged. Old jokes came to the fore, and were bandied +from one to the other as the 2nd Battalion hurried along. There was +no time for more—one battalion was in a hurry and the other +exhausted.</p> +<a name="illus-remaining-officers" id= +"illus-remaining-officers"></a> +<center><img width="550" height="320" src= +"images/remaining-officers.png" alt= +"Devon Officers Remaining Fit for Duty at the End of the Siege (Rajab—regimental Barber)" /> +</center> +<center>Devon Officers Remaining Fit for Duty at the End of the +Siege (Rajab—regimental Barber)</center> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page103" id= +"page103"></a>{103}</span> +<p>It was well on in the day before the 1st Battalion got back to +its camp at the Railway Cutting.</p> +<p>On Sunday, March 4th, a Thanksgiving Service was held on the +flat ground between the Convent Hill and the Naval Brigade Hill, +which was attended by Generals Buller and White, and on its +conclusion the battalion moved into tents outside the works and in +front of Gloucester Post.</p> +<p>It was a strange experience moving out into the open, away from +the protection of the works. The nerves of most had had a severe +strain from want of food and continual anxiety.</p> +<p>It was the anxiety which killed. There is nothing more conducive +to the deterioration of men's minds than false alarms on an empty +stomach.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page104" id= +"page104"></a>{104}</span> +<h2><a name="chap3" id="chap3">CHAPTER III</a></h2> +<h3>EVENTS FOLLOWING THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH, AND THE ADVANCE NORTH +UNDER SIR REDVERS BULLER</h3> +<h4>1900</h4> +<p>The first few days following the relief were employed in the +sorting and reading of four months' mails and the opening up of +presents. Many complimentary telegrams were received by the +battalion from England.</p> +<p>Major Davies, Captain Bartlett, and Lieutenant Willis, all of +whom had been doing duty with the 2nd Battalion during the relief +operations, joined the battalion on the 7th with some eighty-six +men who had been sent from Jullunder.</p> +<p>The two battalions were together for a few days only, as the 2nd +Battalion after a short rest proceeded with Sir Redvers Buller's +force towards Modder Spruit.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page105" id= +"page105"></a>{105}</span> +<p>On March 10th the Ladysmith garrison was reorganized, the +battalion being placed in the 7th Brigade with the Gordon +Highlanders, the Manchester Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion Rifle +Brigade. This brigade was commanded by Colonel W.G. Knox, C.B.</p> +<p>Colonel Park, unfortunately struck down with enteric fever on +the last day of the siege, was shortly afterwards invalided to +England. In his absence Major Davies took over command of the +battalion, and Major Curry having been appointed Commandant of +Ladysmith, Captain Jacson took over the duties of +Second-in-Command. On March 14th the 7th Brigade marched to +Arcadia, seven miles out of Ladysmith on the Vanreenen's Pass road, +camping on a kopje overlooking Dewdrop Spruit. The men were then +occupied in route marching and generally getting fit.</p> +<a name="illus-general-kitchener" id="illus-general-kitchener"></a> +<center><img width="300" height="494" src= +"images/general-kitchener.png" alt= +"Brigadier-General Walter Kitchener" /></center> +<center>Brigadier-General Walter Kitchener</center> +<p>Brigadier-General Walter Kitchener arrived in camp on the 26th +March and took over the command of the 7th Brigade from Colonel +Knox, and on April 2nd the battalion, accompanied by General W. +Kitchener, marched to Brakfontein, seventeen miles distant under +Spion Kop, stopped there in camp on the 3rd, <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page106" id="page106"></a>{106}</span> when +parties of men went off to view the Boer positions on Spion Kop and +Vaal-Krantz, and returned to Arcadia on the 4th.</p> +<p>Innumerable presents were continually arriving from England for +the battalion, and the thanks of all are due especially to Mr. +Young of Torquay for the indefatigable manner in which he worked, +and for the numerous bundles and boxes of presents which he was +instrumental in collecting and dispatching both at this time and +also afterwards. All these presents were highly appreciated.</p> +<p>A draft of 180 men, consisting of reservists, section "D" +Militia Reservists, and recruits joined the battalion on the 7th; +amongst these were 120 married men.</p> +<p>At 11.30 a.m. on April 11th orders were received to move at once +into Ladysmith, which was to be reached at 2 p.m. The reason for +the sudden move was not explained. There was no transport. Out of +six wagons, the complement for a battalion on light field service +scale, there were only two in camp at the time. At Arcadia the +battalion, in common with the rest of the brigade, was allowed +tents, and told that it could have anything <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page107" id="page107"></a>{107}</span> it liked +to take with it. There was consequently a good deal more than six +carts could carry.</p> +<p>Towards evening, after the tents had been struck, packed, and +sent on ahead, and the battalion was waiting in the open for more +wagons, a most violent thunderstorm came on, lasting about two +hours. Ten men of one company which was holding a work on +Rifleman's Ridge, between Arcadia and Ladysmith, were struck by +lightning, none, however, being killed. The battalion eventually +reached camp at Star Hill, just above the iron bridge outside +Ladysmith, at 3 a.m. wet to the skin. It was found that the tents +had arrived. These were pitched and the men turned in. The greater +part of the brigade did not reach Star Hill till the following +day.</p> +<p>On the 13th the Gordons and Devons moved camp to Hyde's Farm +under Surprise Hill, the Devons proceeding next day to a camp under +Thornhill's Kopje, throwing out picquets on that hill and also on +another kopje further out towards Nicholson's Nek known as Devon +Kopje.</p> +<p>From this time till May 15th the battalion <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page108" id="page108"></a>{108}</span> remained +quietly encamped under Thornhill's Kopje. Route marching and field +days occupied the men most mornings, hockey and football most +afternoons. The men suffered a good deal at first from jaundice, +which was chiefly the result of over-eating after their long +abstinence, but they got fit and recovered their strength +gradually; it was, however, fully six weeks to two months before +they were really ready to take the field.</p> +<p>In the meantime General Buller had turned the Biggarsberg, and +the Boers had fallen back on Laing's Nek.</p> +<p>The 7th Brigade now formed part of the 4th Division under the +command of Major-General Neville Lyttleton, and on May 16th the +Regiment was ordered to proceed north to Modder's Spruit. Here it +remained till the 20th, on which day it continued its march to +Elandslaagte, and encamped near the railway station. On the 23rd, +having handed in all tents and excess baggage, the Regiment marched +to Sunday's River, where it joined up with the divisional +head-quarters, and on the following day formed the rear-guard on +the march to Black Craig Farm. Here <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page109" id="page109"></a>{109}</span> the division encamped in +the heart of the Biggarsberg.</p> +<p>Halting at Kalabis on the 25th, the division reached Ingagane on +the 26th.</p> +<a name="illus-destroyed-bridge" id="illus-destroyed-bridge"></a> +<center><img width="550" height="393" src= +"images/destroyed-bridge.png" alt= +"Railway Bridge Destroyed by Boers, Ingagane" /></center> +<center>Railway Bridge Destroyed by Boers, Ingagane</center> +<p>The brigade was now split up and placed on the line of +communications, and it was thought probable that the Regiment would +see no more fighting and that the war would soon be brought to a +conclusion. Of the four regiments in the brigade, the Manchester +Regiment had been left behind to garrison Jonono's Kop and the +railway line near Elandslaagte, the Devons were left to garrison +Ingagane on the railway, and the Rifle Brigade was at Newcastle and +between that place and Ingogo at the foot of the Laing's Nek pass. +The Gordon Highlanders were at Ingogo and guarded the railway line +still further north.</p> +<p>The Regiment itself was also split up. A detachment of one +company under Captain Travers (increased afterwards to two +companies) proceeded to occupy Dannhauser, and two companies under +Captain Bartlett were ordered to Rooi Pint on the high ground +between Ingagane and Newcastle. A battery of artillery was also +stationed at this place.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page110" id= +"page110"></a>{110}</span> +<p>The remaining companies of the Regiment, including a 9th or K +company which had been created shortly after the siege, were posted +on the low hill overlooking Ingagane railway station.</p> +<p>On June 4th the 1st Cavalry Brigade arrived to form part of the +garrison of Ingagane. This brigade was commanded by +Brigadier-General Burn Murdoch, who was in charge of the line of +communication Newcastle-Dannhauser.</p> +<p>At Ingagane Hill the Regiment found itself again employed in +building stone walls. Entrenchments against attack were considered +necessary, for it was thought probable that the Boers would attempt +to break through from the north-east of the Free State on the west +and cross into Utrecht and Vryheid districts. The real danger, +however, lay on the east, for the Vryheid district long remained a +Boer stronghold, and parties of Boers frequently raided to the +Blood River in the immediate neighbourhood of Dannhauser.</p> +<p>It was owing to this that on June 15th a second company was sent +to reinforce Captain Travers at Dannhauser. The hill selected by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page111" id= +"page111"></a>{111}</span> Captain Travers for defence overlooked +Dannhauser railway station, and commanded a large extent of ground +to the east of the post. This hill was very strongly fortified, and +the works on it, designed and built by Captain Travers and his men, +were perhaps the best works for protection against musketry fire +constructed by the Regiment during the war.</p> +<a name="illus-making-entanglement" id= +"illus-making-entanglement"></a> +<center><img width="500" height="333" src= +"images/making-entanglement.png" alt= +"Making Barbed-Wire Entanglement, Ingagane" /></center> +<center>Making Barbed-Wire Entanglement, Ingagane</center> +<p>News was received daily that thousands of Boers with dozens of +guns were on the eastern flank, with every intention of raiding, +cutting the line, and attacking Dannhauser. Dundee also, according +to the newspapers and the evidence of native scouts, was in deadly +peril from attack by Chris. Botha. It was, perhaps, on account of +these rumours that a column was formed to reconnoitre Utrecht. In +conjunction with another column which moved out from Ingogo, three +companies of the Regiment, with the Royal Dragoons and the 5th +Dragoon Guards and two field guns, moved out on the afternoon of +July 1st from Ingagane and camped at Tundega Farm. On the following +morning Tundega Hill was occupied by the infantry whilst the +cavalry reconnoitred over the Buffalo River to Utrecht, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page112" id= +"page112"></a>{112}</span> which was distant twenty miles. This +place was found occupied by about four hundred Boers, and after +some skirmishing and a good deal of firing the cavalry returned +with a loss of one Royal Dragoon taken prisoner. Next morning the +force returned to Ingagane. The operations were supposed to have +been very successful.</p> +<p>By the end of July the Regiment had quite recovered tone and +vigour, and was well and fit for any work, and on August 2nd, 1900, +orders were received to pack up and proceed by rail the following +day to Zandspruit. On the afternoon of the 3rd the Regiment +entrained in coal trucks for the north. Majuba and Laing's Nek were +passed next morning at dawn, and at 7.30 a.m. Zandspruit was +reached.</p> +<p>The strength of the battalion was now 938 of all ranks. All +tents and excess baggage had been returned to store, and on the 6th +the Regiment marched to Meerzicht, where the remainder of General +Lyttleton's 4th Division was found in bivouac. The 4th Division was +now complete and ready to march north with Sir Redvers Buller.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page113" id= +"page113"></a>{113}</span> +<p>General Buller's force moved out from Meerzicht on August 7th. +For some days previously the Boers had been occupying in force some +high ground known as Rooi Kopjes, a few miles north of Meerzicht, +and the Gordon Highlanders had already twice been slightly engaged +with them. The 7th Brigade advanced out of their camp in attack +formation, the Gordons leading the advance, the Devons in support. +Their objective was the Rooi Kopjes. These were found unoccupied, +and, having gained the summit, the 7th Brigade were ordered to make +a sweep round to the right.</p> +<p>The new objective was the high ground above Amersfoort. General +Buller's line now occupied some five miles of front. A very high +wind was blowing, and it was not for some time that the +Head-quarter Staff, who at the time were with the 7th Brigade, knew +that the artillery of the 8th Brigade, which had marched direct on +Amersfoort, were in action, firing at some Boer guns mounted on the +Amersfoort Hills. The Boers were strongly entrenched on these hills +to the number of about 3000 to 4000 with fourteen guns under +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page114" id= +"page114"></a>{114}</span> Chris. Botha and D. Joubert. The 7th +Brigade advanced across a large undulating plain, the Devons +leading. The Gordons had been sent round to the left to support +Dundonald's Mounted Brigade, who had been checked by some fifty +Boers. About 6000 yards from the position Boer shells began to fall +among the companies of the leading battalion. One half battalion +under Major Davies thereupon opened out and advanced, while the +other half battalion was sent to the left under Captain Jacson, +with orders to proceed as rapidly as possible to the assistance of +the Gordon Highlanders, who, it was reported, were being heavily +threatened by the Boers on the extreme left. With the exception of +some shell fire the main advance was continued unopposed. The left +half battalion of the Regiment had to make a very long detour, and +on its arrival to the assistance of the Gordons it was found that +the Boer force, which was threatening the left flank, was simply +Dundonald's mounted troops drawing up stationary behind some rising +ground.</p> +<p>After a stiff climb the summit of the Amersfoort Hills was +reached just before dark.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page115" id= +"page115"></a>{115}</span> +<p>It was found that the Boers had evacuated their position, on +their left flank and rear being threatened by the 8th Brigade. The +leading battalion of this brigade, the 60th Rifles, came under some +heavy musketry fire from the houses in the town, and after several +casualties, which included four officers, Major Campbell, +commanding the 60th, threatened to burn the town if the firing was +not discontinued. The firing then ceased, and the Boers retired to +the hills north of the town.</p> +<p>The Boers had set fire to the long dry grass in every direction, +and it was chiefly by the light of these fires that regiments, +companies, and parties of mounted men found their way off the hill +on a pitch-dark night.</p> +<p>No orders had been circulated as to where the force was to halt +and bivouac for the night, and from every direction various bodies +of men groped their way in the dark towards the town, in the hopes +that when once there some orders might be obtained. It was late +when the half battalion under Captain Jacson found its bivouac and +joined hands again with that of Major Davies just outside the town. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page116" id= +"page116"></a>{116}</span> One company came in later, having +unfortunately lost its way in the dark.</p> +<p>Some of the leading wagons of the transport, which had been sent +along the direct road from Meerzicht to Amersfoort, broke down in a +bad drift, thus blocking the remainder. No wagons arrived in +Amersfoort that night, and the men after their long tramp, a +continuous march without a halt from 7.30 a.m. till about 8.30 at +night, were without greatcoats or blankets. The night was bitterly +cold, with a hard frost. Gangs of men went down to the town and +brought back wood. Soon fires began to light up in the Devons' and +Gordons' bivouacs, which were adjoining, and for the remainder of +the night groups of men sat round them trying to keep warm. The +four companies of the Regiment on outpost duty suffered very +severely, as they were without fires, none being allowed in the +outpost line.</p> +<p>The force halted at Amersfoort on the following day, owing +firstly to the fog which enveloped everything, and secondly to +allow of the baggage train coming up. This began to arrive at 10 +a.m., having been detained at the drift the whole night.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page117" id= +"page117"></a>{117}</span> +<p>During the fog a few Boers came down from the high ground above +the river and fired into the horses watering, at very close range. +They failed, however, to do any damage.</p> +<p>On August 9th the army continued its advance. On leaving +Amersfoort, a bad drift with a steep climb of half a mile on the +further side was met with, and the baggage was formed into two +columns. This was assisted up the hill by two companies of the +Regiment, Sir Redvers Buller personally superintending. Klippaal +Drift was reached late in the afternoon after a difficult march of +ten miles.