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Colours of the
1st Battalion |
Officers |
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The 1st Battalion sailed from Malta, and arrived at the Cape about 20th
March 1900. Along with the 1st Derbyshire, 1st Cameron Highlanders,
and the City Imperial Volunteers, they formed the 21st Brigade, which was
created after the occupation of Bloemfontein, the brigadier being Bruce
Hamilton, who at the commencement of the war was a major in the East
Yorkshire Regiment, and had been in Natal as AAG in General Clery's
division. The brigade was certainly most fortunate in its commander,
although it was a surprise to many to see one so young get the post.
That the selection was right was proved, for no man in the whole campaign
did more consistently brilliant work. His record is faultless.
He was equally successful as an infantry brigadier and as commander of a
number of mobile columns harassing the enemy and capturing laager after
laager in the Eastern Transvaal, where he was so long pitted against Louis
Botha.
The brigade was ordered to join Ian Hamilton, who was to command the army of
the left flank in the northern advance. It may be well to repeat here
the composition of his force — namely, the 21st Brigade: the 19th Brigade,
under Smith-Dorrien, consisting of the Cornwall Light Infantry, Shropshire
Light Infantry, 1st Gordons, and the Canadian Regiment; Mounted Infantry
under Brigadier General Ridley; 2nd Mounted Infantry Corps, De Lisle; 5th,
Dawson; 6th, Legge; 7th, Bainbridge; Broadwood's 2nd Cavalry Brigade —
Household Cavalry, 10th Hussars, 12th Lancers; P and Q Batteries RHA; 81st,
82nd, and afterwards 76th Batteries RFA; Massey's section 5-inch
guns,—roughly 11,000 men.
The 21st Brigade joined Ian Hamilton on 2nd May 1900. The work of
his force generally is sketched under the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.
At the battle of Doornkop or Florida, 29th May (see
1st Gordons), the
Sussex had 5 killed and 15 wounded.
After the capture of Pretoria Ian Hamilton's Infantry Division was broken
up, Smith-Dorrien's brigade being needed on the line between Kroonstad and
the capital; the 21st, however, remained under the two Hamiltons, and at
Diamond Hill had the most prolonged fighting they had seen. The
successes of De Wet and the Free State Boers against the lines of
communication had encouraged the Transvaalers to close in on the east of
Pretoria, and it became necessary to drive them off. On 11th June the
position roughly was—French with two Cavalry Brigades, or what was left of
them, was on the left; Pole-Carew with the Guards and Stephenson's 18th
Brigade in the centre and left centre; the 21st Brigade on the right centre;
and Broadwood's and Gordon's cavalry brigades on the right. The
position could not be turned, and the mounted men could no more than hold
their ground. Mr Churchill in his excellent account of the battle
says: "Ian Hamilton directed Bruce Hamilton to advance with the 21st
Brigade. This officer, bold both as a man and as a general, immediately set his battalions in motion. The
enemy occupied a long scrub-covered rocky ridge below the main line of
hills, and were in considerable force. Both batteries of artillery and
the two 5-inch guns came into action about two o'clock. The Sussex
Regiment, moving forward, established themselves on the northern end of the
ridge, which was well prepared by shelling; and while the City Imperial
Volunteers and some parts of the mounted Infantry, including the corps of
guides, held them in front, gradually pressed them out of it by rolling up
their right. There is no doubt that our infantry have profited by the
lessons of this war. The widely extended lines of skirmishers moving
forward, almost invisible against the brown grass of the plain, and taking
advantage of every scrap of cover, presented no target to the Boer fire.
And once they had gained the right of the ridge it was very difficult for
the enemy to remain. Accordingly at 3.30 the Boers in twenties and
thirties began to abandon their position. Before they could reach the
main hill, however, they had to cross a patch of open ground, and in so
doing they were exposed to a heavy rifle-fire at 1200 yards from the troops
who were holding the front".
