The Natal Police had a strength of 317
all ranks who were scattered throughout Natal.
On 12th
October war was declared, the enemy entered Natal, and their movements were
reported by the Carbineers. When Major Taunton reported the enemy's
movement, the Intelligence Department discredited this, and he had to send a
patrol to locate, or rather look into, the hostile laager. On the 17th,
No. 1 squadron of the Border M.R., under Captain Royston, was fired on at
the foot of the Tintwa Pass; and on the same night Captain Wales, Volunteer
Staff, with a troop of Natal M.R., set out to patrol the Waschbank Valley,
passing through several parties of Boers and covering 126 miles in
forty-eight hours. On the 18th Sir George White asked the Natal
M.R. for a bodyguard of 24 non-commissioned officers and men; Captain F. S.
Tatham of the Carbineers was chosen as commander. On this date the enemy
advanced in force, and the Border M.R. from Acton Homes and the Carbineers
from Van Reenen's and other passes had, according to the GOC’s orders, to
retire nearer to Ladysmith. On the 20th the Umvoti men reported heavy
firing at Dundee. This was, of course, the severe engagement fought by
General Penn-Symons in order to drive the enemy off Talana Hill, which
commanded his camp. It will be remembered that the general was mortally
wounded. His successor, Brigadier-General Yule, finding that he was being
threatened by very superior forces, started at 9 pm on the 22nd
to withdraw his force to Ladysmith. Colonel Dartnell, chief commissioner of
the Natal Police, was on the staff of General Penn-Symons at Talana Hill,
and was beside the general when he fell. Two of the police acting as
orderlies to Colonel Dartnell were wounded in the engagement.
When the
siege commenced the following were part of the garrison:
|
|
Volunteer Staff, including
Medical and Veterinary |
11 |
|
|
Natal Carbineers |
390 |
|
|
Border Mounted Rifles |
260 |
|
|
Natal Mounted Rifles |
200 |
|
|
Natal Naval Volunteers |
65 |
|
|
Hotchkiss Detachment |
20 |
|
|
Natal Police |
40 |
|
|
|
986 |
The town and
camps were during the siege constantly under shell-fire, and on 18th
December one 6-inch shell bursting in the camp of the Carbineers killed 4
men, wounded 6 men, and destroyed 10 horses. The times were trying, but
hard digging, sangar building, and brigade sports kept the men fairly fit.
In the repulse of the great attack of 6th January 1900 the
volunteers took a prominent part. The following is the report furnished by
Colonel Royston to the Chief of the Staff: "I have to report that on
Saturday, 6th inst., at about 4.15 am, I received information by
telephone from headquarters that the enemy were making an attack on Wagon
Hill. I at once despatched 80 men of the Natal MR, under Major Evans, to
strengthen the outposts on the Flats, then held by 1 officer and 40 men
Natal Police, attached to Volunteers, and 1 officer and 20 men Natal
Carbineers. The Town Guard was also directed to stand fast at its post on
the left bank of the Klip River. As it had been intimated that a battery of
artillery would be placed at my disposal, I directed two squadrons Border
MR, with one maxim, to accompany the guns. Major Abadie, at about 5.40 am,
reported his guns in position near the point where the road to Caesar’s Camp
crosses the town rifle-range. On my arrival at the outpost line, at 5 am,
the enemy were occupying the extreme south-eastern point of Caesar's Hill,
well under cover amongst the rocks and bushes. About 50 men were visible
from the Flats, but more appeared to be pushing on from the west in small
parties. These men were being fired on from the thorn trees and from
sangars below by my men as soon as they appeared in sight. A few minutes
after my arrival the enemy advanced north along the top of the hill, firing
at a party of 'Gordons' near a sangar about 500 yards to their front. I
requested the officer commanding the battery to open fire, which he did with
good effect, stopping the enemy's advance, and driving them into the rocks.
As there appeared to be only a small party of the `Gordons' opposed to the
enemy at this spot, as far as I could see from below, I directed a squadron
of Border MR, under Lieutenant Royston, to climb the hill and go to their
assistance dismounted. This would be about 6 am. On my men joining the
Gordons the party advanced towards the enemy in the rocks, but were at first
driven back by their heavy fire, and the enemy again advanced. The battery
again opened fire, and the 'Gordons' and the Border MR again advancing,
drove the enemy over the point of the hill, and they never again mounted to
the crest. At mid-day the enemy had retired about half way down the
southern slope of the hill, but still kept up a heavy fire. Unfortunately,
it was impossible to get at these with artillery fire from where the battery
was limbered, owing to the danger of hitting our own people on the crest of
the hill, and the officer commanding the battery did not consider it
advisable, owing to the rough ground to cross, and to exposure to Bulwana,
to advance any of his guns as far as our outpost line, from which point the
enemy could be reached. Rifle-fire was kept up until the enemy finally got
into the bed of the Fourie Spruit, where he could only be reached from the
top of Caesar's Hill. A heavy fire was kept up until dark, when it
gradually ceased, and the enemy appeared to be retiring up the Fourie Spruit.
My casualties were 4 men killed and 2 officers and 10 men wounded. I wish
to bring to notice the gallant manner in which the battery of artillery,
under Major Abadie, stuck to its ground under the very heavy fire from the 6
inch gun and another long range gun on Umbulwana, and also the excellent
practice made by the battery. I also consider that Lieutenant Royston,
Border MR, did good service with his men. The behaviour of Captain Platt
and Lieutenant Hornabrook, Vol. Med. Corps, in attending to the wounded
throughout the day under heavy fire, deserves special mention; the
last-named officer was wounded, besides having his clothes pierced by a
bullet."
When
Dundonald rode into Ladysmith on the evening of 28th February, he
was accompanied by some Carbineers, Natal Mounted Rifles, Border Mounted
Rifles, and Natal Police, the officers being Major D. M`Kenzie, Lieutenants
Silburn, M`Kay Verney, Richards, Ashburnham, and Abraham. None of those
present will ever forget this ride, probably the most memorable occasion in
the lives of any of them.
On 24th
April 1901 a party of about 20 Natal Police and 26 Europeans, chiefly
civilians, engaged a strong Boer force near Mhalatini in Zululand, and drove
them back. There were sharp casualties on either side, the Police losing 5
killed and several wounded. On 28th July 1901, near N'qutu, the
enemy made a determined attack on a small column consisting chiefly of the
Volunteer Composite Regiment. Major Edwards and several men were killed and
several were wounded. The enemy was driven off with much loss. In
September 1901, when Botha made an earnest endeavour to reinvade Natal, the
whole of the Natal Volunteers were again called out and were hurried to the
front. Botha having been driven out of the southeast of the Transvaal, the
Volunteers were discharged again on 14th October 1901, but the
Composite Regiment remained in the field.
Sir G. White’s Despatch: 2nd December 1899:
Colonel W. Royston, commanding Natal Vol. force, in the terms already
mentioned in the text. Col J. G. Dartnell, Chief Com. Natal Police,
"rendered valuable service to the late Lieutenant Gen. Sir W. Penn-Symons
and to Brig.-Gen. Yule when the Dundee column fell back on Ladysmith; his
advice and experience were of the highest value, and I found him always
ready and willing to help me in any way in his power."
Lord
Kitchener’s despatch 8th December 1901: Natal Police - Sgt.
Lane, for excellent work in defence of a convoy from Melmoth to Nkandhla,
May 29. Sgt. A. J. Smith of the Police, and Trooper A. W. Evans of the M.R.,
got the DCM
Lord Kitchener’s despatch 23rd June 1902: Natal
Police Field Force - Sub-Insp. J. Hamilton; Sergeants Newson, Goode.
