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1st Battalion
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The 1st Battalion sailed on the Kildonan Castle, and arrived at the Cape
about 22nd November 1899.
The battalion was sent out among the corps troops, and during December and
January was employed in the central district of Cape Colony.
Along with the 1st Yorkshire and 1st Essex the Welsh Regiment was put into
the 18th Brigade under Major General T E Stephenson, the 2nd Warwick joining
later. The 18th Brigade took the place of the 12th in the VIth
Division, and bore a most distinguished part in the events which turned the
tide of fortune. The work of the VIth Division is sketched under the
East Kent Regiment, and that of the brigade under the
Yorkshire Regiment.
That the Welsh Regiment performed their share of the task in a manner worthy
of all praise is proved by the following quotation from the despatch of
Lieutenant General Kelly-Kenny of 20th February, relating to the attack on Cronje at Paardeberg: "I will take an opportunity of bringing to notice the
special acts of devotion to duty on the part of individuals; I confine
myself at present to representing the fine spirit and gallantry of all the
troops engaged; I feel bound, however, to bring to your lordship's notice
now the very gallant conduct of the 1st Battalion Welsh Regiment, who were
on our right flank: a portion of the battalion charged right up to the Boer
laager with the bayonet in the finest possible manner, losing heavily in
their gallant attempt to capture it". The Welsh have to thank some
pertinacious catechists in the House of Commons for the publication of this
despatch: the object of the catechists was not, however, to add to the glory
of this or any other regiment.
At Paardeberg the Welsh had 1 officer killed and 5 wounded, 15 men killed
and 57 wounded.
On 6th March at Poplars Grove, or Osfontein, the Welsh were again engaged;
and on the 10th at Driefontein, or Abraham's Kraal, they had a post of
honour. In his telegraphic despatch of 11th March Lord Roberts says,
"The brunt of the fight fell on Kelly-Kenny's division, two battalions of
which—the Welsh and the Essex—turned the Boers out of two strong positions
at the point of the bayonet". Various correspondents referred in terms
of highest praise to the work of the Welsh. The Press Association
correspondent, in an admirable account wired from the field, after referring
several times to the way in which the battalion advanced in face of a heavy
fire,—both gun and rifle,— said, "Just before dusk the Welsh Regiment
gallantly rushed the position at the point of the bayonet, taking a kopje
and clearing a considerable portion of the ridge. The scene was
witnessed by Lord Roberts through a telescope". The battalion lost
Captain Lomax, Lieutenant Wimberley, and 29 men killed, 5 officers and over
100 men wounded.
Six officers and 4 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in
Lord Roberts' despatch of 31st March 1900.
The battalion was engaged at Leeuwkop, south-east of Bloemfontein, on
22nd April, when they lost Captain Prothero and 1 man killed, and 1 officer
and 7 men wounded.
In the advance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria, and thence to the Koomati
Valley, the battalion was in the engagements outside Johannesburg and
Pretoria, and in the battles at Diamond Hill and Belfast, but had no serious
losses. They were stationed at Godwaan from 4th September till 12th
October, and were then sent to Barberton, where they remained till 22nd
November, when they were sent to occupy various stations in the Koomati
Valley—Krokodile Poort, Nelspruit, Alkmaar, Elandshoek, and Godwaan.
While stationed in this most unhealthy district the battalion was decimated
by fever. In May 1901 the battalion was taken to Johannesburg,
remaining there as part of the garrison till March 1902, when they were sent
to hold a line of blockhouses from Horn's Nek to Hekpoort west of Pretoria,
and they were on this duty when peace was declared.
The battalion furnished a maxim gun detachment with the 1st Mounted Infantry
under Colonel Alderson, and a company of Mounted Infantry in Colonel De
Lisle's battalion.
In Lord Roberts' final despatch 12 officers and 20 non-commissioned officers
and men were mentioned.
In a train incident at Alkmaar on 20th May 1901 a lieutenant, a
non-commissioned officer, and a private gained mention for great gallantry;
and in Lord Kitchener's final despatch 4 officers and 4 non-commissioned
officers were mentioned.
