This splendid Volunteer Battery, manned by the 1st Northumberland
Volunteer Artillery, did most excellent work throughout a great part of the
campaign. They were furnished with six 12-pounder naval quick-firing
guns, weight about 12 cwt, on field-carriages, the guns and carriages being
manufactured by the Elswick firm. These guns and carriages were a
present from Lady Meux to Lord Roberts. The battery landed at Cape
Town about the end of April 1900. The battery was for a time in the
Orange River Colony with Colonel Hickman's column, and was then taken to the
Transvaal.
In July 1900 this battery and the Canadian Battery were the field
artillery of Ian Hamilton's force, which was on the north or left flank in
the eastern advance towards Balmoral, and then was taken north-west of
Pretoria towards Rustenburg, and thereafter eastwards again to Belfast.
They accompanied General Pole-Carew to Koomati Poort in September 1900 (see
Lord Roberts' telegram of 13th September 1900), and a portion operated about
Rustenburg during October (see 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers and Lord
Roberts' despatch of 10th October 1900, paras 25, 33, and 41).
Six officers and 5 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in Lord
Roberts' final despatch. Two officers afterwards got the distinguished
service order and 2 men the distinguished conduct medal. In Lord
Kitchener's despatch of 8th July 1901 it was noted that one gun was with
Major General Babington, one with Colonel Williams, both in the Western
Transvaal; one with Brigadier General Bullock between the Delagoa and Natal
lines, and one with Colonel E C Knox in the north-east of the Orange River
Colony and in the Transvaal. A section was also for a time with Sir
Henry Rawlinson in the Western Transvaal in 1901 (see the
York and Lancaster Regiment). The
weapons of the battery were admittedly very superior in range and otherwise
to the ordinary field-gun, and their shooting was often most highly praised
(see the evidence of Major General A H Paget and Sir Andrew Noble before the
War Commission). One sergeant was mentioned in the despatch of 8th
July 1901 for good service in General French's sweep through the Eastern
Transvaal. The personnel of the battery sailed for home on 28th June
1901.
