My route from Sheffield to South Africa.
I was at 28 Bradwell Street, Heeley, Sheffield.
Left Sheffield at 8.15pm the 16th
of Oct 1899 for Aldershot, arrived at North Camp, Aldershot at 1.00am on the
17th Oct 1899, staged in Aldershot till the end of the month,
went to stables and gun drill during the third time had Generals Inspection
on 29th Oct 1899 packed up.
The same day stayed at government
sidings for departure to Birkenhead, got to Birkenhead on the 1st
Nov 1899, got our guns, horses and baggage on board.
Met my little son and asked him where
his mother is he told me that she was sat in that shed, went to see her
first then the Volunteer band played the remainder of our men into
Liverpool.
I then had to leave my wife for a little
while to attend to the horses while the other men had their dinner. We had a
good send off from Birkenhead by the people and I think all our men said the
same, the name of the boat was the ‘Thermstone Grange’, we left the
Liverpool docks at about 6 had a good voyage to Lisbon, arrived there at
2.00pm in the afternoon of the 8th Nov 1899.
Got coal and fresh meat only, set sail
the same night at 8.00pm for Capetown had a great send off with the navy
they played their band from their ship and the tune ‘Soldiers of the Queen’
and followed by ‘Sons of the Sea’. So that finished up with three cheers for
them, till we lost sight of them, we lost 9 horses during our sail to the
cape; we saw plenty of sharks and whales following our ships. We had the
swilling down to do and rifle practice; we had about 2 concerts on board our
ship, we could grumble about the weather only that it was hot.
27th November 1899
We got into Cape town on the.we was
going to land there but when we got in General Buller gave orders that we
was to start for Durban at once, so we got coal and fresh meat for the men
then we got once more on our way to Durban.
We started about 4pm now we had it rough
from Cape Town wind at our head all the time so you can guess how it was.
We could not stop on the top deck more
than 2 minutes we got into Durban Bar at 10am on the 1st Dec
1899.
1st Dec 1899
Went into harbour got our guns, Horses,
Wagons and Baggage off the ship into a train the same day for Pieter
MaritzBurg State from Durban by train at 6pm went onto Estcourt.
2ND Dec 1899
Arrived Estcourt went into camp there to
wait for more troops to join us, stayed in this camp for 7 days.
Can hear the Navy fire their guns on the
Boers.
9th Dec 1899
Left Estcourt for Frere arrived at new
camp and stayed for 3 days, went out on Outpost Duty whilst in this camp,
laid our guns into Chievely Station which the Boers were in possession of,
we passed the ill-fated Armoured Train which the Boer’s had blown up, our
camp was close to it, there is at the side of the train a grave of all those
that lost their lives on it.
12th Dec 1899
Left Frere for Chievely with 20,000
troops encamped here, in front of Colenso Heights struck camp at 3am of the
15th Dec 1899.
15th Dec1899
Made our Advance at 5am on Colenso,
after taking their possessions and 8 hours of fighting, we retire back to
Chievely, we took up the place of the Navy covering the retreat of all the
troops at last and was the last to leave the battlefield, this is where the
14th and 66th Batteries got cut up, they lost 10 guns,
we had wounded in that battle, 1 Lt Sgt, a gunner and a few horses shot, the
total lads we had altogether was
5 Officers Killed, 36 Wounded. 160
Men Killed, 634 Wounded. Missing 21 Officers, 311 Men.
We went further back with our camp as
the Boers were getting guns in range of our camp. Our Navy used to send them
Breakfast, Dinner and Tea into their camp from our 4.7inch guns. We did not
do anymore till Buller got some more troops.
25TH Dec 1899
We had our Sports Day today, we got a
pint of beer and a pudding, if that’s what they called it, but we could not
eat them, a lot of our troops went back to sleep, now we have not many
troops left here.
26th Dec1899
Resting today.
27th Dec 1899
We are on Drill Order today, all quiet
our troops are on Outpost Duty, looking after the bases, and we are resting,
ready for another fight with them.
28th Dec 1899
All is well; we rest in camp till Jan 6th
1900.