</p> +<p>General Buller's army was now on the high veldt in winter time. +The cold was intense, especially at night, when there were several +degrees of frost. Owing to the intense cold, two men of the Rifle +Brigade died from exposure during the night.</p> +<a name="illus-beginderlyn-bridge" id= +"illus-beginderlyn-bridge"></a> +<center><img width="550" height="388" src= +"images/beginderlyn-bridge.png" alt= +"The Baggage of General Buller's Army Crossing Beginderlyn Bridge" /> +</center> +<center>The Baggage of General Buller's Army Crossing Beginderlyn +Bridge</center> +<p>On the following day the force continued its march to +Beginderlyn Bridge. This was found intact, and there was no +opposition, and the march was resumed on the 11th as far as +Kleinfontein. On August 12th Ermelo was <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page118" id="page118"></a>{118}</span> occupied, +and a few of the leading Boers belonging to the place +surrendered.</p> +<p>So far, and until Twyfelaar was reached, Buller's army received +little or no opposition from the Boers. Chris. Botha, who had +occupied Amersfoort, had retired east after evacuating that place, +and was marching parallel to the British force and at a distance of +about ten miles on its right flank. They were evidently watching +Buller, probably thinking that he would turn east towards Piet +Retief, where almost all their stock, sheep, and cattle had been +driven, the mountainous and difficult country there being suitable +for its concealment and protection.</p> +<p>The main body of the Boers was concentrated between Belfast and +Machadodorp, north-east of Twyfelaar, in a country eminently suited +for what was considered their final effort. The valley of the +Komati River was exceedingly difficult country for the British army +to operate over. The Boers to the end of the war were very fond of +this country, and it was there, or in the vicinity towards Lake +Chrissie, that several engagements took place later on, during the +guerilla <span class="pagenum"><a name="page119" id= +"page119"></a>{119}</span> stage of the war, not always in favour +of the British.</p> +<p>The town of Ermelo, which the Regiment was destined to see again +on several future occasions, was left on August 13th, on the +evening of which day the force reached Klipfontein. The Regiment, +being rear-guard, did not reach its bivouac till after dark. +Witbank was reached the following day, and communication was opened +up with General French's column, fifteen miles to the north-west. +Carolina could be seen eight miles away to the north-east.</p> +<p>The force marched next day to Twyfelaar, and here a halt was +made till August 21st, in order to allow of Lord Roberts's army, +which was advancing east from Pretoria along the Lorenzo Marques +railway, joining hands with General Buller's army.</p> +<p>The rear-guard of the force was attacked by the Boers on August +21st on its march from Twyfelaar to Van Wycks Vlei. The Gordon +Highlanders lost nine killed and eight wounded, and the Liverpool +Mounted Infantry eight killed.</p> +<p>On the following morning a force consisting <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page120" id="page120"></a>{120}</span> of +Devons, Manchesters, Gordons, South African Light Horse, one field +battery, and the howitzers, advanced from Van Wycks Vlei under +General W. Kitchener, for the purpose of reconnoitring and driving +some Boers off the hills east of General Buller's camp, so that the +road for the next day's march might be cleared of the enemy. A +large number of Boers was seen in the direction of Carolina, and it +was supposed that Chris. Botha's force was opposed to the column. +The Manchester Regiment led the advance, supported by the Devon +Regiment. The former, on crossing a nek to a low underlying hill, +came under a heavy rifle fire from the Boers below and across the +valley, and lost two killed and nine wounded. The force returned to +camp at 6 p.m.</p> +<p>On the following day Buller's army advanced to Geluk, some five +or six miles, the battalion with the Gordons and mounted troops of +Dundonald's Brigade, acting as rear-guard. A very difficult spruit, +with steep sides, was crossed, and the high hills on the further +side occupied. These had been held by the Boers in strength, but +they had retired on Buller's <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page121" id="page121"></a>{121}</span> approach. As soon as the +infantry of the rear-guard had arrived in camp, the mounted troops +of the rear-guard were attacked rather sharply, but they managed to +hold their own and to beat off the Boers. Two companies of the +Liverpool Regiment, who formed part of the advance guard, fell into +an ambush and lost considerably, leaving, it was reported, some +eighty men either killed, wounded, or prisoners in the hands of the +Boers. Shortly after arrival in camp, five companies of the +Regiment were sent out on outpost duty, taking up a short line and +entrenching—two companies were entrenched in front and +furnished sentries, with three companies entrenched in rear in +support.</p> +<p>On August 24th and 25th the force stood fast, exchanging +occasional big gun and musketry fire with the Boers. Information +was received that Lord Roberts had entered Belfast on the 24th, +thus practically joining hands with Sir Redvers Buller.</p> +<p>The position taken up by the Boers already referred to, an +immensely powerful one, straddled the Pretoria-Lorenzo railway east +of Belfast and west of Machadodorp. Botha had <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page122" id="page122"></a>{122}</span> taken up +a front of some fifty miles in length, and his force numbered about +5000 men. His right rested on the broken mountainous country of +Elandskloof to the north, and his left on the mountains overlooking +the Komati to the south. His centre was at Bergendal Farm and the +rugged and precipitous hills in the rear of the farm, through which +wound the railway and road, his line of retreat, quite concealed +from the fire and view of the British force. On the extreme left a +big gun with two or three smaller pieces were mounted, but these +were useless to give much support to the centre, as they were too +distant. The line of retreat to Komati Poort, which, from the +nature of the country, could not be threatened except by an +extended movement round the north or south, lay along the +Belfast-Machadodorp road and the railway line.</p> +<p>Briefly, the course of the two days' battle may be described as +follows:—</p> +<p>While Pole Carew threatened the centre at Belfast and the +position north of the railway, French was sent with his cavalry +division still further north to threaten the Boer line of retreat +towards Pilgrim's Rest, and their right <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page123" id="page123"></a>{123}</span> flank. +Buller attacked the Boers' left with the intention of driving it in +and getting behind their centre on their line of retreat. He on the +first day, however, could make no impression on them, and the two +forces held on to the position they were in for the night. On the +morning of the second day Buller, leaving a brigade of infantry and +Dundonald's mounted brigade to watch the Boers' left, moved across +their front under cover of the undulating slopes of ground, and +made an attack at Bergendal Farm and Kopje. After a sharp fight +this was carried, and the Boers retired all along their line in the +direction of Machadodorp.</p> +<p>It is necessary to state in detail the part played by the +Regiment.</p> +<p>On the morning of Sunday, August 26th, Buller's force was put in +motion. The Regiment was advance guard to the division. When about +half a mile from the camp, the four advanced and extended companies +under Captain Jacson came under fire from some high ground on their +right flank, losing two men. Major Davies, proceeding along this +ridge of high ground with the remainder of the Regiment, forced the +Boers posted there off the <span class="pagenum"><a name="page124" +id="page124"></a>{124}</span> hills. The advance guard companies +then continued their march with orders to make Bergendal Farm their +point, but not to go beyond it.</p> +<p>When these companies had proceeded some four or five miles, it +was found that General Buller's main body had changed direction to +the right and had gone east. On retracing their steps, the +companies with great difficulty ascertained the whereabouts of +Buller's force. Sir Redvers was now attacking the Boer left within +a mile or two of his former camping ground. A message was then +received stating that the Regiment was at that time a left flank +guard to Buller's army, and that the former advance guard companies +were to join the remainder of the Regiment.</p> +<p>The Boers, opposed to Buller in very considerable numbers, were +sangared on some low hills about 800 yards distant from and in +front of and below the high ridge over which his force had to +advance. Buller made his dispositions behind this high ridge. The +reverse slope was completely raked by the Boer fire, and no cover +except that afforded by some ant-hills was obtainable. The dropping +bullets <span class="pagenum"><a name="page125" id= +"page125"></a>{125}</span> followed the form and slope of the hill, +so that neither front nor rear was secure.</p> +<a name="illus-trekking-1" id="illus-trekking-1"></a> +<center><img width="550" height="349" src="images/trekking-1.png" +alt= +"Trekking with General Buller - 5-inch Guns on the March" /></center> +<center>Trekking with General Buller - 5-inch Guns on the +March</center> +<center><img width="550" height="352" src="images/trekking-2.png" +alt= +"Trekking with General Buller - 5-inch Guns on the March" /></center> +<center>Trekking with General Buller - 5-inch Guns on the +March</center> +<p>As soon as the Regiment was formed up, an order was sent to +advance. Captain Emerson with fifteen men extended, rushed down the +forward slope under a heavy fire, and took cover behind some +ant-hills. The moment the men showed over the crest line they were +met by a hail of bullets, and further advance was impossible.</p> +<p>Later, another order was sent to advance, but owing to the want +of cover it was found impossible for the line to make headway in +the face of the fire brought to bear upon it. It was not until the +Howitzer Battery was brought into action late in the day, to cover +the retirement of the advanced companies, that Captain Emerson and +his men were able to get back. This they did under a very heavy +fire from rifles and machine guns.</p> +<p>One company under Lieutenant Harris, which had been moved off to +the right, had advanced and got into an exposed place. The men took +cover behind ant-hills, and remained there for the rest of the day. +Three companies had been moved to the neighbourhood <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page126" id="page126"></a>{126}</span> of the +guns. These came under shell fire from the Boer guns and had some +casualties, amongst whom was Colour-Sergeant Burchell, who was shot +through the shoulder. Under General Buller's direct supervision one +company was ordered forward. Immediately their four scouts showed +over the crest line a storm of bullets met them, and they were all +hit. The four scouts were found dead on the second day afterwards +by the Liverpool Mounted Infantry.</p> +<p>Dusk found the companies posted as under: Three companies +extended on the ridge on the left, with two companies extended in +support on the rear side of the hill. One company was extended on +the ridge in the centre, whilst three companies were near the guns, +three-quarters of a mile away on the right. One man was killed and +one wounded just at dark by unaimed fire and by the last shots +fired. The companies on the ridge retired to the crest of the hill +after dark and took up an entrenched outpost line for the night. +Rations were then issued for the following day. It was a +pitch-black night, and two cooks' orderlies who had gone to fetch +their company's <span class="pagenum"><a name="page127" id= +"page127"></a>{127}</span> tea and sugar rations from their wagon, +missed their way in the dark when returning, and walked into the +Boer position, distant only a few hundred yards, and were made +prisoners. These two men were the first prisoners of war lost to +the battalion up to this date; and with the exception of one other +prisoner, who was temporarily in the hands of the Boers in the +Badfontein valley in the following year, they were the only men of +the battalion taken prisoners during the war. The casualties of the +battalion for the day were 6 killed, 15 wounded, and 2 +prisoners.</p> +<p>Early the following morning the 7th Brigade, with the exception +of the Manchester Regiment, moved off to the left, the Rifle +Brigade, whose turn it was to lead, being in front. The guns +accompanied the brigade.</p> +<p>There was little or no opposition till the scouts came under +fire from Bergendal Kopje, or Drie Kraal as it was otherwise known. +This rocky kopje was strongly fortified and held by the Boers. A +Field Battery opened fire on to the kopje at about 3000 yards' +range from some rising ground. Shortly afterwards the remaining +guns—5-inch, 4.7's, naval <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page128" id="page128"></a>{128}</span> 12-pounders, in all to the +number of about thirty-nine—commenced pouring shells on to +this one spot in the Boer position. This shelling continued for +about three hours.</p> +<p>Very early in the morning a train had been seen coming out from +Machadodorp with reinforcements. These, it was ascertained, were +the Johannesburg Police, to the number of about eighty, and they +formed the garrison of the kopje, about a hundred more being in the +farm behind the kopje. This kopje was a small hill covered with +large boulders. The rocks had been connected with large stones to +form sangars, behind which the garrison found cover. A pompom was +included in the armament of the position, which measured about +eighty yards by forty yards only. It fell away abruptly in the +rear, the farm and outbuildings lying very close under the steep +rear side of the hill.</p> +<p>The English shells fell with terrible accuracy into the sangars, +and there was an almost continuous explosion on the hill. Yet the +Boers kept up their fire till the Rifle Brigade were within ten +yards of them, and their pompom was in action, although partly +jammed and <span class="pagenum"><a name="page129" id= +"page129"></a>{129}</span> firing single shots, till the very end. +This pompom was bravely served by one man, the remainder of the gun +team having been either killed or wounded. It is not known whether +this plucky fellow survived or not.</p> +<p>General Walter Kitchener, who was commanding the infantry +attack, decided to attack with the Rifle Brigade along the ridge +which ended in the kopje, which was slightly above the level of the +ridge. At the same time he ordered the Inniskilling Fusiliers to +attack over the low ground on the Rifle Brigade's right, whilst the +Gordon Highlanders and the Devonshire Regiment were held in +support.</p> +<p>The Rifle Brigade started from the foot of the hills under which +they had taken cover, and which was about 1200 yards from the Boer +position, and almost immediately came under heavy musketry fire, +being much exposed on the high open ridge.</p> +<p>They, however, continued their advance in perfect order and +eventually rushed the kopje, the British shells dropping and the +Boers firing till the assault had been delivered. The Inniskillings +advanced across the low ground underneath the Rifle Brigade. Their +advance <span class="pagenum"><a name="page130" id= +"page130"></a>{130}</span> was slightly delayed, and their delivery +of the assault was consequently later than that of the Rifle +Brigade. Captain Emerson with one company of the Regiment which had +been told off as escort to the Maxim guns, advanced with the +leading company of the Inniskillings.</p> +<p>The whole Boer position was evacuated as soon as their line had +been penetrated by the capture of the Bergendal Kopje.</p> +<p>The casualties amongst the Rifle Brigade were severe, owing to +the much exposed ground over which it was necessary for the attack +to be delivered, and to the fact that, as the extended lines +converged on to the small kopje, the men naturally became crowded +and formed a better mark for the Boer rifles. They lost two +officers and fourteen men killed and five officers and fifty men +wounded, of whom two officers died of their wounds the following +day. The Regiment had one man wounded.</p> +<p>The position was soon made good, although the Boers held on +tenaciously to a long rocky ridge in their rear to which they had +retired, till nightfall. The force bivouacked for the night near +the farm.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page131" id= +"page131"></a>{131}</span> +<p>This action was known officially as the battle of Belfast.</p> +<p>A quiet night was passed, and next morning, August 28th, the +force occupied Machadodorp with slight opposition. The Boers were +seen retreating up the road leading to Lydenburg, and on the high +ground above the town they brought two big guns into action.</p> +<p>The Gordon Highlanders, in support of Dundonald's Mounted +Brigade, were sent on through the town and occupied the high ground +on the far side, and the Boers retired before them.</p> +<p>The Boers had made a very hurried retirement. In Machadodorp on +the evening of the day of the fight, guns and cartloads of +ammunition were parked in the big open space in the centre of the +town. These were moved off very hurriedly on the approach of the +British force, and the guns had only reached the top of the hills +on the further side of Machadodorp when General Buller's infantry +came in view. General Buller brought some long-range guns into +action and shelled them as they ascended the hill, but without +result.