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Click here for the
nominal roll.
The raising of the Rhodesian Regiment and of
the Bechuanalaud Protectorate Regiment has already been touched upon under
the first-named corps. When in September 1899 Colonel Baden-Powell
determined to himself command the garrison of Mafeking, he took with him the
Protectorate Regiment, which was then about a month old. According to
his report on the siege, the garrison of the town was composed of the
regiment under Colonel Hore, total strength 469;
British South Africa Police (Colonel Walford), 91;
Cape Police (Inspectors Marsh and Browne), 103;
Bechuanaland Rifles (Volunteers), 81;
Town Guard, untrained, 296—total, 44 officers, 975 men.
The total white population of the place was about 1000, and the natives
usually resident numbered 6000; but before hostilities commenced, about 1000
more came in, and had to be fed. On the other hand, before the siege
ended, about 1500 natives had been persuaded to break through with the view
of economising food. Some natives were enrolled to assist in
protecting their own stadt, as cattle-guards etc and they were largely
employed on the construction of defensive works. The town was 1000
yards square, and its best features, from the defenders' point of view, were
that it was not commanded by hills, that the trenches had a good field for
fire, and the ground outside of these being for a long distance very flat,
full advantage could be taken of the low trajectory of the Lee-Metford
rifle. "The perimeter of the works at first was approximately seven
miles; latterly it extended to a little over ten miles". It is
difficult to understand how such a small force could hold such an immense
area. The artillery of the garrison was commanded by Major Panzera of
the BSA Police, and was worked by men of that force and of the Cape Police.
They had four 7-pounder muzzle-loading guns, one 1-pounder Hotchkiss, one
2-inch Nordenfeldt, seven .303 maxims; and there were added during the siege
an old ship's gun, found about the place, and a 16-pounder muzzle-loading
howitzer, which was made in the railway workshop. The powder, shells,
and fuses used by the garrison were also manufactured in that workshop.
Opposed to this slender and poorly equipped garrison, the enemy had at first
8000 men, with ten guns, under Cronje. After he had become tired or
disheartened, he went south towards Kimberley and Magersfontein, leaving
Snyman with about 3500 men and six guns, one of which was a new 94-pounder
Creusot. The latter gun fired 1497 rounds between 13th October 1899
and 17th May 1900.
The principal engagements during the siege, as mentioned in the report of
18th May 1900, were as follows:—
Action of 14th October, before the investment was complete, fought about
six miles north of town. Patrols having found the enemy advancing
along the railway, an armoured train with a Hotchkiss, a maxim, and 15 of
the BSA Police, were sent out. It became heavily engaged with Boers
who had 2 guns. Captain FitzClarence, with a squadron of the
Protectorate Regiment, attacked, the train being on his left. Another
troop under Lord C Bentinck, with a 7-pounder, reinforced, and after four
hours' fighting the enemy was driven off. The armoured train put one
of the Boer guns out of action before it had fired a shot, and drove the
other gun from the field. When Captain FitzClarence withdrew the enemy
made no attempt to follow him. The Boers lost 53 killed, including 4
field-cornets, and many wounded. The British loss was 3 men killed, 2
officers (Lieutenant Lord C C Bentinck, 9th Lancers, attached, and
Lieutenant Brady) and 13 men wounded, all of Protectorate Regiment, and 1
cyclist taken prisoner. Colonel Baden-Powell said: "In this, their
first engagement, the Protectorate Regiment showed a spirit and dash worthy
of highly trained troops, and were most ably led by Captain FitzClarence and
Lord C Bentinck. This smartly fought little engagement had a great and
lasting moral effect on the enemy".
Enemy's attack on the stadt, 25th October 1899. The Boers commenced
shelling from east and south with seven guns at 6.30 am, and continued till
noon. At noon about 3000 advanced to attack, firing heavily from long
range inwards. The garrison reserved their fire till the attackers
were close, then opened with maxims and rifles. This, and a flanking
fire from natives in the stadt, was enough, and the attempted assault
spluttered out. The Boer loss was not known, but their ambulances were
seen picking up a number of casualties. There was only one of the
garrison wounded.
Night attack on Boer trenches, 27th October 1899. The attacking
force was Captain FitzClarence's squadron, supported by a party of Cape
Police. At 9.30 pm the attackers moved out in silence. "The
night was dark but still. The squadron attained its position on the
left rear of the enemy's trench without being challenged or fired at.
Captain FitzClarence then wheeled up his men, and, with a cheer, charged
into the main and subsidiary trenches and cleared both with the bayonet.
The enemy's rearward trenches opened a heavy fire, to which the Cape Police
replied from a flank in order to draw the fire on to themselves, and so
allow Captain FitzClarence's squadron to return unmolested. The whole
operations were carried out exactly in accordance with instructions, and
were a complete success". Parties of the enemy in the darkness and
confusion fired into one another. Their losses were stated at 100
killed and wounded. The British loss was 6 killed, 9 wounded,
including Captain FitzClarence and Lieutenant Swinburne, and 2 captured.
Action at Cannon Kopje, 31st October 1899. The enemy commenced the
engagement with a heavy concentrated fire on the kopje, one of the enemy's
guns taking the work in reverse. No reply could be made by artillery
or maxims, which had to be stowed underground for protection. After
half an hour's shelling the enemy advanced to the attack. Our people
then manned their parapets and got the maxims up. A 7-pounder was "run
out under cover of houses, near south corner of town". Under
Lieutenant Murchison this gun opened fire on the enemy's flank, and their
advance was stopped. The garrison lost Captain the Honourable Douglas
Marsham, Captain Charles A K Pechell, and 6 non-commissioned officers and
men killed, and 3 wounded. The casualties among the rank and file fell
chiefly on Colonel Walford's BSA Police, by whom the work was defended.