Jan 6th 1900
We make another attack on Colenso just
to take the weight off the Ladysmith troops for the Boers are making a great
attack on them, we shelled all the trenches, but they never returned any
fire, they were to busy the other way.
Jan 7th 1900
We are standing fast, ready to turn out.
The mail, has at last come in from England, received a parcel from my wife.
Jan 8th 1900
All quiet today
Jan 9th 1900
We had Drill Order today, I am on guard
tonight, raining all night, and the Boers are using their Searchlight.
Jan 10th1900
We have first got orders to pack up and
march from Chievely, to Springfield, march away from camp at 6am,got to
Springfield then we have to go on further to Mount Alice, a distance of 36
miles, we got there at 11pm that night, the Boers are all around us.
Jan 12th 1900
Making gun pits
Jan 13th 1900
On Outpost duty today
Jan 14th 1900
Go into action today on the top of Mount
Alice on some Boers, come back into camp. Made advance on Vaal Krantz, march
about 8 miles on the Ladysmith Road, have to go round Spion Kop.
Jan 15th 1900
To cover the retreat of the troops, we
had big battle here, lasted 8 days, and marched back to Spearmans Camp.
Jan 23rd 1900
On our way to Chievely while I was at
this camp, I went to try and find Ben, but he had gone down country to the
Hospital so I did not see him, we arrived back into Chievely.
Jan 24th 1900
Went out and attacked the Boers on
Hussar Hill, this was the inlet to Ladysmith, we drove them from this hill
and went on day and night fighting them.
Jan 25th 1900
Took first Boer camp.
Jan 26th 1900
We went to top of Monte Cristo Hill in
the night this was another Boer camp, all surrounded by hills and if we had
not got at the top of this hill, we should not have got them out of it as
soon as it was daylight, we opened fire and took this camp at noon that day,
just as that was happening our infantry had another large hill the name of
Hlangwane Hill, we stopped in this base camp all night.
Jan 27th 1900
We made another advance at 6am,this was
the day I got wounded in Mealy Field, it would be about 4pm when I got hit
with abit of shell, the stretcher bearers carried me about 6 miles to a
wagon. I heard that the Boers seemed to lost heart and left camp, after this
it took me 3 days to get to Chievely in the wagon, stopped here for 4 weeks
then went down to P.M.Burg. The name of the hills our men took was
Green Hill, Pieter Hill, Hearts Hill, and Colenso Station Railway Hill.
I stayed in P.M.Burg about 4 weeks, met
Ben here, see him off to England. When I was better, I went back to
join my battery at Elandslaagte, the Boers opened fire on us, had to move
camp back to Surprise Hill, Ladysmith. We stayed there about 2 weeks
and got supplies, this where Serman took ill and died.
We went from here on a flying column,
sound help, makes us on the Biggarsburg Mountains, got on the right flank of
the Boers, chased them right through Dundee, stop in Dundee one night, go
onto Newcastle next day stop there all night go onto the Ingogo Heights have
a fight there.
We camped on the old battlefield of 1881
facing Amjuba Hill. We stopped here keeping the Boers busy, they were
waiting for us to go onto Laings Nek way, but Buller would not have that,
Buller gave Botha 3 days to surrender and while the time was going he got
all his big guns into good positions and started on them as soon as the time
was up.
June 3rd 1900
All quiet today, one of our guns firing
at the hills where Boers are.
June 4th 1900
Got news into camp that Lord Roberts had
took Johannesburg.
June 5th 1900
Still in camp here, I had a walk round
the old battlefield of 1881 and looked at the graves of our poor fellowers.
There is a monument in memory of the 60th K.R.R. (Kings Royal
Rifles) with all their names on it that fell.
This is like the one I saw with a list
of the men’s names on all four sides, this side facing Majuba Hill.