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page132" id= +"page132"></a>{132}</span> +<p>From lack of efficient pursuit after the battle the evening +before, and a too cautious advance in the morning, an opportunity +to do the Boer forces considerable damage was apparently lost. A +wagon containing pompom ammunition was captured by Dundonald's +Mounted Brigade, but the pompom itself got away, notwithstanding +the very slight opposition offered by the Boers.</p> +<p>The following day General Buller's forces reached Helvetia Farm, +where General French's column and General Pole Carew's division +joined up.</p> +<p>With the object of releasing the prisoners who had been sent by +the Boers from Pretoria to Noitgedacht down the railway line +towards Komati Poort, General Buller's force now turned eastwards +and marched along the heights on the north side of the railway. On +the first day out from Helvetia his cavalry saw some 2000 released +English prisoners marching up the line towards Waterval Onder from +the direction of Noitgedacht, and having been unable to obtain +touch with the Boers, the force retraced their steps, and encamped +some six miles from Helvetia at Vluchtfontein, and <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page133" id="page133"></a>{133}</span> at this +place a halt was made on the following day.</p> +<p>From here General Buller turned north, and on September 1st, +advancing up the Lydenburg road, reached Badfontein on the +Crocodile River. Here the army bivouacked for the night, and an +advance was made up the Badfontein valley next morning, but coming +into contact with the Boers who were holding the northern end of +the valley, his further progress was checked. The Boer position +extended along the high hills which straddled the road in a +semicircular position some eight miles from Badfontein.</p> +<p>The Regiment formed the infantry advance guard of the army, and +on reaching what was then named Redvers' Kopje and afterwards known +as Devon Kopje, came under shell fire from three big guns which the +Boers had brought into action on the hills above. At this place the +Regiment stopped for the day, taking cover from shell fire behind +the large boulders of rocks of which the kopje was composed. The +remainder of Sir Redvers Buller's force returned to its old +encampment of the previous night.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page134" id= +"page134"></a>{134}</span> +<p>The two mounted brigades and one battery R.H.A., which had +advanced to the foot of the hills occupied by the Boers, returned +to camp at dusk.</p> +<p>As soon as it was dark, four companies of the Regiment were left +on Devon Kopje as an advanced post, whilst the remainder of the +Regiment retired to the rear of the hill and bivouacked. The kopje +was entrenched and everything made comfortable for the following +day. All the baggage wagons were sent back to the main camp during +the night.</p> +<p>September 3rd, 4th, and 5th were spent quietly in position, the +Boers on the 5th firing over the heads of the Regiment into the +brigade camp, but doing very little damage. On the evening of the +5th a hill to the east was shelled, and after some opposition from +the Boers, when Strathcona's Horse had some casualties, the hill +was occupied by the 60th Rifles and the Leicester Regiment. A +battery of artillery was then hauled up the steep incline to the +top.</p> +<p>On the 6th, General Ian Hamilton having brought up +reinforcements consisting of a brigade, from Belfast by way of +Dullstrom, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page135" id= +"page135"></a>{135}</span> thus turning the Boers' right, General +Buller advanced the following day and found that the Boers had +evacuated their position. But, in ignorance of this retirement, +great preparations were made for a big fight.</p> +<p>The Devonshire Regiment headed the advance of the infantry. It +was divided into two half battalions, one half battalion under +Major Davies proceeding up the road in support of the mounted +troops, whilst five companies under Captain Jacson were sent more +to the left to attack the large farm at the foot of the hill, with +orders "to proceed as far as possible without severe loss." These +manoeuvres having been accomplished in safety without a shot being +fired, the force reached the top and bivouacked some two miles +further on for the night. Owing to the steepness of the road the +baggage did not arrive till after midnight.</p> +<p>Lydenburg was occupied next day without opposition, the Boers +having retired to a position on Paardeplaats, a range of high and +irregular hills five miles distant from and overlooking Lydenburg +on the Mauchberg-Spitzkop road. From this position the Boers +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page136" id= +"page136"></a>{136}</span> shelled the baggage, bursting shrapnel +over it as it defiled into the open in front of the town. The train +formed up and halted under cover behind a hill, and came into camp +at dusk.</p> +<p>The following morning, September 8th, Sir Redvers Buller decided +to attack the Boer position on Paardeplaats, and for this purpose +he detailed General Walter Kitchener's brigade to advance up the +spurs of the hills against the Boers' right, whilst General Ian +Hamilton's brigade was to turn the Boers' left, the attack being +covered by the artillery which proceeded up the main road in the +centre.</p> +<p>General Kitchener's brigade moved out from Lydenburg on to the +race-course. The battalion being the leading regiment deployed and +advanced towards a hill jutting out into the plain, with the +mounted brigade of General Dundonald working round the left. This +hill was afterwards known to the Regiment as Ben Tor. As the +Regiment deployed into the open it came under shrapnel fire from +two big guns posted on Paardeplaats. The Regiment was, however, +extended, and had only one man wounded.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page137" id= +"page137"></a>{137}</span> +<p>The Gordon Highlanders, who were in support, marched across the +Boers' front, in rear of the extended Devons, in column of +companies. Several shells burst amongst them, and one shell, +bursting thirty feet above graze, took their volunteer company end +on and killed and wounded fifteen.</p> +<p>With Dundonald's men on their left flank, four companies of the +Regiment under Captain Jacson advanced up the spurs without +opposition, whilst Major Davies, in command of the remaining +companies, climbed the spurs on Jacson's right. Little or no +opposition was met with on this flank. Jacson's companies were +reinforced by four companies of the Gordon Highlanders and the 60th +Rifles, and at 4 p.m., when nearing the summit, a thick mist came +on, and the flanking brigade halted. Meanwhile Davies, with two of +his companies, had reached the top of the hill and was proceeding +down the far side when the fog lifted. It was then ascertained that +the Boers, under cover of the fog, had left the position to which +they had clung with great determination, and had retired. The +position had been turned by Ian Hamilton's right flank attack.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page138" id= +"page138"></a>{138}</span> +<p>The thick mist saved the Boers, who would otherwise undoubtedly +have lost their big guns in their retirement.</p> +<p>Just before dark the companies of the Regiment, which had become +scattered, were collected, and Captain Jacson received an order to +return with these to the old camp on the far side of Lydenburg; +seven companies were thus taken down the hills over very rough +country to the old camp, a distance of nearly six miles. On arrival +there a message was received which stated that the army was +encamped half-way up the hill towards Paardeplaats. The seven +companies then returned, and finally reached camp very late. They +had been marching and climbing incessantly from 7.30 a.m. till 10 +p.m.</p> +<p>The brigades had by this time become rather intermingled. Of +General Kitchener's brigade the Manchester Regiment had been left +behind at Witklip, at the north end of the Badfontein valley. A +garrison had also been left at Lydenburg under General Howard, +consisting of the Rifle Brigade and Leicesters, with General +Brocklehurst's Cavalry Brigade.</p> +<p>The Devonshire Regiment was now left <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page139" id="page139"></a>{139}</span> behind at +Paardeplaats, while General Buller's force, consisting of the +Gordon Highlanders and the 60th Rifles, with Dundonald's Mounted +Brigade, two Field Batteries, and the 5-inch guns, advanced on the +9th, the day following the capture of Paardeplaats, in the +direction of the Mauchberg.</p> +<p>The country was extremely difficult, and the Boer guns and +pompoms well served, and considerable opposition was met with in +the advance.</p> +<p>General Buller's force reached the Mauchberg that evening and +proceeded on the following day to Devil's Knuckles, down the steep +Mauchberg road (known as Hell's Gate), where the two Boer big guns +again narrowly escaped capture, and so on to Spitzkop, just north +of Nelspruit on the Pretoria-Lorenzo Marques railway.</p> +<p>On the 10th four companies and two guns under Captain Jacson +were ordered to the Mauchberg. The companies got off by midday, and +after a stiff climb occupied the mountain just before dark. The top +of the Mauchberg, 8720 feet high, was found to be very extended, +and the garrison was much <span class="pagenum"><a name="page140" +id="page140"></a>{140}</span> split up. Company forts were erected +on the main features, and the place was held till the 20th, mostly +in thick fog and rain.</p> +<p>The Mauchberg post was the terminus of the telegraph line, +communication thence with General Buller's head-quarters being +continued by visual signalling. The mountain was intersected by +deep kloofs and ravines, into most of which the Boers had collected +their families and supplies, in the hope that neither would be +found. These were all disclosed from the summit of the mountain, +which commanded a view of a great extent of country. General Buller +succeeded in collecting a large amount of stores from these +"caches."</p> +<p>The families of Boers who surrendered with their stock were sent +into Lydenburg, together with any prisoners that had been +taken.</p> +<p>On the 11th two of the Mauchberg companies with the two guns +were ordered to proceed to Devil's Knuckles, to supply picquets for +Dundonald's Mounted Brigade which was stationed there, and on +September 20th the companies of the Regiment stationed at +Paardeplaats marched to the Mauchberg, <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page141" id="page141"></a>{141}</span> being +relieved at the former place by the Leicesters, the remaining two +Mauchberg companies proceeding to Devil's Knuckles.</p> +<p>On the 21st the Regiment was again united and marched with +Dundonald's Brigade down the Sabi Valley, reaching Sabi Drift that +evening, where the force bivouacked. The column under General +Dundonald remained at Sabi Drift till the 26th awaiting the arrival +of General Buller, who was returning from Spitzkop.</p> +<a name="illus-sabi-river" id="illus-sabi-river"></a> +<center><img width="550" height="379" src="images/sabi-river.png" +alt="Devons Crossing the Sabi River" /></center> +<center>Devons Crossing the Sabi River</center> +<p>A story is told anent the positions out of which General +Buller's infantry had turned the Boers, which goes to show the +estimation in which the British infantry were held by their +opponents. The words are those of General Botha, and were told to +an officer of the Head-quarter Staff. "I shall give it up," he +said. "I have taken up position after position which I considered +impregnable; I have always been turned off by your infantry, who +come along in great lines in their dirty clothes with bags on their +backs. Nothing can stop them. I shall give it up."</p> +<p>On September 25th the remainder of General Buller's force +marched into Sabi <span class="pagenum"><a name="page142" id= +"page142"></a>{142}</span> Drift, and on the 26th the army, united +again, advanced north for Pilgrim's Rest. Burgher's Nek and Mac-Mac +diggings were reached about noon on that day.</p> +<p>The pass over Burgher's Nek was held by the Boers under Gravett, +Botha and the State treasure with a small escort having crossed +only a few hours before, whilst a portion of their army under +Viljoen retired at the same time to the north towards +Pietersburg.</p> +<p>The infantry of the advance guard was composed of four companies +of the Regiment under Captain Jacson. On reaching the foot of the +pass the mounted troops were checked and the artillery came into +action. The position occupied by the Boers was formidable—a +long stretch of high rugged hills, with the forward slope ending +precipitously. The pass lay over a Nek between two high shoulders +of hills. The Boers, exceedingly well posted, occupied the hills on +either side of the Nek, taking cover behind the immense boulders on +the summit.</p> +<p>After the artillery had been bombarding the south side of the +Nek for some considerable time, the mounted infantry were sent +forward to occupy the hill known as Grass Kop, but <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page143" id="page143"></a>{143}</span> were +unable to proceed. In the meantime, the four companies of the +advance guard had been moved off to the left and nearer to the +hills. They now got the order to attack and occupy the hill. Whilst +these companies moved off under cover of the undulating ground to +the foot of the hills, two companies with the Maxim gun took up a +position in rear to cover the advance, firing with a range of 1700 +yards at the top of the hill. Most of the artillery came into +action at the same time and at the same objective. The foot of the +hill was reached by the attacking force with two casualties. One +company was then directed to the left to attack round the flank, +and the ascent of the precipitous side of the hill was commenced. +Crawling up a goat's track in single file, on hands and knees, +through dense bush, the first portion of the ascent was +accomplished, and the little force formed up under a spur to get +breath before debouching into the open for the final rush to the +top. After a short halt the advance was continued to the summit, +the companies on their way coming under a smart shell fire from +their own guns (happily without casualties), <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page144" id="page144"></a>{144}</span> which +were bursting shrapnel with wonderful precision between the two +leading companies. Just before reaching the top the flanking +company, coming in from the left with a well-timed advance, joined +the general advance to the summit. It was found that the Boers had +retired, and fire was brought to bear on them as they descended the +rear slope of the hill. The high hill on the left of the pass was +then occupied, and the Nek over which the road passed cleared of +Boers.</p> +<p>A heliograph message from Sir Redvers Buller was received on the +summit, "Well done Devons!" and in Lord Roberts' official dispatch +for the day it was notified that General Buller had occupied +Burgher's Nek, and that "the pass had been turned by a half +battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, well led by Captain +Jacson."</p> +<p>The four companies bivouacked on the top. Efforts were made by +those down below to get food and blankets up to them, but owing to +the steepness and difficulties of the climb and the darkness, it +was found impossible.</p> +<p>The head-quarter companies of the Regiment <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page145" id="page145"></a>{145}</span> were +engaged on outpost duty at the foot of the pass, where the army had +bivouacked, almost all the men being on duty.</p> +<p>On the following day the march was resumed, the head-quarter +companies of the Regiment being rear-guard to the force. The +companies on the hill were relieved by two companies of the +Regiment under Captain Wren. The road was extremely bad and crossed +by many drifts, which caused considerable delay, and it was not +till the early hours of morning that the rear-guard companies got +into camp. The bivouac was formed amongst the hills, some five +miles from Pilgrim's Rest, which had been occupied the previous day +by Strathcona's Horse.</p> +<p>On the 28th the march was continued through Pilgrim's Rest to +the foot of Morgenzon Hill, the mounted troops surprising the Boers +on the summit and putting them to flight.</p> +<p>The baggage was safely brought up the six miles of steep hill on +the following day. The road, which was the old coaching highway +Pilgrim's Rest-Lydenburg, was found in excellent condition, but it +was heavy work for <span class="pagenum"><a name="page146" id= +"page146"></a>{146}</span> the oxen, and all wagons were double +spanned. The force camped on the summit, and halted there on the +30th.</p> +<p>A good number of Boers were reported in the vicinity to the west +and north, but they did not make their presence felt and Sunday was +spent quietly.</p> +<p>On October 1st Morgenzon was left and the march continued +towards Kruger's Post and Lydenburg. It was a long, dusty road +through narrow valleys. Opposition was encountered at the +bifurcation of the Lydenburg-Morgenzon and Lydenburg-Ohrigstadt +roads, which, however, was soon overcome, the Boers retiring to the +hills out of reach of the guns, and Kruger's Post was reached at 2 +p.m.