The defenders were congratulated by Colonel Baden-Powell. The enemy
were said to have lost heavily. In a skirmish on the 3rd November
Captain Goodyear was wounded.
Surprise attack on enemy's western laager, 7th November 1899. At
2.30 am Major Godley paraded his force. Two 7-pounders, one Hotchkiss,
one squadron Protectorate Regiment (dismounted), 60, under Captain Vernon,
one troop, 30, Bechuanaland Rifles, Captain Cowan. Captain Vernon's
squadron led the attack. At 4.15 am the guns opened on laager at 1800
yards. The surprise was complete, and the enemy bolted in all
directions, but were soon strongly reinforced, and Major Godley had to
withdraw. This he did successfully under very heavy fire. The
Hotchkiss upset and broke limber-hook, but Gunners Cowan and Gordon "very
pluckily stood up and repaired damage" under heavy artillery and rifle fire.
Major Godley and 4 men were wounded. Again the Boers lost heavily.
Action at Game Tree Hill, 26th December 1899. "Two squadrons
Protectorate Regiment, supported by armoured train and Bechuanaland Rifles,
were ordered to attack enemy's works from left flank under Major Godley,
while three guns and a maxim prepared the way from the right front of the
work. On pressing home the attack a heavy fire killed or wounded most
of the officers and leading troops. These succeeded in gaming the
parapet, but the work was found to have been strongly roofed in and so
closed as to be impregnable". The British losses were this time very
serious. Captain R J Vernon, Captain H C Sandford, Lieutenant H P
Paton, and 21 non-commissioned officers and men were killed, Captain
FitzClarence and 22 men wounded, and 3 missing. Colonel Baden-Powell
said "If blame for this reverse falls on any one it should fall on myself,
as everybody concerned did their part of the work thoroughly well and
exactly in accordance with the orders I had issued. Both officers and
men worked with splendid courage and spirit".
During February 1900 there was fighting on various occasions, and on the
12th of that month Captain Girdwood was mortally wounded.
Boers' attack, 12th May 1900. The enemy evidently determined to
make a final attempt to capture the town before the relief column could come
up. At "4 am on the 12th they opened a very heavy long-range musketry
fire on the town from the east, north-east, and south-east. ...
I therefore wired to the southwest outposts to be on the outlook". The
Colonel's judgment was, as usual, correct. "At about 4.30 300 Boers
made a rush through the western outposts and got into the stadt; this they
then set fire to. I ordered the western defenders to close in so as to
prevent any supports coming in after the leading body, and sent the reserve
squadron there to assist. They succeeded in driving off an attack of
about 500 without difficulty". The upshot was that those who got in
got divided into three parties. "The first surrendered, the second was
driven out with loss by three squadrons Protectorate Regiment under Major
Godley, and the third, in the BSA Police fort, after a vain attempt to break
out in the evening, surrendered. We captured this day 108 prisoners,
among whom was Commandant Eloff, Kruger's grandson. We also found 10
killed and 19 wounded Boers, and their ambulance picked up 30 men killed and
wounded. Our losses were 4 killed, 10 wounded", including Captain
Singleton and Lieutenant Bridges. "Our men, although weak with want of
food and exercise, worked with splendid pluck and energy for the fourteen
hours of fighting, and instances of gallantry in action were very numerous".
During the action between the relief column and the enemy on the 16th,
part of the garrison demonstrated in the enemy's rear. On the morning
of the 17th, after the head of the relief column was in, Colonel Walford was
sent out against the laager on the east. Some Boers were killed, and
they were prevented removing a gun, many waggons, camp equipment etc.
Thus to the very last the little garrison behaved with that splendid
courage, energy, and fighting skill which they had exhibited from their
first encounters onwards.
The Empire may hold together many decades without any body of her sons
doing for her a finer piece of work than 'the defence of Mafeking'. It
has become the custom to smile, if not to sneer, at the Mafeking
celebrations. Seldom has the Empire had greater cause for joy, and not
a cap too many was thrown in the air or a shout too many or too loud given.
When we fail to rise to enthusiasm on such an occasion we shall have become
unable to do the deeds that can arouse it.
The Protectorate Regiment saw some fighting in the Transvaal, but
anything they did is pale in colour after 'the defence'. They were
disbanded before the close of 1900.
The Regiment gained the following Honours and Mentions:—
Captain FitzClarence (Royal
Fusiliers), twice wounded, gained the VC for great courage and fearlessness
on 14th and 27th October and 26th December 1899. On 27th October
Captain FitzClarence was the first man into the trenches, and accounted for
four of the enemy with his sword. Sergeant H R Martineau gained the Cross on 26th December 1899. He
picked up Corporal Le Camp and took him back 150 yards under very heavy
fire. In doing this he was wounded, but continued to assist his
comrade, and received two additional wounds.
Trooper H E Ramsden, on 26th December
1899, also gained the Cross. He picked up his brother and carried him
700 yards under heavy fire.
COLONEL BADEN-POWELL'S DESPATCH.—Lieutenant Colonel Hore, Staffordshire
Regiment; Major Godley, Dublin Fusiliers; Captain Marsh, Royal West Kent;
Captain Vernon, KRRG; Captain FitzClarence, Lieutenant C Bentinck, 9th
Lancers; Lieutenants Holden,
Greenfield, and Feltham.
LORD ROBERTS' DESPATCH. — Lieutenants
G Bridges, J A P Feltham, Greenfield,
Mossum or Moorsom, Waller; Sergeant J W S Lowe, Corporal Metcalfe; Troopers
Bryant, Calderwood, Johnson, Parsons, Stevens; Gunner Mulholland.
Sergeant Lowe and Gunner Mulholland actually belonged to the Mafeking
Railway Volunteer Corps.