(click on the image to enlarge)
Lt Gusset, O’Colleen and Hawkinson
drowned in crossing Songogo River after giving aid to wounded
Colour Sgt May, Buckingham, Prince L/Cpl
Bristo, Nash.Bugler Howe
Privates Ashworth, Brown, Burnett, Baily,
Bull, Bucket, Batton, Clark, Coldman, Colleyer, Corbert, Fenn, Forysth,
Frebbins, Guthrie, Harris, Hodges, Hayter, Hanson, Howe, Jackson, Knowles,
Lyman, Merry, Merchant, Millard, Mearray,
Morgan, Murphy, McNulty, McCanon,
McCallough, Nelson, Pankhurst, Pheby, Pike, Russell, Radford, Stilson, Stunt
Snooks, Smith, Seymour, Seymour, Somerville, Stae, Suckling, Tailor, Thomas,
Woods, Wilson, and Watts.
Then a little further on there is a
cross with some more names on it, it says ‘In memory of John Collen
McGregor, R.E. killed in action 1881’
(click on the image to enlarge)
We have lost two and buried them in the
same spot, we found a Sergeant drowned in the Ingogo River, he had, had the
fever and wandered out of the hospital, he was found drown on 30th
May 1900.
June 6th 1900
Boers opened fire on our camp that was
under Mount Prospect; our big guns went out towards Baths Pass. I am
on guard tonight.
June 8th 1900
Have a fight, left Baths Pass at 6am on
10th June 1900 for the back of Majuba Hill, we are now going the
same way the Boers came and beat us in 1881,camp about 4 miles off Majuba
Hills to the rear of it.
June 11th 1900
March from here at 6am and turn towards
our left flank, we are now in the Orange Free State and on the Drakensburg
Mountains, came into action with the Boers and drove them in front of us.
Camped in a place I don’t know the name
of all night, the weather is very cold, marched away at 7am,we now come to
another pass what they call ‘Allermans Nek’, we had a big fight with them
here after we had quieten them down, General Buller gave our Major the order
to send 2 guns over the neck and our 2 guns had to go, when we got there
they were sending shots after us, but we could not see any of them, for they
had set fire to the grass, so we had to return back, we lost our way coming
back as the night was so dark and we did not find the remainder of the
battery till late that night, we camped on the hills, our troops took all
night, marched away at 8am and chased the Boers away from Volksrust, camped
there all night after fighting hard. Went onto Charlestown the next day.
All the Boers had fled from Laings Nek
and Majuba Hill; General Clery came marching over the neck as we marched
into Charlestown.
We were the first troops to get to the
Frontier. We pitched our tents for the first time in 5 months.
June 14th 1900
Still in camp close to Charlestown
Station had a walk over to Laings Nek Tunnel, the Sheffield Volunteers
Engineers in camp on Ingogo Heights.
June 15th 1900
In camp still all quiet
June 16th 1900
All quiet still in camp
June 17th 1900
On church parade, all quiet
June 18th 1900
Had a walk down to Laings Nek Tunnel, we
heard that we were going up to Pretoria.
June 19th 1900
Left Charlestown at 8am, marching back
towards Hollermans Nek Camp, close to it.
June 20th 1900
My Wedding Day, Marched off at 8am on
our way to Standerton, we camped at Sand Sprute all night.
June 21st 1900
Arrived at Pardy Cop Camp, there all
night
June22nd 1900
We are rear guard today
for all baggage, marched off at 10am went distance of 15 miles, stop here
for the night, don’t know the name of the place.
June 23rd 1900
Rear Guard again today, marched off to
Standerton a distance of 25 miles, last night was very cold.
June 24th 1900
Got into Standerton at 12am, the town
surrendered, but the people look very sulky.
June 25th1900
Have a rest in camp today.
June 26th 1900
All quiet toady, still in camp at
Standerton.
June 27th 1900
Nothing on today, the mail leaves for
England.
June 28th 1900
Orders cancelled nothing else on today
still in camp at Standerton, got letters from my wife and papers.
June 30th 1900
Had orders to move in the morning, alot
of our troops left camp this morning after all.
July 1st 1900
All troops left camp apart from our
battery.
July 2nd 1900
Still in camp at Standerton, weather
very cold. We are about 2 miles out of town, got some rum tonight.
July 3rd 1900
I went up the hill facing the station
watching them shunting an engine, one of the 18 we captured from the Boers
at Standerton.
July 4th 1900
Nothing on still in camp here.
July 5th 1900
The same again today.