</p> +<p>Shortly after the Regiment had settled itself in its bivouac a +Boer big gun opened on to it from a hill about 6000 yards distant, +and not very far from the road. This gun also shelled the wagons as +they came into camp, necessitating their halting under cover and +coming in later. In the evening, about 6.30, the Boers brought +another gun into action on a hill due west of the camp, and shelled +the cavalry and infantry bivouacs for one and a <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page147" id="page147"></a>{147}</span> half +hours in the dark. After several shells had pitched into their +midst the Regiment moved out and formed up into two long lines and +entrenched.</p> +<p>It was whilst marching out to take up this position in the dark +that a shell emptied itself into the head of one company, killing +Lieutenant Cumin and severely wounding Captain Luxmoore and one +man. The South African Light Horse and Strathcona's Horse had a +number of casualties amongst their men and horses.</p> +<p>The Boers by a skilful manoeuvre had kept their guns concealed, +ready to be brought into action as soon as General Buller's army +had settled itself quietly in its bivouac. They expended some +cartloads of ammunition in this manner without interference. In the +early hours of the following morning a band of volunteers ascended +the hill to capture the guns. They had both been withdrawn and were +not traced.</p> +<p>On the morning of October 2nd Buller's army reached Lydenburg +without further opposition. Lieutenant Cumin was buried in the +evening in Lydenburg cemetery.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page148" id= +"page148"></a>{148}</span> +<p>On Saturday, October 6th, Sir Redvers Buller bade farewell to +his army. The troops lined the streets and roads and gave him a +hearty send-off. He was immensely popular with the men and they +were sorry to see him go.</p> +<p>General W. Kitchener took over command of the Lydenburg district +and its garrison, on Sir Redvers Buller's departure.</p> +<p>On the writer asking Sir Redvers on the eve of the day of his +departure which was his best army—the one he commanded into +Ladysmith or the one with which he trekked north—he replied, +"The army I went north with was the best. I watched the Devons pass +me at Burgher's Nek and it struck me how wonderfully well they +looked. I considered they were ready for anything I asked them to +do; but," he added, "they surprised me with the pace they went up +the hill at Burgher's Nek."</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page149" id= +"page149"></a>{149}</span> +<h2><a name="chap4" id="chap4">CHAPTER IV</a></h2> +<h3>LYDENBURG</h3> +<h4>1900-1901</h4> +<p>On October 8th, 1900, the battalion moved out of Lydenburg to +the Mission Station, three miles north of the town on the Kruger's +Post road. The Mission Station was a collection of Kaffir houses, +containing some 500 Christian men, women, and children. The +mission-house was taken over as a post and fortified as soon as the +German pastor, who was found to be communicating with the Boers, +had been sent to Pretoria to be locked up.</p> +<a name="illus-mission-camp" id="illus-mission-camp"></a> +<center><img width="350" height="448" src="images/mission-camp.png" +alt="Colonel C.W. Park, Mission Camp, Lydenburg" /></center> +<center>Colonel C.W. Park, Mission Camp, Lydenburg</center> +<p>The site of the camp having been chosen, it was immediately +surrounded by company forts consisting of ditches four feet deep +and two feet wide for protection against shell fire, which it was +considered possible would be <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page150" id="page150"></a>{150}</span> brought to bear on the +camp. This entrenchment was finished in one afternoon.</p> +<p>Two guns of the 53rd Battery under Lieutenant Higgins, and one +5-inch gun under Second Lieutenant McLellan, were added to the +garrison.</p> +<p>The battalion stood to arms daily just before dawn.</p> +<p>On the 9th two companies under Captain Bartlett were moved to +Paardeplaats as a permanent garrison, whilst two companies under +Captain Travers were sent to Ben Tor.</p> +<p>On the 10th two companies of the Regiment, two guns, and one +company mounted infantry proceeded just before daylight to a farm +some six miles away, and burnt it. They encountered no opposition. +This company of mounted infantry was then added to the garrison for +permanent duty.</p> +<p>The two following days were employed in collecting forage from +different farm-houses. Very few Boers were seen, and there was +little or no opposition.</p> +<p>On the 24th, it having been ordained that all the Boer women in +the various towns were to be sent out to their husbands in the +laagers, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page151" id= +"page151"></a>{151}</span> two companies and two guns under Captain +Ravenshaw were ordered to escort the ladies of Lydenburg over the +Spekboom Bridge on the Kruger's Post road, and there hand them over +to their husbands and friends. Captain Ravenshaw went out with a +flag of truce and met the Boers, amongst whom was Erasmus. They +were most affable, and shook hands cordially. The women reached +Kruger's Post that evening.</p> +<p>The next day General Walter Kitchener started out at 2 a.m. with +a column of infantry (Devons), mounted infantry and guns towards +Kruger's Post for the purpose of shelling the farm. At dawn the +column crossed the Spekboom Bridge and mounted the hills in the +face of slight opposition. A 5-inch gun was then brought to the +front and shells dropped into Kruger's Post, after which the column +returned to camp. A patrol of four Boers was captured, and there +were no casualties on the British side.</p> +<p>Very shortly after this the order concerning the Boer women was +cancelled and a fresh order was issued, which ordained that all +Boer women who were captured or gave themselves <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page152" id="page152"></a>{152}</span> up should +be confined in large concentration camps on the railway line.</p> +<p>On the evening of the 24th one company was ordered down from Ben +Tor to be posted on the hill overlooking the Spekboom Bridge. The +company proceeded there on the 25th escorted by two companies, two +guns, and some mounted infantry.</p> +<p>On the following day, as the Boers were threatening the Bridge +Post before the works were complete, one company and two guns were +sent out as a covering party.</p> +<p>The battalion was now split up; two companies under Lieutenant +Tringham proceeded to Witklip, two companies under Captain Bartlett +were at Paardeplaats, one company under Lieutenant Cowie was at Ben +Tor, one company under Captain Travers was at Bridge Post. Of the +three remaining companies one was holding the Mission House, and +the two others with the 5-inch gun and the two field guns formed +the garrison of the main camp.</p> +<p>On October 30th two companies from Mission Camp were ordered to +march at sunset through Lydenburg to the bank of the river. Here +they halted and had supper, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page153" +id="page153"></a>{153}</span> being eventually joined by the Rifle +Brigade. Starting again at 9 p.m. and marching all through the +night, they attacked some Boer laagers at dawn. After some heavy +firing the laagers, which had been completely surprised, were +captured with all their tents, etc. The column returned at 5 p.m. +the same day, when the companies redistributed themselves to their +various posts, having marched from 4 a.m. till 10.30 p.m. a +distance of thirty-five miles. There were four casualties, one of +which was a Devon man slightly wounded.</p> +<p>November was spent rather quietly by the battalion, the men +being employed in strengthening the various posts and making them +comfortable.</p> +<p>On November 7th one company was sent off to garrison Strathcona +Hill on the southern side of the town.</p> +<p>On the 8th General Walter Kitchener again attacked the Boers, +this time employing entirely mounted troops, He brought back with +him 1000 sheep, 50 ponies, and 20 wagons. Five Boers were killed, +and the mounted troops had two casualties.</p> +<p>Colonel Park returned from sick leave on <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page154" id="page154"></a>{154}</span> the 9th, +when Major Davies resumed his position as second in command. +Lieutenants Hext and Kane left shortly afterwards to join the +mounted infantry at Pretoria, and at the end of November Lieutenant +Woollcombe rejoined the Regiment from Maritzburg, Lieutenant Harris +returned from Pretoria with a draft of thirty-eight men, and +Lieutenant Twiss rejoined from hospital at Newcastle.</p> +<p>At the beginning of December the following was the distribution +of the companies of the Regiment:—</p> +<p>Two companies at Paardeplaats under Captain Bartlett.<br /> +One company at Ben Tor under Lieutenant Cowie.<br /> +One company at Bridge Post under Captain Travers.<br /> +One company at Strathcona Hill under Lieutenant Willis; and<br /> +Four companies at Mission Camp.</p> +<p>On December 9th and 10th a foraging expedition with three guns +and four companies of the Rifle Brigade went out towards Van Der +Merves' Farm under Colonel Park. These <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page155" id="page155"></a>{155}</span> brought +back twenty-eight wagon loads of forage without experiencing any +opposition.</p> +<p>It was reported on the 12th that Nelspruit had been cut off by +the Boers and required assistance. A column was immediately formed, +composed of one squadron 19th Hussars, four companies Devons under +Major Davies, and four companies Rifle Brigade with some guns; the +whole proceeding under General Kitchener <i>en route</i> to the +Mauchberg and Devil's Knuckles. Three companies of the Regiment had +been taken from Mission Camp and one from Paardeplaats.</p> +<p>A blizzard blowing all night and the following morning, +accompanied with thunder and heavy rain, delayed the advance of the +troops till noon, when a start was effected, and the Mauchberg was +occupied by the Devons without opposition.</p> +<p>Further advance down Hell's Gate to the Devil's Knuckles was +found impracticable owing to the state of the road. Troops from +Machadodorp had been sent to Lydenburg to act as a garrison whilst +the column was out; but instructions were received from +head-quarters on the 15th ordering the immediate <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page156" id="page156"></a>{156}</span> return of +the column to Lydenburg, as well as of the reinforcements back to +Machadodorp. The Devons had been, however, sent out from the +Mauchberg previous to the receipt of the order to retire. They +skirmished down the road towards Devil's Knuckles, and in a very +thick fog Boers and British nearly walked into each other's arms. +There was a good deal of musketry fire, with the result to the +British side of one Devon wounded. As was usually said on such +occasions, "Boers' loss was probably very great." The three +companies returned to Mission Camp late on the evening of the +16th.</p> +<p>On the 18th Major Davies was ordered to Witklip to take command +of the forts; he took with him one company as a reinforcement to +the garrison.</p> +<p>On Christmas Day the Regiment received a number of telegrams +from friends in England wishing them good luck. A race meeting was +held in the afternoon on the Lydenburg race-course. The public went +armed, and two field guns were brought into action on the course. +These precautions were necessary, for the Boers at this time were +very <span class="pagenum"><a name="page157" id= +"page157"></a>{157}</span> busy, and on the night of December +28th-29th attacked the post at Helvetia, near Machadodorp, and +captured it.</p> +<p>The post contained a 4.7 naval gun called "Lady Roberts," and +this, with the garrison of three companies of the Liverpool +Regiment, was taken, only one small fort manned by a small +contingent of about fifteen men holding out. General Walter +Kitchener left at once with four companies of the Rifle Brigade, +two companies of the Regiment (from Witklip), two guns, and the +mounted troops, in the hope of intercepting the Boers and +recovering the gun. The Boers, however, had made good their +retirement to the hills, and General Kitchener returned to +Lydenburg with the column on the 31st.</p> +<p>The Liverpool Regiment lost at Helvetia 4 killed, 27 wounded, +and 200 prisoners.</p> +<p>The Boers about this time attacked all along the line from +Lydenburg to Pretoria. The defences, except at Lydenburg, were of +the most meagre description. In fact, the works constructed by the +Rifle Brigade and the Devons at Lydenburg were the only works of +any strength, and these were as <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page158" id="page158"></a>{158}</span> complete as possible. +Witklip was being placed in a fortified condition, but up to the +time of the taking of Helvetia Post little had been done anywhere, +except at Lydenburg.</p> +<p>For the next few nights all posts round Lydenburg stood to arms +at 1.30 a.m. owing to the activity of the Boers, but it was not +till January 4th that they attacked the Bridge Hill Post. They +attempted to capture the picquet on the bridge over the Spekboom +River, but were beaten off.</p> +<p>About this time one company was ordered down from Paardeplaats +to Mission Camp, the garrison at Paardeplaats being thus reduced to +one company; and Witklip garrison was reinforced by the addition of +one company, which was sent there from Mission Camp.</p> +<p>On the early morning of January 8th the Boers made a +simultaneous attack on almost all posts on the line between Belfast +and Lydenburg. The following posts were attacked: Badfontein, +Schwarzkop, Helvetia, Machadodorp, Belfast, Pan, and Noitgedacht. +The Badfontein Post was shelled only, by a big gun mounted on the +hills west of the fort, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page159" id= +"page159"></a>{159}</span> which failed, however, to reach the +post. The result of the general attack was that two posts only, +those at Belfast, were captured by the Boers. These were not held, +and the Boers retired, leaving twenty-four dead upon the ground. +The posts had been well prepared for defence after the disaster at +Helvetia.</p> +<p>A wire bridge over the Lydenburg River, constructed by +Lieutenant Green and the twelve men of the Maxim gun team, was +completed about this time, and as it attracted a good deal of +attention a description of it may be interesting.</p> +<p>The bridge had a span of sixty feet, and was constructed on the +system of the "jhula," or rope bridge, of Cashmere, out of +telegraph wire. The roadway, to admit of one person at a time, was +made of two lengths of twisted wire, each ten strands thick. These +being stretched tightly across the river, and the ends well worked +into the ground and pegged down, were joined together by small +laths of wood two inches apart. Two more lengths, each ten strands +thick, were stretched from two uprights on each bank, at a +convenient height above the roadway, to form a support <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page160" id="page160"></a>{160}</span> for it. +These were joined on to the roadway by stout sticks, about one to +two feet apart, on either side to give stability. The bridge was +then secured up and down stream by wires to keep it steady. The +height of the bridge above the stream was about twenty feet.</p> +<a name="illus-lydenburg-bridge" id="illus-lydenburg-bridge"></a> +<center><img width="475" height="317" src= +"images/lydenburg-bridge-1.png" alt= +"Wire Bridge, Lydenburg" /></center> +<center>Wire Bridge, Lydenburg</center> +<p>The chief cause of attraction and interest in the bridge to +outsiders was the fact that it had been constructed entirely by +British infantry without the aid of the Royal Engineers, and that +the plan had been thought out by them alone, and was not "in the +book." The idea had been taken from some photographs of a Cashmere +"jhula," and the work had been carried out from descriptions of the +rope bridges furnished by an officer of the Regiment who had +crossed them. All previous bridges had been washed away, but this +bridge was still standing at the end of the war, and was being +utilized then by the Kaffirs at Mission Camp as an easy access and +short cut to their cultivated fields.</p> +<p>On January 12th, as a larger convoy than usual was coming +through to Lydenburg, a small force under Captain Jacson, +consisting of two companies Devons, one company <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page161" id="page161"></a>{161}</span> mounted +infantry and one gun went out from Mission Camp to demonstrate +towards Schoeman's Laager on the west. No Boers, however, were +seen, and the convoy came safely into Lydenburg without +opposition.</p> +<p>Several changes occurred in the disposition of the companies of +the Regiment during the latter half of January, 1901.</p> +<p>The head-quarters with three companies were stationed at Witklip +under Colonel Park. Two companies proceeded to Badfontein as a +garrison under Major Davies. One company held each of the posts at +Bridge Hill and Paardeplaats respectively. One company was in +charge of the Mission House, whilst one company was left at Mission +Camp to commence the construction of a new work south of the old +camp.</p> +<center><img width="450" height="315" src= +"images/lydenburg-bridge-2.png" alt= +"Wire Bridge, Lydenburg (General Kitchener and Colonel Park)" /></center> +<center>Wire Bridge, Lydenburg (General Kitchener and Colonel +Park)</center> +<p>These changes were made on account of some large convoys going +and coming to and from the railway line, larger escorts having to +be provided owing to the proximity and increased activity of the +Boers on the lines of communication. The convoys came through +safely without any trouble, and on January 30th Major Davies with +his two companies <span class="pagenum"><a name="page162" id= +"page162"></a>{162}</span> returned to Witklip. The head-quarters +of the Regiment, with three companies, left Witklip the following +day and proceeded to Mission Camp. Further changes were made during +February, 1901, the post at Paardeplaats being given up and the +company posted there returning to Mission Camp.