On the 12th the action was renewed, the Guards supporting the 21st
brigade. The Derbyshire advanced on the right, the City Imperial
Volunteers in the centre, and the Sussex on the left. Progress was
slow, as the enemy's position was very strong, but the 82nd Battery, having
been hauled on to the plateau where our troops were lying in extended order,
by its splendid devotion maintained the ground won, beat down the Boer fire,
and saved a withdrawal; but, as usual when a regiment or battery does a fine
feat, the toll had to be paid. Mr Churchill says: "But the battery
which had reduced the fire, by keeping the enemy's heads down, drew most of
what was left on themselves. Ten horses were shot in the moment of
unlimbering, and during the two hours they remained in action, in spite of
the protection afforded by the guns and waggons, a quarter of the gunners
were hit. Nevertheless the remainder continued to serve their pieces
with machine-like precision, and displayed a composure and devotion which
won them the unstinted admiration of all who saw the action". In the
afternoon two other batteries and more troops were pushed to the front, and
that part of the position was carried. During the night the enemy
withdrew entirely. All accounts of the battle praise unstintingly the
work of the 21st Brigade. Lord Roberts says: "The troops advanced
under artillery fire from both flanks, as well as heavy infantry fire from
the hill itself. The steadiness with which the long lines moved
forward, neither faltering nor hurrying, although dust from bullets and
smoke from bursting shells hung thick about them, satisfied me that nothing
could withstand their assault. The position was carried at 2 pm ... Fighting continued till dusk, the Boers having rapidly taken
up a fresh position near the railway".
No sooner was Diamond Hill over than Ian Hamilton, with, among other
troops, the 21st Brigade, was despatched to the north-east of the Free State
against the Boers there who were damaging the lines of communications.
The general met with an accident near Heidelberg, breaking his collar-bone,
and his place was taken by Sir A Hunter.
About 8th July Reitz was reached, where the 21st Brigade were to remain a
few days. Thereafter a series of rather complicated movements
(detailed in Sir A Hunter's despatch of 4th August 1900) took place, with
the object of getting possession of the doors leading into the Brandwater
basin and locking the enemy in. On the 16th July the Sussex occupied
Meyer's Kop, ten miles west of Bethlehem. On the 20th and 21st Bruce
Hamilton had the Camerons heavily engaged at Spitz Kop, but the position was
gained. On the 23rd the Sussex had a task which was found rather too
heavy, but with the assistance of other troops the objective was gained next
day. For some days further Bruce Hamilton had fighting, marching, and
stiff hill-climbing, but the result of the operations was worthy of the loss
and labour, 1300 of the enemy surrendering on the 30th to Bruce Hamilton,
and a large number to other generals,— about 4000 in all.
About 4th July the City Imperial Volunteers had gone as escort to a convoy
to Heilbron, where they remained till the 25th. After that they left
Heilbron, and were moved to the Johannesburg - Krugersdorp district.
They were not again with the 21st Brigade. After 31st July the doings
of the brigade are not easily followed. It may be said to have been
broken up, although General Bruce Hamilton had the Sussex and Camerons,
along with the 2nd Bedfordshire and other troops, in a column which operated
in the Kroonstad district during the autumn of 1900.
Twelve officers and 16 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned
in Lord Roberts' final despatch.
Early in 1901 Colonel du Moulin was put in command of a small column,
including his own battalion. During the remainder of the campaign this
column operated in the Orange River Colony, chiefly to the west of the
Bloemfontein railway.
On 28th January 1902 the column was bivouacked behind a small kopje on
the south of the Riet, near Abraham's Kraal. At 1 am the picquet
holding the kopje was rushed.
Colonel du Moulin as he hurried out to
repel the enemy was killed, but Major Gilbert taking command, the kopje was
recaptured and successfully held against a second attack. The Sussex
lost, in addition to their colonel, 10 men killed and 6 wounded.
Speaking of the colonel's death, Lord Kitchener used the words, "Whose loss
to the army as a leader of promise I greatly deplore".
At one period of the war, when mounted men were much in demand, the
colonel of the Sussex got his whole battalion on horseback (see the evidence
of General C E Knox before War Commission).
During the latter phase of the war 1 officer and 5 non-commissioned officers
and men gained mention in despatches by Lord Kitchener, and in his final
despatch 6 officers and 4 non-commissioned officers were mentioned.
