Dear Cowan,
I asked Major Crompton for a copy of his report
on the successful defence of the Railway Reconstruction trains at Leeuwspruit on 14th June. Owing to postal disarrangements it is possible
that the original nay not have reached Smith-Dorrien. It has since been
reported by an escaped prisoner that De Wet had 1500 men with him in the
attack. The Electrical Engineers R.E. are one of the very few complete
Volunteer units out here, and I write in case Lord Roberts may not have
received the report of their gallant action. The little force consisted
almost entirely of R.E. details.
Yours sincerely,
Elliott Wood.
11. 7. 1900.
MAJOR CROMPTON'S DESPATCH
Attack on two Construction Trains, dated 22nd
June 1900.
C in C, 123/118
Camp Railhead, Viljoen’s Drift, June 22nd
1900.
Sir,
I have the honour to submit for your information
the following report on the attack on the 2 Construction Trains made by the:
Boers - reported to be under the Command of General De Wet.
On June 14th at 1.35 a.m. the night working
party, under command of Lieutenant North R.E. were at work on the Crib piers
of the recently destroyed Bridge at Leeuwspruit close to the 619 mile post.
The two construction trains A and B were then about ½ mile apart, A being
drawn up close to the working party at the spruit, B being in the act of
starting Northwards to shunt "empties" at Leeuwspruit Siding.
The first notice of the
attack was the derailing of the northernmost truck of train B, caused by a
stone being wedged into the "guard rail" by the Boers, followed by the train
being fired on by an attacking party apparently surrounding it. The troops
on the train who had their rifles and ammunition at hand replied at once -
and apparently with effect as the Boers drew off - and apparently went to
assist the party attacking train A. The officers’ coach on Train B was
riddled, and the officers sleeping in it had narrow escapes. The
Engineering reconstruction work was under Lieut Micklem R.E. The other
Officers being extra R.E. officer acting as his assistants, or like myself
in command of Volunteer Engineer details who were acting as working parties.
The attack on train A commenced by a Volley which
caused the Engine driver to move Northward. This removed the arms or the
working party from being close to their hands to a considerable distance to
enable the Boers to reach them and thus capture 1 officer Lieut North and 80
Non-commissioned officers and men were made prisoners. We who were asleep
on train A were unaware of this - but awakened by the firing, turned out of
the train - and at once lost 2 Officers wounded, several men, and a large
number of Basutos killed and wounded. Lieut Micklem was hit by this first
volley which enfiladed the Eastern side of the train. Whilst I was
attending to Lieut Micklem a message cane in from the Boer Commandant - one
of our own sergeants of the captured party bringing the message. We were
summoned to surrender the train "as they were in greatly superior force and
would shell the trains", we paid no attention to the message and I took
command and extended the Sappers who were left along a line at right angles
to the eastern side of the train.
I advanced the line southwards towards the spruit,
and took up a good position on abridge of rocks which extended about 200
yards eastwards from the southern end of train A. Later on Captain Lloyd
R.E. my second in command, extended a few men to the westward also from the
southern end of train A. We were short of ammunition so that we fired
only occasionally just to a sufficient extent to show the length of our
line. The Boers after the first attack took up a position on a ridge
running almost parallel to train A 450 yards to the west of it and from
there kept up an almost continuous fire on the train - from 2 a.m. to 5
o'clock. At this time, someone, which we afterwards found out was a party
sent out by Lord Kitchener himself from Kopjes, fired several rounds of
shrapnel along a line from South to North - and almost enfilading the
Boer position. This no doubt caused them to abandon the attack - as firing
on the train was discontinued about 5 or 5.15 but it was not until about
5.30 that we could get to the trains and render effective aid to the
wounded.
The
night was intensely cold and trying to the Officers and men all of whom with
exception or the night working party were asleep in the trucks when the
attack commenced. Although taken at such a serious disadvantage everyone
was as cool and steady as on a parade. It was a difficult matter for young
troops to free themselves from the crowd of Basutos who cleared out from the
trains at the first volleys fired by the Boers - but there was no confusion,
ammunition was quietly served out - and our flanking parties were got into
strong positions within a few minutes of the summons to surrender which made
a successful Boer attack on the train almost an impossibility.
Lieut
Micklem R.E although twice hit in one ankle showed great endurance remaining
by the train and giving his orders for two hours after he was hit.
I
received great assistance from Captain Lloyd R.E. Captain Webber R.E. Lieut
Manifold R.E. and Lieut Pritchard R.E. Unfortunately Lieut Holmes of the
R.I.F was severely wounded during the first attack on train B.
The
services of two Non-commissioned Officers, Sergeant Phillips Electrical
Engineers, who was at the outer flank of our eastern line, and Sergt H.
Newman of the Norfolk Regt who distributed the ammunition are deserving of
recognition.
I
regret to say that the casualty list is heavy considering the smallness of
the force defending the trains.
I have
to report that Corporal Daniels 20th Coy R.E. Sapper D. Atkinson Cheshire Co
R.E. Vols: and Lance Corpl Burns or the 2nd Bedforshire Regt were killed.
Three officers, Lieut Micklem E.E., 2nd Lieut H.F.Bigge Electrical
Engineers, and Lieut Holmes of the R.I.F. were severely wounded. 3 Sappers
1 Civilian Engine driver severely wounded - a large number probably about 30
Basutos killed and wounded, and 1 officer Lieut North R.E., and 80 sappers
missing - of these Lieut North and 60 sappers are prisoners in the hands of
the Boers, remainder have since returned to camp. The missing officer and
men formed the night working party at the Bridge.
I need
hardly point out to you Sir how greatly the work of renewing the line of
railway would have been retarded by the loss of these two construction
trains with all the tools and gear, and reconstruction materials and to
point out that after deducting the missing working party, and officers and
men killed and wounded by the first volleys the two trains were successfully
defended by 8 officers and 96 men, a large part of the latter being
Volunteer Engineer details.
I have
the honour to be
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Sgd)
R. E. Crompton Major Commanding Electrical Engineers R.E.
The
G.O.C.
Line of Communication Kroonstadt – Pretoria
Copy to Engineer in Chief Army Head Quarters, Pretoria.