</p> +<p>Towards the latter end of January a flying column was organized +by General Walter Kitchener. The objective of this column was the +high hills south of Lydenburg towards Witpoort and Belfast. It was +under the personal command of the General, and was composed of the +following troops:—</p> +<p>1 squadron 19th Hussars.<br /> +1 battery R.F.A.<br /> +1 naval 12-pounder.<br /> +1 pompom.<br /> +1 company Manchester Mounted Infantry.<br /> +3 companies Devons under Captain Travers.</p> +<p>The column set out at 1 a.m. in the direction of Elandskloof. It +was a bright night, although a thick white mist hung everywhere. +The 19th Hussars, who knew the difficult country, conducted the +advance. After marching <span class="pagenum"><a name="page163" id= +"page163"></a>{163}</span> for two hours the column found itself in +the hills. A halt was made whilst the three companies of the +Regiment extended and occupied the high ground which barred the +advance, to drive off any Boers who might be in possession. This +manoeuvre was executed without opposition. It was learnt, however, +that a Boer picquet had been on the top, and had galloped off on +the approach of the infantry. Daylight found the column in +possession of Elandskloof, which was reached after a difficult +climb by steep and circuitous paths. Shortly after daylight several +Boers were observed to be driving their cattle into kloofs above +the Badfontein valley for safety. An advance was made shortly +afterwards towards Schwartz Kopjes, which place was reached without +much opposition towards dark. At Schwartz Kopjes camp was formed +for the night, the infantry entrenching themselves in the kopjes +round the camp, with one company posted in a farmhouse about 400 +yards west of the main camp.</p> +<p>On the following day General Kitchener ordered the mounted +troops and guns to make a reconnaissance towards Dulstroom. Whilst +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page164" id= +"page164"></a>{164}</span> the rest of the force remained in camp, +the baggage under escort was sent towards Belfast. The +reconnoitring force fared badly, for after advancing a few miles +Boers in large numbers were seen collecting on the high hills due +west, and approaching at a rapid pace. The reconnoitring force was +shortly afterwards heavily engaged, and compelled to retire on to +the camp.</p> +<p>The infantry were now ordered to retire as rapidly as possible +to a ridge in rear, distant about 2000 to 2500 yards. The cavalry +retired hard pressed on to Schwartz Kopjes, which they held until +the infantry had completed their movement, when the cavalry again +retired back to the neighbourhood of the infantry. Schwartz kopjes +were immediately occupied by the Boers, who collected there in +large numbers and endeavoured to get round the flanks of the +column.</p> +<p>Followed hotly by the Boers, the column made a rapid retirement, +units covering each other until camp was reached. It was only then +that the Boers drew off. There was no further engagement that day +or during the night, and the column completed its advance +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page165" id= +"page165"></a>{165}</span> next day to Belfast, where it arrived +about midday and camped to the south side of the railway.</p> +<p>The distribution of the garrison, carried out at the +commencement of February, continued more or less the same till the +time the Regiment left Lydenburg. Three companies were north of +Lydenburg, and were stationed at the Mission House, Mission Camp +Fort, and Bridge Hill. One company was at Strathcona Hill, south of +the town, two companies under the command of Major Davies were at +Witklip, whilst the three companies which had proceeded with +General Kitchener to Belfast were quartered on their return in +Lydenburg.</p> +<p>During this time Colonel Park was commanding the Lydenburg +district with Captain Ravenshaw as Brigade Major.</p> +<p>On February 5th the Boers attacked all the Lydenburg posts. The +attacks were not heavily pressed. There were no casualties on the +side of the defenders, whilst the Boers lost, as far as could be +ascertained, two killed and seven wounded.</p> +<p>On February 16th two Boers surrendered <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page166" id="page166"></a>{166}</span> at +Mission Camp. These stated that their friends in the laagers were +badly off for meat and had hardly any horses left, most of them +having died of horse-sickness.</p> +<p>Early in March, 1901, Colonel Park decided on raiding Piet +Schwartz's laager, which was stationed on the ridge to the north of +and overlooking Kruger's Post. His force consisted of three +companies Devons under Captain Jacson, three companies Rifle +Brigade, three companies Royal Irish, one squadron 19th Hussars, +three companies mounted infantry, three guns 53rd Battery, one +howitzer, and one pompom, and by the 12th his arrangements were +complete. The infantry were to make a night march and to attack at +dawn, whilst the mounted troops and guns were to be at Kruger's +Post just after dawn to assist.</p> +<p>Under cover of darkness, the column rendezvoused at the Spekboom +Bridge, one company having gone on ahead to seize any Boers who +might be coming down at nightfall, as was their wont, to form a +picquet there.</p> +<p>A start was made from the bridge at about 9 p.m. Leaving the +main road on their left, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page167" +id="page167"></a>{167}</span> the column proceeded in single file, +Devons leading, along a footpath which led them over a Nek in the +hills and thence down into a donga. An accident, which might have +been attended with very unfortunate results, occurred at the very +commencement. The Royal Irish, who were in the rear, instead of +following and keeping in touch with the remainder of the column +missed connection, and went up the main road, on which, about two +miles ahead, was a Boer picquet. They were, however, stopped just +in time and turned back. This delayed the advance for about an +hour. Along the donga the march was continued for some six miles, +when a cross donga was met with, the sides of which were steep and +about fifteen feet high. The leading troops crossed and halted on +the far side till the rear closed up. The Maxim gun mules with +difficulty negotiated the obstacle, and the advance was, after one +hour's halt, continued to Kruger's Post.</p> +<p>The force kept to the donga almost the whole march, scarcely for +a moment leaving its shelter. Terribly rough going it was, with +long high grass soaking wet, and the men <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page168" id="page168"></a>{168}</span> tumbling +about into ruts and over rocks. On they trudged, twisting and +turning, up and down, falling about, with every now and then a +suppressed exclamation and an imprecation on rocks and ruts in +general and night marches in particular—no lights, no +smoking. No one except he who has done it knows what a strain it is +marching along through the dark night, without a word and without +the company of a pipe.</p> +<p>On emerging from the donga at Kruger's Post on to the open veldt +a further halt was made; the leading troops lay down in the soaking +grass and were fast asleep in a moment.</p> +<p>It was found that the column had opened out considerably, and +must have stretched for some four miles from lead to end. The rate +of marching at the head of the column had been about two miles per +hour. This was found, over the rough ground, to be too quick to +allow of the rear keeping closed up—the pace should not have +exceeded one mile an hour.</p> +<p>The column having closed up and the sleeping men having with +difficulty been found and turned up out of the wet grass, a further +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page169" id= +"page169"></a>{169}</span> advance was made. But now the direction +was to the right in order to avoid Kruger's Post Farm, which was +occupied by the Boers. This took the column over some millraces, a +biggish jump for the men. The mules, having been relieved of their +loads, were man-handled across. Once over these and then a wade +through a stream knee deep, the ghostly column again halted. It was +now 3.30 a.m. The foot of the low hills behind which was the +laager, had been reached, and the officers were busy getting their +men collected.</p> +<p>An intelligence officer reports that if there is the slightest +delay dawn will break before the positions are reached. The first +streak of dawn is 4.45 a.m.</p> +<p>"May we go off now on our own?" is the question asked.</p> +<p>"All right; off you go!" is the cheery answer from Colonel +Park.</p> +<p>The Devons had the furthest to go, perhaps one and a half miles +to reach the far side of the laager. The Royal Irish were already +at the foot of the hill on the top of which was the position +assigned to them.</p> +<p>Two of the Rifle Brigade companies had <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page170" id="page170"></a>{170}</span> +unfortunately missed connection and had gone off into the +"Ewigkeit" in the dark, but one company was ready and handy to the +Nek which they had to occupy, to fill up the gap between the Devons +and the Royal Irish.</p> +<p>The Devons, who by this time were well together, started off, +Captain Travers with a guide leading. He had orders to take on with +him the two first companies, the guide showing him where to place +his men. On they went, running and walking, walking and running, up +the slippery road, across the Nek and then down into the valley +below. Two small groups of men were posted in the ditch leading up +to the Nek.</p> +<p>As the last man reached the knoll overlooking the Nek at the +place where the main road crossed it, and which was the right of +the Devons' allotment of position, the two leading companies could +be heard down in the valley below stumbling amongst the stones, +getting into a position that would entirely cut off the Boers' +retreat down the main road leading north.</p> +<a name="illus-lydenburg-camp" id="illus-lydenburg-camp"></a> +<center><img width="500" height="347" src= +"images/lydenburg-camp-1.png" alt= +"Mission Camp Fort, Lydenburg" /></center> +<center>Mission Camp Fort, Lydenburg</center> +<p>Suddenly all was still: everything was ready. It was exactly +4.45 a.m.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page171" id= +"page171"></a>{171}</span> +<p>All lay down and waited in breathless silence for the coming +dawn. The Devons had orders to withhold their fire as long as +possible, to make sure of the other units being in their places. +"That's the position of the laager, just behind that little knoll," +whispered an intelligence scout; "but it seems as if the bird has +flown."</p> +<center><img width="500" height="327" src= +"images/lydenburg-camp-2.png" alt= +"Mission Camp Fort, Lydenburg (Interior)" /></center> +<center>Mission Camp Fort, Lydenburg (Interior)</center> +<p>For some ten minutes the silence continued, with not so much as +the crack of a twig to interrupt it. What's that? It's a cock +crowing! There it is again! There's another! The laager's there +right enough, and we've got them!</p> +<p>In the far distance, Lydenburg way, the faint noise of musketry +fire could be heard; it was the mounted troops advancing and +driving in the Boer picquets on the road above the Spekboom Bridge, +eight miles back.</p> +<p>In about five minutes' time the laager was roused by a Boer, who +commenced swearing roundly at some one in a very loud voice. One +man came out and posted himself on a little rise of ground, and +gazed, listening, Kruger's Post way. He was joined by another, then +another, until there was a group of nine of them, <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page172" id="page172"></a>{172}</span> two +dressed in long white robes. It was thought that these were women. +Suddenly they all returned into the laager out of sight, only to +appear again in a few minutes on horseback. Three of them came +straight up to the high road just under the knoll where the Devons +were in readiness. They were allowed to go on, and they continued +their career down the road towards Kruger's Post.</p> +<p>Now the utility of posting the groups in the ditch by the side +of the road became manifest. Suddenly from their direction crack! +went a single rifle, then a burst of rifle fire, which was +immediately taken up all round the circle.</p> +<p>No, not quite round; there was silence from the hill which +should have been occupied by the Royal Irish. A party of some +twenty Boers were seen ascending this hill, the top of which was +covered with big rocks. The Devons' rifles as well as their Maxim +gun were turned on to them. The Boers, however, succeeded in +reaching the safety of the rocks a few moments before the ascending +Irish.</p> +<p>Meanwhile the firing had become general, and in the dim light +also a trifle mixed. The <span class="pagenum"><a name="page173" +id="page173"></a>{173}</span> Rifle Brigade fired into the two +Devon companies down in the valley and across the laager. The +latter in their turn fired at some Boers trying to escape through +the gap left open by the Royal Irish. These were striving with the +Boers for the possession of the rock-capped hill, and both were +being fired into by the Devons across the valley.</p> +<p>After some twenty minutes of sharp musketry fire the "cease +fire" sounded, and everything was again quiet; it was then found +that the whole laager had fallen into British hands. Two Boers were +killed, three wounded, and thirty-six captured, whilst the British +casualties were two killed and four wounded, all of them Royal +Irish.</p> +<p>The distance from Lydenburg to Piet Schwartz's laager by road is +about eighteen miles; the distance marched by the column could not +have been under twenty miles, and this over very difficult ground. +The column had left Lydenburg at 7 p.m., and reached its +destination at 4.45 a.m.</p> +<p>Unfortunately, Piet Schwartz himself escaped capture, as he was +not in the laager; he had left it the previous day.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page174" id= +"page174"></a>{174}</span> +<p>The mounted troops and guns were very slow in coming out, with +the result that a large quantity of cattle located in the various +kloofs which should have been captured, escaped. Abel Erasmus was +taken the following day.</p> +<p>The force bivouacked at Kruger's Post for the night, and +returned to Lydenburg next day, bringing with it fifteen Boer +families in addition to the prisoners. On their return a wire was +received by Colonel Park from Lord Kitchener: "Highly appreciate +successful operation of Colonel Park and troops engaged."</p> +<p>The remainder of the month was spent mostly in convoy work +between Witklip and Lydenburg. Whilst returning to Lydenburg with +one of these convoys, General Walter Kitchener, who was riding +ahead with a small escort, suddenly came across some Boers lying +concealed in the grass. He lost two of his own personal escort +killed, his own horse also being shot. He himself narrowly escaped +capture.</p> +<p>On April 10th an order was issued for the battalion to +concentrate in Lydenburg, preparatory <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page175" id="page175"></a>{175}</span> to a +general advance of three columns. The posts at Bridge Hill, Mission +Village, Strathcona, and Paardeplaats were evacuated, and the +company at Witklip withdrawn.</p> +<p>The destinations of the columns were as follows:—</p> +<p>One column under Colonel Park was to proceed in the Kruger's +Post direction and to scour the country towards the north, and +later to join hands with General Kitchener's column, which was to +proceed in a north-westerly direction, and the third column under +Colonel Douglas was to proceed from Witklip in a westerly +direction.</p> +<p>On the 12th, Lieutenant-Colonel Park handed over the command of +the battalion to Major Davies, who had arrived from Witklip, and +Captain Jacson took over the duties of second in command.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page176" id= +"page176"></a>{176}</span> +<h2><a name="chap5" id="chap5">CHAPTER V</a></h2> +<h3>TREKKING IN THE NORTH-EAST TRANSVAAL</h3> +<p>On April 13th, 1901, General Walter Kitchener commenced his long +trek with a night march.</p> +<p>His force consisted of—</p> +<p>Two guns 53rd F.B.R.A. under Major Johnson and Captain +Talbot-Ponsonby.<br /> +One 5-inch gun.<br /> +One 5-inch howitzer.<br /> +One naval 12-pounder.<br /> +One company mounted infantry.<br /> +1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment (20 officers and 900 men).<br /> +2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade.<br /> +The 6th Western Australians.</p> +<p>General Walter Kitchener's column formed one of the many +operating at the time in a <span class="pagenum"><a name="page177" +id="page177"></a>{177}</span> combined movement in the Northern +Transvaal and bush veldt, under the direction of General Sir Bindon +Blood.</p> +<p>Two columns were sent north to drive the bush veldt, forcing any +Boers that might be located there on to the other columns, who were +acting as stops near the Tautes Berg and Bothas Berg, immediately +north of the Pretoria-Lorenzo railway line.</p> +<p>General Walter Kitchener decided to start his operations with an +attack on Schoeman's laager, and for this purpose the Regiment was +ordered to take up a position before dawn which would cut off the +laager, situated in the Steenkampsberg mountains, near the entrance +of the Lydenburg road into the hills, from the north. This entailed +a night march of about sixteen miles. The remainder of the column +was to proceed by the main road and attack the laager at +daybreak.