July 6th 1900
Drill order this morning at 8am. I
received a parcel today with writing paper, Hankerchiefs, Razor, Knife and
Cigarettes.
July 7th 1900
Dig in Gun pits, on guard tonight.
July 8th 1900
Church parade, meet 2 men in the West
Yorkshire Regiment that live in Sheffield.
July 9th 1900
In train our two gun wagons and horses
to Waterval Bridge, arrive at 10am.
July 10th 1900
Making gun pits, Boers all around us, we
are looking after Railway Line and Large Bridge here.
July 11th 1900
Went out on Drill order, and while we
were out we made 2 more gun pits, and then returned to camp.
General Buller went by here yesterday
for Standerton; he had been up to see Lord Roberts.
July 12th 1900
Still in Waterval, and making more gun
pits.
July 13th 1900
Making gun pits, the Boers have pulled
up the line about 6 miles away, so we can’t get our mail in.
July 14th 1900
Was on guard last night, digging gun
pits today.
July 15th 1900
We are having a rest today, no church
here today.
July 16th 1900
Digging gun pits had to stand to our
guns, Boers all around the camp but they won’t come in range of our guns.
July 17th 1900
In camp still at Waterval, all quiet
today received no mail now for 3 weeks.
July 18th 1900
All quiet today, nothing on.
July 19th 1900
No letters yet, can see the Boers slope
line.
July 20th 1900
Nothing on today went to see doctor with
pains in my head, and my cough.
July 21st 1900
Am a lot better but attending hospital.
July 22nd 1900
All quiet today
July 23rd 1900
Was on guard last night, all’s well.
July 24th 1900
Having a rest day
July 25th/26th
1900
All quiet today
July 27th 1900
Not received any mail yet.
July 28th 1900
Have been doing my washing today, all
quiet.
July 29th 1900
On guard tonight
July 30th 1900
Boers attack our camp, 4 men missing
belonging to Strathcona's Horse.
July 31st 1900
Have found 2 of them shot dead, burying
them today, one was a young lad, and I was talking to him the night before
he was shot.
August 1st 1900
All quiet
August 2nd 1900
Drill Order, look for Boers but find
none.
August 3rd 1900
A very misty day, all quiet.
August 4th 1900
Another miserable day, went out of camp
last night at 11.45pm to burn down a farm, got there at daybreak, took man,
wife and children prisoner, and cattle, burned all his things with his home.
August 6th 1900
Bank Holiday, on guard tonight
August 7th 1900
Trench digging
August 8th 1900
All quiet today, waiting for mail to
come in.
August 9th 1900
All quiet today.
August 10th 1900
Move our camp to fresh ground, Boers all
round our camp had to turn out. One of the PM’s got killed but the Boers
soon eased when they saw us. Mail in today letters and 2 parcels, one from
Sheffield, one from Edinburgh.
August 11th 1900
All quiet today
August 12th 1900
200 Boers surrendered to us toady, we
took all their rifles and ammunition and let them go to their homes after
taking an oath that they would not fight anymore.
August 13th 1900
A few more Boers came in today, all
quiet in camp.
August 14th 1900
On guard tonight, All quiet, Boers keep
coming into camp and surrendering.
August 15th 1900
All quiet today, about 12 more Boers
came in today. Got parcel from home that I thought I had lost, everything
spoilt by a tin of sardines.
August 16th 1900
All quiet today
August 17th 1900
All’s well, we are still at Waterval
Bridge.
August 18th1 900
All’s well, weather getting warmer.
August 19th 1900
All quiet today, nothing to do but sleep
the day out.
August 20th 1900
Nothing on today.
August 21st 1900
A few more Boers came into camp this
morning and gave up their arms.
August 22nd 1900
All quiet today, no mail in yet.
August 23rd 1900
On guard tonight, all quiet.
August 24th 1900
The mail came in today, all quiet.
August 25th 1900
All’s well today
August 26th 1900
All quiet, drew 10/- from master.
August 27th 1900
All quiet
August 28th 1900
Has Drill Order this morning, played
football match this afternoon, lost 4-2
August 29th 1900
On guard tonight, the wet weather has
started, all quiet.
