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Colonel Kitchener and
officers of the 2nd Battalion |
Uniform |
Maxim of the
2nd Battalion |
Officers of the
2nd Battalion |
The 2nd Battalion sailed on the Roslin Castle on 19th October 1899, and
arrived at the Cape about 8th November and at Durban about the 11th.
Along with the 2nd Queen's, 2nd Devons, and 2nd East Surrey, they formed the
2nd Brigade under Major General Hildyard. The work of the brigade is
sketched under the 2nd Queen's.
At Willow Grange on 22nd November, when Hildyard made the night attack on
Joubert's people, the West Yorks had the place of honour and did well.
In his report, dated 24th November 1899, General Hildyard said, "Colonel
Kitchener, West Yorkshire Regiment, led the assaulting force with energy and
judgment, and all ranks of the 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment behaved
admirably". The losses of the battalion were approximately 10 men
killed, 1 officer and 50 men wounded, and Major Hobbs a prisoner.
Major Hobbs was taken prisoner owing to his anxiety to bring in all those
who were wounded. At Venter's Spruit the battalion had some very
severe fighting on the left of Warren's force, particularly on 21st January.
One company got so far in advance of the general line that they had to
remain isolated till nightfall. That day the battalion lost 1 officer
and 5 men killed, and 1 officer and over 40 men wounded.
At Vaal Krantz the battalion held the right of the hill, and were badly
bothered all the 7th February by rifle and shell fire, but of course held
their ground without a murmur.
In the great combat between 13th and 27th February the West Yorks were
constantly in the thickest. In his despatch of 14th March General
Buller says (para 12): "The 2nd Brigade crossed the nek and assaulted Monte
Cristo, the steep crags of which were brilliantly carried after considerable
resistance by the West Yorkshire and Queen's Regiments.
Captain T H Berney, West Yorkshire Regiment, a most gallant officer, led the assault and
was the first man up. He was, I regret to say, shot through the head
as he got to the top". The battalion's magnificent attack on Railway
Hill on the afternoon of the 27th greatly assisted to set the long doubtful
issue at rest. That day the battalion was temporarily attached to the
Lancashire Brigade, the brigadier being their own former colonel, F W
Kitchener. The capture of Railway Hill will always be one of the
proudest of the regiment's feats; and it must be remembered that the task
was designed for two battalions, that by an accident it was left to this
battalion alone, and they did it. Captain Conwyn Mansell-Jones was awarded the VC for "his self-sacrificing
devotion to duty at a critical moment" in the action. Seven officers
and 9 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned by General Buller and
General Warren for exceptional gallantry, 4 of the latter being recommended
for the distinguished conduct medal. The losses of the battalion on
the fourteen days' fighting were approximately 1 officer and 6 men killed, 6
officers and 85 men wounded.
At Alleman's Nek, 11th June 1900, the battalion supported the two Surrey
regiments, but got in fairly close at the finish. Two officers, a
sergeant, and a private were mentioned in General Buller's despatch of 19th
June 1900, and 5 officers and 4 non-commissioned officers in his final
despatch of 9th November 1900.
For a time the Natal Army was largely employed on garrison work and in
occupying the south-east of the Transvaal, but soon it had to assist Lord
Roberts in other ways, and the West Yorkshire did a lot of trekking and hard
fighting under different generals.
In August 1900 the West Yorkshire were placed under Smith-Dorrien, along
with the 1st Royal Scots, 1st Royal Irish Regiment, and 1st Gordons.
They were railed from Pretoria to Belfast, whence the brigade, exclusive of
this battalion, moved north towards Lydenburg in order to assist General
Buller, who had found a position near Badfontein too strong to attack
frontally.
In September 1900 the battalion was withdrawn from their garrison duties
on the Delagoa line and placed along with the 1st Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders under Brigadier General Cunningham, who commanded the infantry
of a column under Broadwood. The column marched from Pretoria to
Rustenburg; the mounted troops did the clearing of the country, and the
infantry garrisoned the town and posts.
In Lord Roberts' final despatch 11 officers and 19 non-commissioned
officers and men were mentioned.
On 3rd December 1900 two companies of the battalion were part of the
escort of a convoy travelling to Rustenburg, which was attacked by a large
Boer force. After very stiff fighting the Boers were driven off, but
they succeeded in destroying half of the waggons. In this affair the
battalion lost 9 killed and 13 wounded. In his despatch of 8th March
1901 Lord Kitchener said the escort made a very gallant stand.
On February 1901 a portion of the battalion was with General Smith-Dorrien
in the Eastern Transvaal. Before dawn on 6th February he was very
heavily attacked at Bothwell, near Lake Chrissie, by a big force under Botha.
On that occasion the West Yorks had extremely hard fighting, and lost 19 men
killed and 7 wounded. Sergeant W B
Traynor was awarded the Victoria Cross for bringing in a wounded
comrade, after he had himself been wounded, and then returning to the
command of his section. Four non-commissioned officers and men were
mentioned in Lord Kitchener's despatch of 8th March, and 1 officer and 4
non-commissioned officers were subsequently mentioned for their good work on
this occasion. The battalion accompanied Smith-Dorrien to Piet Retief.
They were afterwards brought to the Western Transvaal to do blockhouse work.
The battalion was not again so heavily engaged as at Bothwell, although
they were still to see a great deal of marching and not a little fighting.
In September and October 1901 they were with Brigadier General Bullock,
along with the 2nd Scots Guards, and under him erected a line of blockhouses
between Wakkerstroom and Piet Retief. Until the close of the campaign
they were chiefly located in the extreme east of the Transvaal, and had many
skirmishes in the difficult country close to the Swazi border, in which work
they gained several commendations during the war. In Lord Kitchener's
final despatch 4 officers and 3 non-commissioned officers were mentioned.