</p> +<p>The Regiment rendezvoused on the west side of the river, clear +of the town, before dusk. Here the men had food, and a start was +made at 7 p.m. The going at first was fairly simple, but once the +track was left the ground became rough, stony, and intersected +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page178" id= +"page178"></a>{178}</span> with dongas. The advance was then made +in single file.</p> +<p>As an instance of how a small obstruction delays troops marching +in the dark, one small water-course 1-1/2 feet wide and about 1 +foot deep delayed the head of the column for some thirty-five +minutes, till all the men had crossed and were closed up again, and +then in crossing one in every ten fell into it. The top of the +Steenkampsberg was reached at about 1 a.m., after a steep climb +over a rough track. The difficulty of the march was increased by a +thick fog. On the far side a steep cliff, at the bottom of which +was a deep donga and a mountain torrent, was encountered, and this +had to be negotiated on hands and knees. Slipping and sliding down, +the bottom of the donga was reached and the mountain torrent waded, +and then after a steep ascent the top of the plateau was +reached.</p> +<p>It was here that the laager was supposed to be situated, and an +extension was made and the advance continued. Just as the dawn was +breaking some flying Boers, appearing and disappearing in the fog, +were fired at by the leading extended company. The Boers had been +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page179" id= +"page179"></a>{179}</span> disturbed prematurely and had escaped, +taking with them their pompom, but the wagon containing its +ammunition fell into the hands of the Regiment.</p> +<p>The actual position of the laager was found to be about one mile +away from where it had been previously located, and was very +difficult to find in the dark owing to the undulations of the +ground at the top of the ridge. Complete success under these +circumstances was scarcely probable, but as a test as to what a +regiment could do when called upon, the undertaking was effective +and complete.</p> +<p>After the Regiment had been engaged in long-range firing for +some time, the head of the main column appeared on the Lydenburg +road, and the force finally went into bivouac for the night at +Boshhoek. About 400 sheep and some cattle were picked up on the +neighbouring farms.</p> +<p>The following morning the column marched north down the Waterval +valley, and after the mounted troops had experienced some +opposition in very hilly and rough country, Boshfontein was +reached.</p> +<p>Shortly after the force had settled into <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page180" id="page180"></a>{180}</span> camp +heavy gun fire was heard from the direction of Waterval. The Boers' +shells exploded in the valley immediately to the north of the camp +and in the vicinity of a farm, where it would appear the Boers +considered the column should have bivouacked. After the explosion +of some twenty shells a louder report than usual was heard, and the +shelling ceased.</p> +<p>The mounted troops reported that the Boers were in position +above Waterval, where there was a large women's laager.</p> +<p>In the dark of the morning, at three o'clock, General Kitchener +set his column in motion: four companies, with a 12-pounder and two +5-inch guns, under Major Davies, preceded the force, with the +intention of capturing the big Boer gun; four companies, with two +field guns, under Captain Jacson, made a flanking movement through +scrub and dongas round the left. Very little opposition was met +with. The mounted troops captured a few prisoners, and it was found +that the Boers had blown up their big gun. This was the gun that +had been situated on Pepworth Hill, and which had been disabled by +one of the Naval Brigade's shells during the siege of Ladysmith. +Its <span class="pagenum"><a name="page181" id= +"page181"></a>{181}</span> muzzle had been shortened, showing that +it had been damaged. The Boers had blown the gun to pieces. The +barrel of the gun was blown about fifty yards in front of the +emplacement, whilst the breech-block was found afterwards 1-1/2 +miles in rear. They had destroyed also one pompom and one Maxim. +Twenty-eight Boers were captured, with about sixty head of cattle +and thirteen wagons. The Australians had one man killed and one man +wounded.</p> +<a name="illus-waterval-gun" id="illus-waterval-gun"></a> +<center><img width="500" height="364" src="images/waterval-gun.png" +alt="Remains of Boer Big Gun, Waterval" /></center> +<center>Remains of Boer Big Gun, Waterval</center> +<p>The Waterval valley was well watered and exceedingly rich in +crops, and the numerous farm-houses were full of families. These +were collected afterwards by Colonel Park's column and sent into +Lydenburg.</p> +<p>On the 16th the column set out from Waterval in a north-westerly +direction, the objective being Secoconi's country and Magnet +Heights. The first day found the force on the east bank of the +Steelpoort River. The Dwars River, which was found in full flood +owing to a very violent thunderstorm, had been forded on the way. +The Regiment was rear-guard to the column, and, owing to delay in +passing the baggage over the river, reached camp some <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page182" id="page182"></a>{182}</span> +considerable time after dark. The Australian mounted troops did not +halt at the Steelpoort, but, fording the river, pushed on to Magnet +Heights, which they occupied the same night. Park's column had been +in touch with Kitchener's in the morning.</p> +<a name="illus-steelport-river" id="illus-steelport-river"></a> +<center><img width="500" height="369" src= +"images/steelport-river.png" alt= +"Crossing the Steelport River" /></center> +<center>Crossing the Steelport River</center> +<p>On the banks of the Dwars River Secoconi's men were first met +with. These, armed with rifles of various patterns ancient and +modern, were out scouting for General Kitchener in all +directions.</p> +<p>At dawn on April 17th the crossing of the Steelpoort River was +commenced. One company of the Regiment was first sent across to +occupy the high ground on the far side and to cover the crossing. +The river was in flood owing to the heavy rain of the previous day, +and the water above the men's waist. The advanced company having +got safely across and having occupied the high ground, the +remainder of the infantry were sent over without casualty. The +march was then continued towards Magnet Heights, which was reached +at dusk. Here camp was formed, and on the following day the march +was again resumed with mule transport only, through Secoconi's +land.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page183" id= +"page183"></a>{183}</span> +<p>Secoconi was at the time at war with a neighbouring tribe, and a +fringe of hills only, divided the combatant parties, but an +interval was called in their operations by mutual consent to allow +of the passage of the British through their respective countries. +On leaving behind the outposts of one, the outposts of the other +were met with.</p> +<p>Having reached this point to the north of the Transvaal, General +Kitchener's column was in a position to turn south, and, in +conjunction with other columns on his right and left hand, to sweep +the bush veldt and mountains southward towards the railway, near +which another force under the personal command of Sir Bindon Blood, +who was in charge of the entire operations, was drawn up ready to +intercept any Boers who might try to move across the railway from +north to south.</p> +<p>At Vergelegen, where the column halted for the night of the +18th, some of Secoconi's headmen came into camp for an interview. +They were much impressed with what they saw, patted the 5-inch gun +with friendly concern, and having relieved the General of his +tobacco-pouch and a box of cigars, and offering their <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page184" id="page184"></a>{184}</span> +assistance when not busy with their neighbours, returned to their +kraals.</p> +<p>The mounted troops were sent on ahead the same day to Pokwani +town, where it was supposed the Boers had collected a quantity of +cattle. No trace, however, of either Boers or cattle was found +there.</p> +<p>The columns comprising the drive southward were in constant +communication with each other by signalling. Plumer's column was +immediately on Kitchener's right, holding the line of the +Oliphant's River, thus preventing the Boers, who were scattered in +small groups in the bush veldt, from escaping in the direction of +Pietersburg, whilst Park's column was operating on Kitchener's +left, thus preventing the Boers breaking back towards Waterval and +the Steenkampsberg mountains.</p> +<p>Gradually Kitchener's column moved southward, driving the Boers +off the high ground and picking them up with their cattle and +families in the low or bush veldt. To do this with greater effect +the column was divided, one portion consisting of the battalion, +one gun, the I.L.H. and Australians under Colonel Davies proceeding +in a north-westerly direction <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page185" id="page185"></a>{185}</span> to stop the Boers breaking +back into the bush veldt in rear, whilst General Kitchener with the +remainder of the column marched over the high ground overlooking +the bush veldt, and on the direct road to the south. On the 22nd +Davies' column reached Enkeldedoorn, whilst General Kitchener with +the Rifle Brigade occupied Vaal Kop on the morning of the 23rd. On +the first day out the mounted troops of Davies' force, scouring the +bush in their advance, captured 23 prisoners, 8 wagons, 450 head of +cattle, and 4000 sheep. They also brought in a number of families, +some of whom had been hiding for months in kloofs and dongas in +great fear of the Kaffirs. One woman with her children was seen +weeping by the side of the track, and on being asked the reason, +she implored that she also might be taken into the railway and not +left behind. She was comforted by an assurance that the column +would return and that she would be taken in.</p> +<p>Stores were now running short, and the biscuit and sugar rations +were reduced to half.</p> +<p>In order to keep connection between the two portions of General +Kitchener's column, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page186" id= +"page186"></a>{186}</span> two companies were left at Enkeldedoorn +under the command of Captain Bartlett. These also formed a "stop" +to prevent the Boers breaking back, and a post to which prisoners' +families and cattle could be forwarded on their way to join the +head-quarters at Paardeplaats, whither General Kitchener had gone +from Vaal Kop.</p> +<p>The Regiment, with the Australian mounted troops, operating +through dense bush proceeded in the direction of the Oliphant's +River, capturing a considerable number of prisoners, cattle, +wagons, and families, amongst the prisoners being Commandant +Fourie.</p> +<p>Eight privates of the Regiment, who were escorting an ammunition +cart, and who had lost their way, captured six Boers with all their +cattle and brought them into camp.</p> +<p>When within twelve miles of the Oliphant's River, Davies, +hearing that Commandant Schroeder with a small commando was +directly between him and Plumer's column on the Oliphant's River, +split his force into two. The infantry, comprising five companies +of the Regiment, were sent back under Captain Jacson, with all the +prisoners wagons and <span class="pagenum"><a name="page187" id= +"page187"></a>{187}</span> families to Enkeldedoorn, while Davies +himself, with the Australians and one gun, started in pursuit of +Schroeder. On nearing the Oliphant's River it was ascertained that +Schroeder, with forty-one men and one Maxim gun and several wagons, +had been forced by Davies' mounted troops across the river into the +hands of Plumer, who had them in safe keeping.</p> +<p>Jacson's train of prisoners reached Enkeldedoorn on April 26th, +and on the following day he received orders to proceed at once to +Zuikerboschplaats and to take with him Bartlett's two companies +from Enkeldedoorn. This place was reached at dusk, and shortly +afterwards Davies brought up his Australians to the same camp, his +column being then again united. The northern part of the bush veldt +having been swept clear of Boers, Davies then moved due south and +scoured the country round the Tafel Kop mountain, capturing a +number of prisoners and wagons. Haartebeestfontein was reached late +in the evening of the 28th, some of the companies of the Regiment +having marched over hill and dale through thick scrub more than +twenty miles. Four men had lost their way and were missing.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page188" id= +"page188"></a>{188}</span> +<p>Orders were received on the following day from General Kitchener +for Davies' force to rejoin head-quarters at Paardeplaats. An early +start was made at 6 a.m. Lackau, 12-1/2 miles, was reached at 11 +a.m., and here the column halted and the cattle outspanned till +2.30 p.m. The heat in the bush veldt was excessive, and was very +trying to the men and cattle. At 2.30 p.m. the march was again +resumed, and after another ten miles Paardeplaats was reached at +dusk.</p> +<p>It had been a hot and dusty march of 22-1/2 miles, and the men +and cattle were rather "done up." On arrival it was found that the +General had moved on to Goedgedacht.</p> +<p>As soon as it was dark rockets were fired to try and direct the +four missing men into camp, but without success.</p> +<p>On the following day the battalion with the Australians marched +down the steep Zaaiplaats Pass to Buffelsvlei, bivouacking for the +night on the banks of the Buffelsvlei River.</p> +<p>On arrival there it was again found that the General had moved +on to Rooi Plaats, and that the 2nd Rifle Brigade had proceeded by +the Tautesberg road with prisoners and families <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page189" id="page189"></a>{189}</span> and +cattle to Wonderfontein on the railway line.</p> +<p>May 1st found the force at Rooi Plaats, and here a halt was made +on the 2nd. Two companies under Captain Bartlett were dispatched to +Diepkloof and two companies under Captain Wren to Waterval in order +to block the two roads to the north from the Botha's Berg, and to +stop the Boers breaking back.</p> +<p>On May 3rd the Regiment with the Australian mounted infantry +reached Waterval, and on the following day proceeded to Blinkwater. +Two companies with two guns under Captain Ponsonby, R.A., were left +behind to cover the retirement of some mounted infantry, with +orders to rejoin in the evening.</p> +<p>General Blood, with the whole of his personal command, had left +Blinkwater on the previous day for Middleburg, and on the 5th +General Kitchener received orders to follow him. The column marched +that day to Rooi Kop, twelve miles distant on the Middleburg road, +and on the following day two companies Devon Regiment, two +companies Rifle Brigade, five guns and one howitzer, with the sick, +the whole under Captain Jacson, left for Bankfontein, <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page190" id="page190"></a>{190}</span> where +they were joined next morning by the remainder of General +Kitchener's column.</p> +<p>At Bankfontein a telegram was received which announced that +Major Davies had been promoted to the brevet rank of +lieutenant-colonel, Major Curry granted a D.S.O., and Captain +Jacson was to be promoted to the brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel +on attaining the rank of major.</p> +<p>A halt was made at Bankfontein from the 8th till the 11th, when +the force refitted, and on May the 12th the column marched to +Rondebosch on the outskirts of Middleburg.</p> +<p>In the early part of May, 1901, a further drive on a large scale +was organized by head-quarters. This was intended to traverse the +whole of the Eastern Transvaal south of the railway. The columns +were to be extended from Middleburg through Carolina up to the +Swazi border on the east, and then, with a circling movement based +on Middleburg, gradually to sweep the country through Ermelo +towards Bethel. Having rounded up all this country, the drive, +extending from Bethel on the south to the Pretoria-Lorenzo railway +on the north, was by a combined movement to the westward, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page191" id= +"page191"></a>{191}</span> to push all the Boers remaining in this +part of the country with their cattle on to Johannesburg-Springs +and the Pretoria-Standerton railway lines, which were guarded. The +movement was under the direction of Sir Bindon Blood, and his +forces consisted of eight columns.</p> +<p>The battalion found itself again under the command of General +Walter Kitchener, forming part of his column, which was composed of +the following troops:—</p> +<p>1st Devonshire Regiment.<br /> +2nd Rifle Brigade.<br /> +6th West Australians (450 strong).<br /> +2nd I.L.H. (800 strong).<br /> +Four guns 53rd Field Battery R.A.<br /> +One 5-inch gun.<br /> +One naval 12-pounder.</p> +<p>Its position in the drive was on the left or outside edge of the +circle of the operations.</p> +<p>The forces were put in motion on the 13th May, on which day +Kitchener, advancing in the direction of the Swazi border, marched +to Zaaiplaats (12-1/2 miles), and thence without <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page192" id="page192"></a>{192}</span> incident +through Riet Kuil, reaching Schoonora on the 15th. In the +neighbourhood of Schoonora Commandant Trichardt, with 170 of his +followers, was surprised by the Australian mounted infantry, who +killed one Boer and captured 300 head of cattle. A considerable +number of Boers were reported to be in the neighbourhood.