August 30th 1900
Thunderstorm and Rain in torrents had to
dig trenches all round the horses and tents, so that we should not be washed
away. No mail yet.
August 31st 1900
All quiet today.
Sept 1st/2nd
1900
All quiet
Sept 3rd 1900
Drill Order
Sept 4th 1900
All quiet
Sept 5th 1900
The mail came in today, had a letter
from my wife and one from my Uncle Sam, also one from Miss Gordon, all quiet
today.
Sept 6th 1900
All’s well today.
Sept 7th 1900
On Outpost duty in the trenches tonight,
our troop went out yesterday, PM’s with our Lt to bring in some Boers, that
said they wanted to surrender, when our troops got to them which only
numbered about 30 men, the Boers killed 5 of them, wounded 4 and took the
rest prisoner, but let them come into camp, when they had took their arms
from them and their horses. Our Lt went up to Graylingstad for
reinforcements; he got there all right.
Sept 8th 1900
We got reinforcements from Standerton
with General Clery; he is camped about a mile from our camp.
Sept 9th 1900
We have been making shelter pits for the
horses, all quiet today.
Sept 10th 1900
General Clery has moved with his column
at 5a.m, all quiet.
Sept 11th 1900
Mail came in today, went down to the
river and done my washing, played Devon Regiment at football beat them 1-0.
Sept 12th 1900
My Birthday, 28 years old, got a new
pair of bootlaces, putties, and 1lb of Tobacco, on guard tonight, sent
letter home dated 12th.
Sept 13th 1900
Drill orders, this morning, all quiet.
Sept 14th 1900
All’s well today, doing my washing.
Sept 15th/ /16th
1900
All quiet.
Sept 17th 1900
Nothing on.
Sept 18th 1900
On guard tonight, wrote a letter to
Uncle; mail came in, but no letter from my wife.
Sept 19th /20th/21st
1900
All quiet, nothing doing.
Sept 22nd 1900
Making a stable for our officer, he has
just had word that we are to join another battery.
Sept 23rd 1900
All quiet, Lt left this morning for
Pretoria; we now have got a nice little fellow as an officer.
Sept 24th 1900
Have not yet received any letter from
home, on outpost tonight in the trenches.
Sept 25th 1900
All quiet, waiting for mail to come in.
Sept 26th 1900
All quiet, got mail in.
Sept 27th 1900
All’s well.
Sept 28th 1900
Got our kits from Standerton, all quiet.
Sept 29th 1900
All quiet.
Sept 30th 1900
On outpost duty tonight.
Oct 1st 1900
The Devon Regiment is leaving this camp
today; we have heard that the C.I.V’s leave for England today, General Clery
has gone by our camp chasing Boers, the Scottish Rifles in place of the
Devon’s.
Oct 2nd 1900
Waiting for the mail to come in.
Oct 3rd 1900
All quiet today.
Oct 4th 1900
The Boers have blown up a railway
culvert about 2 miles from here. I had to stop in the pit with the gun, all
night and keep a sharp lookout for Boers around camp as we heard they were
going to attack our camp in the night.
Oct 5th 1900
The Boers did not come, we went out to
burn down a farm, 6 of our own men went out scouting for Boers, all quiet in
camp, had no mail from my wife only papers.
Oct 6th 1900
All quiet.
Oct 7th 1900
Had a sandstorm, things very quiet.
Oct 8th 1900
All quiet today, am very sick and
attending hospital.
Oct 9th 1900
No mail in yet, all quiet.
Oct 10th 1900
No mail in yet, had a cricket match with
The Scottish Rifles they beat us by an innings, and runs.
While we were at the match,4 of our men
stole a lot of drink and when the stuff was missed one of men was speaking
about it when one of the men that stole it came and shot him in the foot
with a revolver, all the 4 men was put into the guard tent waiting a court
martial.
Oct 11th 1900
On outpost tonight, got mail first in 15
days, all quiet, them 4 men have gone down to Standerton to be tried.
Oct 12th 1900
All quiet, sent a letter home with a
Krugeran Half Crown and a 2 Shilling piece in it.
Oct 13th 1900
Had to stand to our guns all night,
Boers all round us had a sandstorm, the railway line pulled up in two places
close to our camp during the night.
