 |
|
|
|
Officers of the
4th Battalion |
|
|
|
The 2nd Battalion sailed on the City of Cambridge on 23rd October 1899,
and arrived at Durban about 21st November. Along with the 1st Durham
Light Infantry, 3rd King's Royal Rifles, and 1st Rifle Brigade, they formed
the 4th Brigade under Major - General Lyttelton.
The brigade was concentrated at Mooi River on 3rd December, on the 6th
marched to Frere, and on the 13th to Chieveley, to take part in the attack
on the Boer position at Colenso (see 2nd Queen's). On the 15th the 4th
Brigade was less heavily engaged than any of the other brigades present.
For this reason, and because it was, according to all accounts, most
excellently handled, skilfully taking cover and moving in very extended
order, its casualties were few. At Colenso one company of the Scottish
Rifles, along with part of the 3rd King's Royal Rifles, acted as escort to
Captain Jones and his two 4'7 and the 12-pounder naval guns, and the
battalion had no losses.
On the afternoon of 10th January the brigade marched out from Frere and
arrived at Spearman's Hill, nearly opposite Brakfontein, on the 12th.
On the 16th the 1st Rifle Brigade and Scottish Rifles crossed the river and
occupied some low hills. The King's Royal Rifles crossed before the
morning. During the next few days demonstrations and a very daring
reconnaissance by the principal officers of the brigade were made. On
the 24th, the day of Spion Kop, the 1st Rifle Brigade and 1st Durham Light
Infantry made a feint attack on Brakfontein, but were ordered to retire as
early as 7.30 am, "after which hour the two battalions remained passive
spectators of the combat on Spion Kop, including the magnificent advance up
the precipitous hillside by the 60th Rifles". It is difficult to get
away from the idea that there were too many passive spectators — most
unwilling ones too—on that awful day. What the result would have been
had there been fewer will be discussed by soldiers for many a day. The
main facts of the Spion Kop combat are briefly given under the King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment. It will be remembered that General Warren,
convinced of the terrible struggle going on on the hill-top, wired General Lyttelton at 10 am to help all he could from the Potgeiter's side.
Accordingly General Lyttelton sent out the Scottish Rifles and 3rd King's
Royal Rifles,—the former to report themselves to the commander on the top of
Spion Kop, the latter to ascend the hills east of the Spion, known as the
Twin Peaks. Both battalions carried out their task in a way that won
admiration. The Scottish Rifles arrived at the summit of Spion Kop
between 2.30 and 3 pm and were pushed into the firing line by companies,
which had to move on to the plateau in single file along a narrow path down
which the wounded were being carried. On reaching the plateau the two
leading companies became hotly engaged at close range. Some men of the
2nd and 3rd companies then charged the opposing Boers in flank, in order to
relieve the pressure on No 1, or A company. This was successful, the
enemy retiring, but cost 1 officer and several men killed, and 3 officers
and more men wounded. Gradually the battalion got extended, and by
4.40 pm had taken up a position across the summit. At one part, on the
right, when the Scottish Rifles pushed forward, the original firing line had
quite disappeared, and the Boers were where it should have been, and that
within 60 yards of rocks which, if occupied by the Boers, would have enabled
them to command our only approach to the plateau. Like other troops on
the hill, the Scottish Rifles fought splendidly and held their ground
marvellously well. Their losses on the day were very heavy. Four
officers and 33 men were killed or died of their wounds; 6 officers and
about 60 men were wounded. In his telegraphic despatch of 27th January
1900 General Buller says, "Our men fought with great gallantry, and I would
specially mention the conduct of the 2nd Scottish Rifles and 3rd King's
Royal Rifles, who supported the attack on the mountain from the steepest
side, and in each case fought their way to the top, and the 2nd Lancashire
Fusiliers and 2nd Middlesex, who magnificently maintained the best
traditions of the British army; and ThorneycrofT's Mounted Infantry, who
fought throughout the day equally well alongside of them". When
addressing the troops after the retirement the general especially mentioned
the two rifle regiments. Mr Bennet Burleigh wrote, "Nothing could have
been grander than the scaling of Spion Kop by the Scottish Rifles and 60th
of glorious reputation".
The brigade remained near Spearman's till 3rd February. They then
marched to Swartz Kop, down the river. On the 5th they again crossed
to the north side and attacked the hill known as Vaal Krantz, the Lancashire
Brigade and artillery having made a feint attack on the Brakfontein position
earlier in the day. In his despatch of 8th February 1900 General
Buller says, "The Durham Light Infantry, supported by the 1st Rifle Brigade,
advanced on Vaal Krantz under a heavy fire from the hill and the dongas on
the right, causing considerable loss; but the men would not be denied, and
the position was soon taken". It was found the hill was subject to a
very severe rifle and shell fire from the front and both flanks.
Fortunately a wall gave some shelter from rifle-fire. After dusk steps
were taken to strengthen the wall and make other defences, but the ground
was too rocky to allow proper trenches or gun emplacements to be made.
Next morning the Boers opened an exceedingly heavy fire, so heavy that there
was great difficulty in getting food or water taken to the men lining the
wall. This firing continued throughout the day. At dusk on the
6th the 4th Brigade were relieved by Hildyard's 2nd
Brigade.
At Vaal Krantz the battalion lost 2 men killed and 1 officer and 33 men
wounded.
The 4th Brigade took part in the fourteen days' fighting between the 13th
and 27th February, and were at times very heavily engaged.
On the 23rd the Durham Light Infantry and 1st Rifle Brigade supported Hart's
Irishmen in the attack on Hart's or Inniskilling Hill, which, it will be
remembered, was only partially successful (see 2nd Queen's). On the
24th these two battalions occupied the sangars and other positions which the
Irish regiments had been able to capture and hold, and till the final
assault the 4th Brigade, now under Colonel Norcott, held on and fought about
these awful hills in the neighbourhood of the Langerwachte. On the
27th the 4th Brigade took part in the last and successful assault on the
hill which had defied our people so long. The Scottish Rifles were
split up during most of the fourteen days, one-half being on the left and
the other on the right. The latter assisted in the attack on Pieter's
Hill on 27th February.
The losses of the battalion in the fourteen days' fighting were
approximately 3 men killed and 2 officers and 20 men wounded. Eight
officers and 14 men were mentioned in despatches for good work in the relief
operations, 2 men being recommended for the distinguished conduct medal.
In his list of commendations, dated 30th March 1900, General Buller, in
referring to Lieutenant Colonel Cooke, used the words, "who commands an
admirably trained battalion".
The 4th Brigade marched with General Buller in his turning movement via
Helpmakaar, and while the 2nd, 10th, and 11th Brigades were turning the
Laing's Nek position, 8th to 11th June, the 4th Brigade operated in front of
it. At Laing's Nek on 11th June 1900 the battalion's losses were
approximately 1 officer and one man killed, and 1 officer and 6 men wounded.
After the battle of Alleman's Nek, which completed the success of the
turning movement, the 4th Brigade moved over Laing's Nek and along the
railway, reaching Heidelberg before the end of June. The headquarters
of the Scottish Rifles were for over fourteen months at Greylingstad, and
during the second phase
of the war they were chiefly employed guarding the railway and doing some
fighting on either side of it. The officers of the battalion were
sorely struck by the war; 13 were killed or died of wounds, and 10 were
wounded.
Three officers and 1 non-commissioned officer were mentioned in General
Buller's final despatch of 9th November 1900, 9 officers and 17
non-commissioned officers and men in Lord Roberts' final despatch, and 6
officers and 6 non-commissioned officers in the despatches of Lord
Kitchener.