</p> +<p>The drifts over which the column had to pass after leaving Riet +Kuil were bad, and only two companies reached Schoonora that night. +The remainder of the battalion, which was rear-guard to the column, +bivouacked with the baggage three miles out of camp near a branch +of the Klein Oliphants River, and joined up with the column next +morning. The following day Mooiplaats was reached, when a large +number of cattle and some families were taken.</p> +<p>On May 16th the column moved to Grobellars Recht. Here the Boers +were found in large numbers under Botha. The 5th and 6th West +Australians whilst operating on the right flank of the column were +ambushed, losing one officer and six men killed and thirteen +wounded. The Boers were very <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page193" id="page193"></a>{193}</span> truculent and gave +considerable trouble, and the force was not in camp till dark. It +was not, however, disturbed during the night.</p> +<p>The column left Grobellars Recht on the 16th with the 5th and +6th West Australians as rear-guard, supported by the Devonshire +Regiment. The Boers followed up smartly for some hours, but there +were no casualties, and camp was reached at Kromkrans at about 4 +p.m. Smutsoog was reached the next day. On the march Pulteney's +column, which was seen in the distance, mistaking Kitchener's +column for a commando of Boers, shelled them with field guns. Their +shooting was accurate, and it was not till General Kitchener +threatened to send a 5-inch shell at them that they desisted. +Fortunately no damage was done. From Smutsoog the column proceeded +to Goedevervachting, a few Boers sniping the column on the +march.</p> +<p>Much inconvenience was experienced from the cold, as it froze +hard every night.</p> +<p>On the 20th the column marched to Florence, passing Bothwell and +Lake Chrissie, and on the following day reached Veltevreden. Here +the 2nd Rifle Brigade and the West <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page194" id="page194"></a>{194}</span> Australians left the +column. On the march to Veltevreden a few Boers were seen, and +there was some firing at the rear-guard.</p> +<p>On the following day a short march brought the force to Uitkyk, +where a halt was made on the 23rd.</p> +<p>On the 24th the column on its march to Schapenberg captured 800 +cattle and 4000 sheep, and five Boers surrendered.</p> +<p>A halt was made on the 25th and 26th at Schapenberg. Here 16,000 +sheep, which were being driven along with the column, were +slaughtered. These, daily increasing in number, hampered the +movements of the rearguard on the march to such an extent, that it +was found impossible to drive them on to the railway; they were +therefore slaughtered.</p> +<p>Lekkerloop was reached on the 27th, on which day the I.L.H. +captured twenty-two prisoners. A halt was made at Lekkerloop from +the 28th to 31st, during which time the I.L.H. under Colonel +Mackenzie were busy capturing prisoners and clearing the +country.</p> +<p>On June 1st the column marched to Bushman's Kop, proceeding on +the following day to Vierwonden, crossing the Theespruit <i>en +route</i>. <span class="pagenum"><a name="page195" id= +"page195"></a>{195}</span> The I.L.H. brought six prisoners into +camp with them. The main column halted at Vierwonden from the 3rd +till the 8th, whilst Captain Bartlett left for Hoilake on the 3rd +in command of three companies as escort to a convoy, and on the 4th +Captain Wren was ordered with one company and five guns to +Bonnybraes. On the 9th the column marched to Bonnybraes, Colonel +Mackenzie and the I.L.H. bringing in eighteen Boers and about 400 +cattle and some families.</p> +<p>A halt was made at Bonnybraes on the 10th. The column was +reunited on the 11th at Fernyhaugh, and on the 12th marched to +Busby, the march being greatly delayed by a bad drift over the +Umpolosi River. Ring Kink was reached on the 13th, and Woodstock on +the 14th. Thirty Boer rifles were found on Woodstock Farm.</p> +<p>The column was then divided. Seven companies of the Regiment +under Lieutenant-Colonel Davies, with the 2nd I.L.H. and the 5th +and 6th West Australians, left Woodstock at 1 a.m., the remainder +of the column proceeding, under General Kitchener's personal +command, further south towards Bank Kop to <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page196" id="page196"></a>{196}</span> round up +some Boers reported in that neighbourhood.</p> +<p>Davies' mounted troops captured during the day fourteen Boers, +some families, 100 cattle, 1000 sheep, and six wagons. This column +marched twenty-two miles and camped for the night at Blaukrans, +where Colonel Davies rested his men on the 16th.</p> +<p>Colbank was reached on the 17th, when all mounted troops left to +join Kitchener's column at Bank Kop.</p> +<p>The following day the Regiment marched to Kranspan and joined up +with General Kitchener. The column captured that day several +families and twenty-two Boers. On the 19th the whole column marched +in the direction of Ermelo, and camped for the night on a hill +overlooking the town. Camp was reached at nightfall after a very +long, dusty, and tiring march, the rear-guard getting in after +dark.</p> +<p>On the 20th the force marched through Ermelo to Driehook. A +number of Boers followed up the rear-guard, and there was a good +deal of firing, but no casualties. The march was resumed on the +following day and <span class="pagenum"><a name="page197" id= +"page197"></a>{197}</span> Kranspoort was reached. On the 22nd the +column marched to Witbank, the rear-guard being engaged almost the +whole march. A halt was made at Witbank. The West Australians were +here again ambushed, losing two men killed, one officer and two men +wounded, and five taken prisoners.</p> +<p>Three hundred Boers were reported on the left flank at +nightfall, and preparations were made to receive a night attack, +which, however, did not come off. On the following day a dense fog +delayed the march till 9 a.m., and it was not till late that Vaal +Bank was reached. The rear-guard, consisting of the Devon Regiment +and the 6th West Australians, was engaged the whole day with the +Boers, who followed the column right up to the new camp. That night +the whole Regiment was on outpost duty.</p> +<p>The rear-guard was engaged heavily the following day during the +march to Bankpan.</p> +<p>Campbell's and Babington's columns were on the immediate right. +The Devons halted for the day at Bankpan, when the 5th and 6th West +Australians left to join Campbell's <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page198" id="page198"></a>{198}</span> column at Middlekraal, the +18th Hussars exchanging over to Kitchener's column.</p> +<p>A night march was made on the 26th for the purpose of +surrounding a farm some eight miles distant. This was accomplished +by midnight. No Boers were taken. The column halted till daylight, +when the march was again resumed, and Erstegeluk reached in the +afternoon. A number of Boers were surprised in the neighbouring +farms by the mounted troops; and shortly after camp was formed, a +body of Boers attempted to drive in the outposts and to attack the +camp, but without success.</p> +<p>The following day Bethel was reached, and camp was formed close +to Colonel Babington's column. The 18th Hussars, reconnoitring to +the south-east of Bethel, were surprised by a large party of Boers. +Lieutenant Green, Devonshire Regiment, who was in charge of the +Colt gun attached to the 18th Hussars and which was manned by men +of the Devonshire Regiment, behaved very gallantly in bringing his +gun at once into action and engaging the Boers within a range of +500 yards, thus covering the cavalry and giving them time to +rally.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page199" id= +"page199"></a>{199}</span> +<p>On June 29th the march was resumed, and the column reached +Schurvekop, the rear-guard receiving a good deal of attention from +the Boers. Camp was formed at Middlekraal on the following day. +Here Campbell's column was again met with.</p> +<p>Middlekraal was left on July 1st, and the column marched in the +direction of Springs. A number of Boers were in the vicinity of the +first camp, Witbank, and the camp was sniped during the night. The +following day the column marched to Bakenlaagte, the scene of the +disaster to Benson's column, the rear-guard being followed up by a +few Boers.</p> +<p>After a short march the following day Grootpan was reached, and +at 8 p.m. three companies of the Regiment under Captain Bartlett, +and the 5th and 6th West Australians, made a night march to the +south, capturing a picquet of six Boers early next morning. The +column, after a twelve-miles' march, reached Sondagskraal on the +4th at 1 p.m. On arrival there news was received that a Boer +convoy, accompanied by Louis Botha, was in the neighbourhood of +Trichardtsfontein, about fifteen miles from Sondagskraal.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page200" id= +"page200"></a>{200}</span> +<p>General Kitchener determined to intercept this convoy, and for +this reason the following force under his personal command, viz. +two squadrons 19th Hussars, 5th and 6th West Australians, and four +companies of the Devonshire Regiment under Captain Jacson, set out +the same evening. The mounted troops of Colville's column +co-operated. Trichardtsfontein was reached an hour before dawn, +when the place was found deserted. A halt was made there for the +day, when Colville's column left.</p> +<a name="illus-dawn" id="illus-dawn"></a> +<center><img width="500" height="286" src="images/dawn.png" alt= +"Dawn--After a Night March, Trichardtsfontein" /></center> +<center>Dawn--After a Night March, Trichardtsfontein</center> +<p>At nightfall several Boers were seen on the hills in the +vicinity, and there was every reason to suppose that a night attack +was contemplated by them. Preparations were made accordingly, but +the night was passed quietly.</p> +<p>At dawn the return march was commenced. The Boers attacked the +rear-guard before it left camp and before it was formed up, and +engaged it the whole way back to Sondagskraal, until finally they +came under fire of the 5-inch gun in position in that camp.</p> +<p>During the preceding thirty-one hours the four companies of the +Regiment had marched forty-two miles.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page201" id= +"page201"></a>{201}</span> +<p>Whilst this enterprise was being undertaken the remainder of the +battalion, with the transport of the column, had remained at +Sondagskraal under Colonel Davies.</p> +<p>On the 7th the force marched to Goedehoop, and proceeding +without incident on the 8th to Brakfontein, on the 9th to Strypan, +reached Springs on the 10th. The last two marches were long and +tiring, and what little strength was left in the oxen was +exhausted. The men likewise required a rest and a refit after their +long trek from Lydenburg, which had extended through Secoconi's +country in the Northern Transvaal, down south to Middleburg, thence +east to the Swazi border and over the Eastern Transvaal, reaching +as far south as Bethel, to Springs, near Johannesburg. Eighty per +cent of the men had on arrival at Springs neither shirts nor socks, +and the bitter cold of the high veldt pierced keenly through the +thin Indian khaki drill. The column required generally doing up +before again "taking the floor." It was expected by all that the +infantry at least would be relieved by a fresh battalion.</p> +<p>But it was not to be, for General Walter <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page202" id="page202"></a>{202}</span> Kitchener +insisted on the Devons accompanying him, and his column set out +again from Springs on the 14th on a trek to the north, and without +much fighting or incident reached Middleburg on July 22nd. The +country through which the column passed was cleared of everything +living, including Kaffirs.</p> +<p>Three days' halt was allowed the column at Middleburg, and on +the 25th a start was again made for the north. It was now composed +as under:—</p> +<p>Four guns 81st Field Battery R.A., under Major Simpson.<br /> +One pompom.<br /> +19th Hussars.<br /> +5th and 6th West Australians.<br /> +Half company Scottish Horse.<br /> +Half company Mounted Infantry.<br /> +Seven companies Devonshire Regiment.</p> +<p>Two companies under Captain Bartlett had left on the 24th July +to garrison Elands River station, on the Pretoria-Lorenzo +railway.</p> +<p>The seven companies with General Kitchener marched out 723 +strong.</p> +<p>Two other columns were operating with <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page203" id="page203"></a>{203}</span> General +Kitchener, one under Colonel Park and the other under Colonel +Campbell. The whole were under the supreme command of General +Walter Kitchener.</p> +<p>On the first day out the 19th Hussars captured a pompom and +about sixty prisoners of Ben Viljoen's and Muller's commandos after +a very gallant little action in which five men of the 19th Hussars +especially distinguished themselves. A great number of cattle and +many wagons were also taken, and the Boers lost about twelve killed +and twenty wounded.</p> +<p>General Walter Kitchener's column encamped at Rooi Kraal for a +few days before moving to a camp at Diep Kloof, from which place +convoys were sent to the railway for stores for the three +columns.</p> +<p>The first of these convoys under Lieutenant-Colonel Jacson left +on August 1st, marched to Middleburg, by Blinkwater and +Elandslaagte, and reached Middleburg in three days; halted one day +there to load up, and returned via Elandslaagte and Noitgedacht to +Diepkloof in three more days, receiving on their return the +congratulations of General Kitchener on their performance.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page204" id= +"page204"></a>{204}</span> +<p>On the 10th another convoy, again under Lieutenant-Colonel +Jacson, with an escort composed of men of the Devons and Leicesters +and some Scottish mounted infantry and two field guns, started for +Wonderfontein.</p> +<p>This convoy consisted of all the wagons of the columns of +Colonels Park and Campbell and General Kitchener, which had to be +filled up at the railway line and brought back.</p> +<p>Waterval was reached on the 10th, Rhenoster Hoek on the 11th, +Sterkloop on the 12th, Uitflucht on the 13th, and Wonderfontein on +the 14th. Slight opposition was met with, and three Boers were +captured with wagons containing a quantity of grain.</p> +<p>The convoy having halted and loaded up on the 15th, started on +its return journey on the 16th.</p> +<p>The journey to Wonderfontein had been up the Steelpoort valley, +and the road had been found difficult. It was very much intersected +with water-courses running off the high veldt, and these +necessitated frequent halts to allow of the passage of the wagons +in single file, and the reclosing up of the convoy after +crossing.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page205" id= +"page205"></a>{205}</span> +<p>A different road over the high veldt, thus avoiding the +water-courses, was chosen for the return journey, and it was +perhaps fortunate that this new road was selected, as it was +reported afterwards that Ben Viljoen had taken up a position at the +time in the Steelpoort valley to intercept the return column.</p> +<p>On the 16th the convoy marched to Panplaats; on the 17th to +Roedekop (where some of Viljoen's men were met with and some more +of his grain carts captured), Blinkwater on the 18th, and Diepkloof +on the 19th.</p> +<p>After a few days' scouring of the country round Diepkloof and +the valley towards the Oliphants River, the three columns +concentrated at Blinkwater. Here an entrenched camp was formed +under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Jacson, consisting of the +baggage of the three columns, the hospitals, and most of the field +guns, with a garrison included amongst which were four companies of +the Regiment.</p> +<p>Park's and Campbell's columns marched east into the hills in the +Ohrigstadt direction, Park penetrating almost as far as Pilgrim's +Rest, while General Kitchener's column moved <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page206" id="page206"></a>{206}</span> south +towards Middleburg. On September 3rd the force was broken up, +Colonel Park's column being left in the neighbourhood of +Blinkwater, whilst General Kitchener's column marched towards the +railway at Wonderfontein, which was reached on September 5th.</p> +<p>On arrival at Wonderfontein it was found that trekking was for +the time being, finished. Orders were received for the Regiment to +entrain for Machadodorp for the purpose of garrisoning the railway +blockhouses.</p> +<p>The General's farewell order to the Regiment on its leaving the +column with which it had been so long associated was as +follows:—</p> +<blockquote> +<p>"COLUMN ORDER BY MAJOR-GENERAL F.W. KITCHENER</p> +<p>"<i>Wonderfontein, September 5th, 1901.</i></p> +<p>"It has been the privilege of the Major-General to include the +1st Devon Regiment in his command since the relief of Ladysmith, +and it is with great regret that he has now to part with the last +fighting unit of the 7th Brigade. The reputation earned by the +Regiment at Elandslaagte and Ladysmith is a <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page207" id="page207"></a>{207}</span> matter of +history. Since that time this excellent corps has fought and +marched in summer rain and winter frost during many long months, +through the length and breadth of the Eastern Transvaal.</p> +<p>"The face of the country will remain for many years scarred with +the trenches they have dug and the works they have made. They have +proved on all occasions what a sound regimental system worked by +thoroughly sound officers, N.C.O.s, and men can do.</p> +<p>"The Major-General and all in number one column wish the Devons +good luck and a pleasant time in the near future."</p> +</blockquote> +<p>On September 6th the Regiment entrained. The General and his +staff and the whole column turned out to give the Regiment a hearty +farewell. Machadodorp was reached at about 2 p.m., and all the +posts round the town were taken over from the Royal Irish +Fusiliers. The railway blockhouses in the neighbourhood of +Machadodorp were also taken over. Colonel Davies was appointed +commandant of the station, and Captain Ravenshaw station staff +officer.