Oct 14th 1900
All quiet, Very windy, 3 of those men
got off; the man that shot the other got 2 years in prison and is going to
England to do it.
Oct 15th 1900
All quiet.
Oct 16th 1900
All quiet got mail a letter from my
wife.
Oct 17th 1900
On outpost duty tonight, all quiet.
Oct 18th1900
All’s well
Oct 19th 1900
Gun pit digging, all quiet.
Oct 20th 1900
Nothing on, gun drill for us.
Oct 21st 1900
Gun pit digging, I am on outpost duty
tonight.
Oct 22nd /23rd
1900
All quiet.
Oct 24th 1900
All’s well, raining very hard.
Oct 25th 1900
The Boers attacked our camp, but we
drove them back, raining very hard.
Oct 26th 1900
Had church parade, chased Boers out of
range of our guns.
Oct 27th/ 28th/29th
1900
All quiet.
Oct 30th 1900
Waiting for mail to come in.
Oct 31st 1900
Nothing on, that Sheffield chap of the
P.M’s the name of Morton left camp this camp this Waterval to join his
regiment to get disbanded, no mail yet.
Nov 1st 1900
General Clery is camped about 4 miles
from here, mail in from wife and Rubin.
Nov 2nd 1900
All quiet, wet and miserable and on
outpost duty tonight in the trenches.
Nov 3rd 1900
It was raining all night, and has kept
on ever since it was reported that Dewer was captured and it says in today’s
paper that the government had ordered Lord Roberts to send home the reserved
men as soon as possible.
Nov 4th 1900
On outpost tonight, all quiet, had
church parade, have sent a letter to my wife, I wrote it at the pumping
station, Waterval.
Nov 5th 1900
All quiet, another day of enjoyment
missed at home.
Nov 6th 1900
All quiet.
Nov 7th 1900
The mail came in today, all quiet.
Nov 8th 1900
On outpost duty tonight, all’s well.
Nov 9th 1900
All quiet wrote 3 letters yesterday to
my wife, Uncle Tom, and his daughter.
Nov 10th 1900
No sign of coming home yet all quiet.
Nov 11th 1900
All quiet in the day, the Boers attacked
our camp in the night.
Nov 12th 1900
All quiet
Nov 13th 1900
All’s well.
Nov 14th 1900
The mail came in had letters and papers
from home, wrote back, on outpost duty tonight in the trenches waiting for
the Boers to come.
Nov 15th 1900
A few Boers opened fire into our camp at
daybreak, but we soon blessed them off, later at night the Boers attacked
Val Station, there was about 400 of them and they………………
(Pages 40 and 41 are missing)
Dec 4th 1900
All quiet, no mail in yet, gun pit
digging, raining very hard.
Dec 5th 1900
Raining very hard, gun pit digging, no
mail in, wrote letter home.
Dec 6th 1900
Digging gun pits, all quiet, had a very
bad, bad, storm.
Dec 7th 1900
The storm passed over this morning, on
gun pits had to stand to, ready to turn out at a minutes notice, Boers
around the hill.
Dec 8th 1900
Went out today, on drill order, saw a
few Boers but they did not fire, all quiet here the Boers held a train up
between Standerton and Nlaklasktes and captured 126 horses, wounded the
driver in front of our peoples eyes and they got away with them.
Dec 9th 1900
All quiet, Gunner Heare (No Hair) left
our battery this morning to join the 7th Battery at Pretoria.
Have sent a letter to my Uncle Tom, and
one to Edinburgh.
Dec 10th 1900
Had to turn out at 1a.m.went about 12
miles to keep in touch with another column and met all Boers they missed us.
Dec 11th 1900
All quiet, on guard tonight, got mail in
today.
Dec 12th 1900
All quiet.
Dec 13th/14TH
1900
Nothing on.
Dec 15th 1900
It is rumoured that the Boers are going
to make an attack on our camp tonight, have to find a double guard.
Dec 16th 1900
The Boers did not come, all quiet.
Dec 17th 1900
All quiet.
Dec 18th 1900
I am writing a letter home, all quiet
have to send a gun back to Waterval Bridge Camp. Yesterday no mail in yet,
still attending the doctor here.
Dec 19th 1900
All quiet, on guard tonight, is a little
better today.
Dec 20th 1900
All quiet in camp, raining all day and
night. There is a balloon one the plain a few miles off Mafeking, the Boers
up.
Dec 21st 1900
All quiet, had a fine day, we had a
railway disaster on Thursday truck ran of the points and turned over, it was
full of men; they had to jump clear, when 2 of them fell under the truck and
was killed. They are buried here; they were 2 men going to join the Mounted
Police.
Dec 22nd 1900
All quiet.
Dec 23rd 1900
A lot of Boers round our camp, out of
range of our guns, the 5”is facing at them, and we are going on church
parade just now. The gun at the top of the hill has burst and killed 3 men
and wounded 4, church parade cancelled, we have to move our gun on top of
the hill.
Dec 24th 1900
The cavalry and Scottish Rifles have
gone to join a column that is a few miles from here, they are firing their
guns very hard at the Boers, this is the day before Christmas and the most
miserable one I have ever had, it’s like being out of the world altogether
up here.
Dec 25th 1900
Christmas Day, nothing on, no sports
day, not anything else on, the worst Christmas I have ever had. No mail yet.
Dec 26th 1900
Boxing Day, Had to stand to out guns
this morning, to cover a convoy the column has captured from the Boers,
convoy comes into camp safely, no mail yet, sent letter home.
Dec 27th 1900
All quiet, wrote letter to Uncle Jim, no
mail in from home.
Dec 28th 1900
All quiet.
Dec 29th 1900
Have heard that we are to join the
column, the camp is quiet but plenty of Boers about.
Dec 30th 1900
Move on the column tomorrow, all quiet.
Dec 31st 1900
Have to stop in camp today, march away
in the morning at 6am.
Jan 1st 1901
March to Groot Spruit.
Jan 2nd 1901
Still in camp, here but have to go down
to Standerton for men, kits stay at Standerton till the 5th Jan
1901.
Jan 5th 1901
Got back to camp, the battery is out
fighting the Boers, and thousands of them round here.
Jan 6th 1901
All quiet, still in camp at Groot Spruit
went and had church parade, sent letter home.
Jan 7th 1901
All quiet, we are now in
Vayeliternfontein, I am attending guard tonight.
Jan 8th 1901
On guard tonight, a few of our troops
went out this morning and fired a few pom-poms into the Boers.I am now on
guard and we have news that we are moving to Moscow.
Jan 10th 1901
Marched about 15 miles, fighting all the
way, camp at Kaffersspruit.
Jan 11th 1901
Fighting today around our camp.
Jan 12th 1901
I stay in camp today with our gun and 2
companies of the R.Botha’s Troop; rest has gone out to bring in 7 Boer
families.
Jan 13th 1901
March form here about 12 miles, we had a
fight with the Boers and drove them away and burned 3 farms and took their
cattle.
Jan 14th 1901
March away about another 14 miles and
camp, see the Boers sighting with lights at night, the Boers are all around
us.
Jan 15th 1901
We return to our old camp after doing
damage to their farms and bring their families.
Jan 16th 1901
I am with a convoy and we are returning
back to Vlaklaaget, the Boers attack the convoy and come to us to within 200
yards, but we drove them off with heavy loss and the battle lasted about 8
hours, then we pitched our tents.
Jan 17th 1901
We marched to Vlaklaaget station and
camp there for 5 days rest.
Jan 18th 1901
All quiet, have had news that we move
soon for a standing camp between Vlaklaaget and Waterval Bridge.
Jan 19th 1901
All quiet.
Jan 20th 1901
Got orders to pack up ready to start to
Moscow, all quiet.
Jan 21st 1901
March away from here at 6am,got half way
to Waterval Bridge, I was on guard last night.
Jan 22nd 1901
We are making gun pits and trenches, this is a
standing camp for a little while, and I got my photos this morning, all
quiet.
Jan 23rd 1901
All quiet, mail came in.