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page208" id= +"page208"></a>{208}</span> +<p>During September and October six companies were located on the +Lydenburg road as far as Witklip, holding the following +posts:—Helvetia, Schwartzkop, Schoeman's Kloof, Badfontein, +and Witklip. Two companies remained at Machadodorp with the +battalion head-quarters.</p> +<p>In October, one company under Captain Holland and Lieutenant +Willis, whilst acting as escort to a party erecting blockhouses in +the Badfontein valley, was attacked by Ben Viljoen and about three +hundred Boers. The Boers galloped down from the hills on to the +extended company. The men behaved with great gallantry, and +finally, after a sharp and mixed-up fight, drove off the Boers. One +man of the company fell into their hands and was stripped and left. +Lieutenant Willis, for gallantry on this occasion, was rewarded +with the D.S.O., and Lance-Corporal Cummings was promoted corporal +by the Commander-in-Chief for gallantry in the field.</p> +<p>During the first week of November, orders were received for the +1st Battalion to proceed to Standerton <i>en route</i> to India. +The 2nd Battalion had been quartered there for a considerable +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page209" id= +"page209"></a>{209}</span> time, and a transfer of men was effected +from one battalion to the other. The two battalions spent Christmas +together.</p> +<a name="illus-to-duran" id="illus-to-durban"></a> +<center><img width="500" height="357" src="images/to-durban.png" +alt="Devons En Route to Durban" /></center> +<center>Devons En Route to Durban</center> +<p>On January 1st (1902) the 1st Battalion entrained at daylight +for Durban.</p> +<p>The battalion met with a great reception at Maritzburg, where a +halt was made for nine hours. Here each man was presented by the +ladies of that place with a pipe, half a pound of tobacco, and a +pockethandkerchief.</p> +<p>The battalion sailed from South Africa for India, with the +following officers and 922 rank and file:—</p> +<p>Bt. Lieutenant-Colonel T.A.H. Davies, D.S.O.<br /> +Bt. Lieutenant-Colonel M.G. Jacson.<br /> +Captain E.C. Wren.<br /> + T.C.B. Holland.<br /> + G.H.I. Graham.<br /> +Lieutenant T.B. Harries.<br /> + G.I. Watts.<br /> + D.H. Blunt.<br /> + H.R. Gunning.<br /> + S.T. Hailey.<br /> + H.W.F. Twiss.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page210" id= +"page210"></a>{210}</span> E.S.C. Willis.<br /> + W.E. Scafe.<br /> + G.F.A. Kane.<br /> +2nd Lieutenant C. Edward-Collins.<br /> + M.D. Young.<br /> + C.W. Hext.<br /> + A.M. Mills.<br /> + R.C. Wrey.<br /> +Brevet-Major and Adjutant H.S.L. Ravenshaw.</p> +<p>Of the above, it may be noted that the following left India with +the battalion in 1899:—</p> +<p>Bt. Lieut.-Colonel M.G. Jacson.<br /> +Captain E.C. Wren.<br /> + G.H.I. Graham.<br /> +Lieutenant T.B. Harries.<br /> + G.I. Watts.<br /> + D.H. Blunt.<br /> + H.R. Gunning.<br /> + S.T. Hayley.<br /> + H.W.F. Twiss.<br /> +Bt-Major and Adjutant H.S.L. Ravenshaw.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page211" id= +"page211"></a>{211}</span> +<p>The following officers of the battalion remained behind in South +Africa:—</p> +<p>Colonel C.W. Park, A.D.C., commanding a column.<br /> +Captain and Bt.-Major E.M. Morris, South African +Constabulary.<br /> +Captain Bartlett, D.A.A.G. for Intelligence.<br /> + Vyvyan, Provost Marshal, Barberton.<br /> + Travers, South African Constabulary.</p> +<p>Lieutenant-General Lyttleton met the battalion at Howick on its +way to Durban, and wished them "farewell."</p> +<p>The following telegram was received at Durban from Lord +Kitchener, commanding the forces in South Africa:—</p> +<p>"To O.C. 1st Devon Regiment,<br /> +Durban.<br /> +"From Lord Kitchener,<br /> +Johannesburg.</p> +<p>"Please express to officers and men of the Regiment under your +command my high appreciation of their services in South Africa +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page212" id= +"page212"></a>{212}</span> during the war, which has already +enhanced the great reputation of the Regiment. In bidding you +good-bye, I associate myself with all your comrades remaining in +the country in hearty wishes for your future good luck."</p> +<p>It should be added to the records of the battalion, which +throughout two years and three months had fought and marched +incessantly in South Africa, that it had never once experienced the +slightest trace of an "unfortunate incident," and had during that +time lost only three prisoners of war, two of whom lost their way +in the dark at Geluk and marched into enemy's lines, the third +having been taken during the company fight in the Badfontein valley +against 300 of Ben Viljoen's men. The miles traversed by the +battalion in the long continuous treks during the war are +summarized as under. The miles are measured off the map simply from +place to place and from camp to camp, and they do not include the +distances marched in fighting, flanking, or other movements, or in +convoy work and expeditions in the Lydenburg district, which, if +included, would probably double the distance marched.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page213" id= +"page213"></a>{213}</span> +<p><i>Trek under Sir Redvers Buller.</i></p> +<p>August 7th till October 2nd, 1900.</p> +<p>Zandspruit to Lydenburg, 271 miles in 54 days, including all +halts.</p> +<p><i>Trek under General Walter Kitchener.</i></p> +<p>April 13th till September 2nd, 1901.</p> +<p>Lydenburg, Secoconi's country, Middleburg, Swazi Border, Bethel, +Springs, Middleburg, Bothas Berg, and country north of the railway +line. 1006 miles in 141 days, including all halts.</p> +<p>On the evening of January 1st the Regiment embarked on the s.s. +<i>Armenian</i>, and was followed by the 2nd battalion Gordon +Highlanders, who embarked on January 2nd.</p> +<p>On January 3rd the ship conveying the two regiments sailed for +Bombay, which port was reached on January 18th.</p> +<p>Lord Northcote, the Governor of Bombay, received the two +regiments on disembarkation and addressed them, congratulating them +on their good work in South Africa.</p> +<p>The Devons entrained the same evening for Shahjehanpur in the +United Provinces.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page214" id= +"page214"></a>{214}</span> +<p>The honours gained by the officers and men of the battalion were +as follows:—</p> +<p>1. Colonel Yule to be C.B.<br /> +2. Lieutenant-Colonel Park to be Brevet-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp to +the King.<br /> +3. Major Davies, D.S.O., to be Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel.<br /> +4. Major Curry granted D.S.O.<br /> +5. Captain Jacson to be Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel on promotion to +the rank of Major.<br /> +6. Captain Norton Goodwyn, D.S.O., to be Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel +on promotion to the rank of Major.<br /> +7. Captain Travers granted D.S.O.<br /> +8. Captain and Adjutant Ravenshaw to be Brevet-Major.<br /> +9. Captain Masterson to be Brevet-Major and awarded the Victoria +Cross.<br /> +10. Captain E.M. Morris to be Brevet-Major.<br /> +11. Lieutenant Emerson granted D.S.O.<br /> +12. Willis granted D.S.O.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page215" id= +"page215"></a>{215}</span> +<p><i>Attached Officers</i>.</p> +<p>13. Lieutenant Tringham, the Queen's, granted D.S.O.<br /> +14. Lieutenant Cowie, Dorset Regiment, granted D.S.O.</p> +<p>The following officers of the 1st Battalion were mentioned in +dispatches:—</p> +<p>Colonel Yule—once.<br /> +Brevet-Colonel Park, A.D.C.—twice.<br /> +Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Davies, D.S.O.—twice.<br /> +Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Jacson—twice.<br /> + Goodwyn—twice.<br /> +Major Curry, D.S.O.—twice.<br /> +Brevet-Major Ravenshaw—four times.<br /> + Masterson, V.C.—twice.<br /> +Captain W.B. Lafone—twice.<br /> + Bartlett—once.<br /> + Travers, D.S.O.—once.<br /> + Wren—once.<br /> + Smyth-Osbourne—twice.<br /> + Luxmore—once.<br /> +Lieutenant Field—twice.<br /> + Emerson, D.S.O.—three times.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page216" id= +"page216"></a>{216}</span> Willis, D.S.O.—once.<br /> + Tringham, D.S.O. (attached)—once.<br /> + Cowie, D.S.O. (attached)—twice.<br /> + Twiss—once.<br /> + Harris—once.<br /> + Green—once.<br /> + Watts—once.<br /> + Gardiner—once.</p> +<p><i>Non-commissioned Officers and Men.</i></p> +<p>The following were granted Distinguished Conduct +Medals:—</p> +<p>Colour-Sergeant Payne.<br /> + Horswell.<br /> + Palmer.<br /> + Burnell.<br /> + Webb.<br /> + Aplin.<br /> +Sergeant Pitt.<br /> + Downing.<br /> + Hudson.<br /> + Williams.<br /> +Lance-Sergeant Poulter.<br /> + Young.<br /> + Rowe.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page217" id= +"page217"></a>{217}</span> Corporal Hansford.<br /> +Private Boulton.<br /> + Davies.</p> +<p>The following non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned +in dispatches:—</p> +<p>Colour-Sergeant Palmer—four times.<br /> + Payne—twice.<br /> + Horswell—once.<br /> + Burnell—once.<br /> + Webb—once.<br /> + Burchell—once.<br /> +Sergeant Hudson—once.<br /> + Downing—once.<br /> + Young—twice.<br /> + Poulter—once.<br /> + Curtis—once.<br /> +Lance-Sergeant Rowe—twice.<br /> +Corporal Hayes—once (promoted sergeant).<br /> +Lance-Corporal Cummings—once (promoted corporal).<br /> +Private Brimicombe—twice.<br /> + Norman—three times.<br /> + Cox—twice.<br /> + Smith—once.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page218" id= +"page218"></a>{218}</span> Youlden—once.<br /> + Clay—once.<br /> + Edwards—once.<br /> + Hayman—once.<br /> + Davies—once.<br /> + Hansford—twice.<br /> + Boulton—once.</p> +<a name="illus-ladysmith-monument" id= +"illus-ladysmith-monument"></a> +<center><img width="250" height="368" src= +"images/ladysmith-monument.png" alt= +"Monument Erected in Ladysmith Cemetery" /></center> +<center>Monument Erected in Ladysmith Cemetery</center> +<p>The following is a list of the killed and wounded and of those +who died of disease during the campaign:—</p> +<p><i>Officers: Killed.</i></p> +<p>Captain W.B. Lafone.<br /> +Lieutenant Field.<br /> + Dalzel.<br /> + Price-Dent.<br /> +2nd Lieutenant Cumin.<br /> + Carey.<br /> +Lieutenant Walker, Somerset Light Infantry (attached).</p> +<p><i>Wounded.</i></p> +<p>Captain Lafone—twice.<br /> + Masterson.<br /> + Luxmore.<br /> +2nd Lieutenant Twiss.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page219" id= +"page219"></a>{219}</span> Scafe.<br /> + Kane.<br /> +Lieutenant Caffin (attached).<br /> + Tringham (attached).<br /> + Byrne (attached).<br /> +2nd Lieutenant Gunning.<br /> + Hayley.<br /> + Green.</p> +<p><i>N.C.O.'s and Men.</i></p> +<p><i>Killed and died of wounds and diseases.</i></p> +<p>Private Taylor, died of disease Ladysmith.<br /> + Forman, killed Ladysmith.<br /> + Salter <br /> + Nolloth, died of disease Ladysmith.<br /> + Richards<br /> + Edwards<br /> + Paddon, died of disease Transvaal.<br /> + Hayward<br /> + Morgan, died of wounds<br /> + Manley, died of disease<br /> + Goff, killed Transvaal.<br /> + Brockett, killed Ladysmith.<br /> + Cook, died of disease Ladysmith.<br /> + Banfield, died of wounds Ladysmith.<br /> + Sullivan, died of disease "<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page220" id= +"page220"></a>{220}</span> Woolacott, died of disease +Transvaal.<br /> + Penfold<br /> + Silvester, died of disease Ladysmith.<br /> + Marsh<br /> + Nunn<br /> +Lance-Corporal Leonard, died of disease Ladysmith.<br /> +Private Evans, died of disease Ladysmith.<br /> + Parrott, killed Transvaal.<br /> + Arthur, died of disease Transvaal.<br /> + Luck<br /> + Mathews<br /> + Clements, died of disease Ladysmith.<br /> + Seager, died of wounds Ladysmith<br /> + Connabeer, died of disease Ladysmith<br /> + Swannell<br /> +Lance-Corporal Spear, died of disease.<br /> +Private Litton, killed Ladysmith.<br /> + Vinnicombe, died of disease.<br /> + Down<br /> + Rowland<br /> +Lance-Corporal Pratt, killed Ladysmith.<br /> +Private Bibb, killed Ladysmith.<br /> + Harvey<br /> + Woods, died of wounds received Ladysmith.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page221" id= +"page221"></a>{221}</span> Hornsby, died of wounds received +Ladysmith.<br /> +Private Milton, died of disease Ladysmith.<br /> + Firminger<br /> + Vicary<br /> + Newbury<br /> + Lane<br /> + Sheridan<br /> + Horswell<br /> +Lance-Corporal Vern, killed Ladysmith.<br /> +Private Bamsey, killed Ladysmith.<br /> + Fair<br /> + Roper<br /> + Davidson<br /> + Curtis<br /> + Marden<br /> + Brown<br /> + Newcombe<br /> +Lance-Corporal Pigeon, died of wounds received Ladysmith.<br /> +Private Bevan, died of wounds received Ladysmith.<br /> +Private Page, died of wounds received Ladysmith.<br /> +Private Vern, died of disease.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page222" id= +"page222"></a>{222}</span> Rosser died of disease.<br /> + Clotworthy<br /> + Turner<br /> + Ponting<br /> + Rawbone<br /> + Jeffries, died of wounds.<br /> + Young, died of disease.<br /> + Davidson<br /> + Cunningham<br /> +Lance-Corporal Murfin, died of disease.<br /> +Private Livermore<br /> +Corporal Wright<br /> +Private Humphrey, killed.<br /> + Bowles, died of disease.<br /> + Watts<br /> + Meade<br /> + Phillips<br /> + Kingham<br /> + Winsor, killed Reitfontein.<br /> + Mayne, died of disease.<br /> + Tayler<br /> + Pike<br /> + Trenchard<br /> + Salter, killed Geluk.<br /> + Cole<br /> + Mcgrath<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page223" id= +"page223"></a>{223}</span> Smith<br /> + Lashbrook, died of wounds.<br /> + Rowe, died of disease.<br /> + Holmes<br /> + Conian</p> +<p><i>N.C.O.'s and Men Wounded.</i></p> +<p>Private Bidwell.<br /> + Turner.<br /> + Pirouet.<br /> + Spiller.<br /> + Laycock.<br /> + Wright.<br /> +Col.-Sergeant Webb.<br /> +Corporal Shapland.<br /> + Bradford.<br /> +Lance-Corporal Millward.<br /> +Lance-Corporal Bennet.<br /> +Lance-Corporal Whitman.<br /> +Private Cox.<br /> + Norman.<br /> + Palmer.<br /> + Webber.<br /> + Lemon.<br /> +Private Lock.<br /> + Hutchings.<br /> + Bevan.<br /> + Orchard.<br /> + Spreadbury.<br /> + Barnett.<br /> + Cox.<br /> + Hay.<br /> + Page.<br /> + King.<br /> + Saunders.<br /> + Wheaton.<br /> + Stapley.<br /> + Brazil.<br /> + West.<br /> + Onyett.<br /> + Winson.<br /> + Dudley.<br /> + Lott.<br /> + Hornsby.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page224" id= +"page224"></a>{224}</span> Fordham.<br /> + Turner.<br /> + Varndell.<br /> + Mower.<br /> + Taylor.<br /> +Colour-Sergeant Burchell.<br /> +Sergeant Williams.<br /> + Hawkins.<br /> +Corporal Lovell.<br /> + Saunders.<br /> +Private Lupton.<br /> + Harford.<br /> + Parrott.<br /> + Mahoney.<br /> + Allen.<br /> + Curtiss.<br /> + O'Brien.<br /> + Brown.<br /> + Gray.<br /> + Anstey.<br /> + Lucas.<br /> +Sergeant Leach.<br /> +Private Capp.<br /> + Gander.<br /> +Private Gregory.<br /> + Reynolds.<br /> + Devitte.<br /> + Osmonde.<br /> + Burge.<br /> + Newton.<br /> + Reed.<br /> +Lance-Corporal Bromford—twice.<br /> +Private Rowe.<br /> + Sussex.<br /> + Ward.<br /> + Smith.<br /> + Easton.<br /> + Legatt.<br /> +Col.-Sergeant Palmer.<br /> +Private Bray.<br /> +Lance-Corporal Spear.<br /> +Private Kean.<br /> + Welch.<br /> + Peckham.<br /> +Lance-Corpl. Quick.<br /> +Private Burns.<br /> + Simmons.<br /> + Palmer.</p> +<p>Total number of killed and wounded and died of +disease:—</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page225" id= +"page225"></a>{225}</span> +<pre> + Killed and died of disease. Wounded. + +Officers 7 12 +N.C.O.'s and men 91 85 + Total casualties 195 +</pre> +<p>A large memorial is erected to the memory of those who fell on +January 6th at Wagon Hill, Ladysmith, on the spot where the charge +took place. It bears the following inscription:</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>To the glory of God,</p> +<p>and in memory of</p> +<p>the following Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers,</p> +<p>and Men of the</p> +<p>1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment,</p> +<p>who fell in the gallant and</p> +<p>successful charge made across this</p> +<p>place by three companies during the</p> +<p>fight on 6th January, 1900.</p> +<p>Siege of Ladysmith.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>Captain W.B. Lafone.<br /> +Lieutenant H.N. Field.<br /> +Lance-Corpl. J. Pigeon.<br /> + W.D. Pratt.<br /> + A. Vern.<br /> +Private T. Bamsey.<br /> + A. Bevan.<br /> + J. Bibb.<br /> + W. Brown.<br /> + A. Curtis.<br /> + W. Davidson.<br /> +Private W. Fair.<br /> + W. Harvey.<br /> + E. Hornsby.<br /> + T. Litton.<br /> + H. Marden.<br /> + W. Newcombe.<br /> + F.W.J. Page.<br /> + G. Roper.<br /> + J. Seager.<br /> + W. Woods.<br /> +<br /> +Lieutenant E.E.M. Walker, Somerset Light Infantry (attached).<br /> +<br /> +"Semper Fidelis."</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page226" id= +"page226"></a>{226}</span> +<p>A marble monument is erected in Ladysmith cemetery to those who +were killed or died of disease during the siege of Ladysmith, and +their names are recorded on it. A small iron cross was also placed +at the head of the grave of every man of the Regiment who was +killed or who died of disease during the war.</p> +<p>These memorials were erected by the officers, non-commissioned +officers, and men of the 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, to the +memory of their gallant comrades.</p> +<p>WILLIAM BRENDON AND SON, LTD.</p> +<p>PRINTERS, PLYMOUTH</p> +<hr class="full" /> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Record of a Regiment of the Line, by M. 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