Jan 24th 1901
All quiet, we hear that the queen died
at 6.30pm.I went down to Vlakelaaget station this morning on guard over our
gun for it is condemned and we are getting a new one, we have to stand to at
3am every morning.
Jan 25th 1901
On March towards Graylingstad, stop at
Waterval Bridge.
Jan 26th 1901
March to Graylingstad, we had no
fighting on the way.
Jan 27th 1901
We had a voluntary church parade in
camp, today march away.
Jan 28th 1901
Convoy march to Bushmans Kop.
Jan 29th 1901
Take all convoy from Graylingstad to
French’s column.
Jan 30th 1901
March away to Whitworth’s stores in
camp.
Jan 31st 1901
All quiet today, we have a very long
march to Moscow.
Feb 14th 1901
Marched from Ermelow with sick and
wounded and Boer families from General French’s column, we are now within 16
miles of Standerton and are on half rations, have wrote a letter to my wife
today but don’t know………….
The diary ends at this point.
Appendix
1.Kafferspruit Located in the South African Republic,
15 km north of Ermelo. The farm takes its name form the right bank tributary
of the Vaal River
2. Bushmanskop Probably Bosmanskop, 15 km north of Hendrina or Boesmanskop/Bosmanskop
25 km north-east of Springs.
3. Ermelo. Town 50 km east of Bethal On the blockhouse line from standerton
the Wonderfontein.
4. French, John Denton Pinkstone (Born Ripple Kent on 28/09/1852 died Deal
Kent 22 /05/1925) Youngest son of Commander JTW French and his wife Margaret
Eccles. Educated at Eastman's Naval Academy. left the navy in 1870 and
joined the Army in 1874. Served with distinction in the Sudan and India.
Returned to the UK where he was actively involved with reforms in the
cavalry. in 1897 he was appointed as commanding officer of the 2nd Cavalry
Brigade. During the War he took part in the battles of Ealndslaagte and
Modderspruit. He was actively involved in the relief of Kimberley. After the
fall of Bloemfontein he was involved in the battles of Karee Station and
Thabanchu. He played an important part on the left flank during the march to
Pretoria. After the occupation of Pretoria he took part in the battle of
Diamond Hill and the occupation of Middelburg and Barberton.
From January to April 1901 he was charge of the offensive in Eastern
Transvaal. From June 1901 he was in charge of the offensive against the
invading forces of General JC Smuts in the Cape Colony. In August 1902 he
was appointed officer commanding at Aldershot. During the First World War he
was commander in chief of the expeditionary force in France. He died in 1925
after a serious operation.
5. R Botha's troop - it must refer either to a troop in one of the Irregular
South African regiments or the South African Constabulary.
6. Greylingstad is a small town some five kilometres from the
railway station with that name. The Natal army’s 2nd Division commanded by
Lt-Gen Sir CF Clery moving along the railway line on 2 July 1900 occupied
the station. Later that month it was grouped at greylingstad prepared to
prevent General CR de Wets commando's from breaking into the South African
Republic, but its main role was to protect the line between Greylingstad and
Standerton.
7. Hlangwane - hill three kilometres east of Colenso
8. Biggarsberg Mountains - range of mountains south of Dundee and Glencoe
9. Ingogo Heights. Highest point of a ridge south of the river with the same
name in the Newcastle District
10. KRR - King's Royal Rifles
11.Alleman's Nek - 20 kilometres west of Volksrust - a pass in the
Versamelberg in the south eastern corner of Transvaal
12 Volksrust - town on the border between Natal and Transvaal - 40
kilometres north of Newcastle, it was garrisoned by the British army and
became an important supply depot.
13. General Sir Cornelius Francis Clery: Born Cork Ireland 13/02/1838 Died
London 25/06/1926 Trained at Sandhurst joined the 32nd Foot. After several
promotions he was appointed as instructor in tactics at the Staff College.
He took part in the Zulu War of 1879 and served for a short spell in Egypt.
On the eve of the Anglo-Boer War he was appointed Lieutenant General in
charge of the 2nd Division. He was sent to natal to secure the Railway line.
He took part in most of the important battle in Natal and was also active in
Eastern Transvaal. Returned to Britain in October 1900 most unexpectedly. He
retired four months later.
