TOPIC:

"THE DASH OF THE MOUNTED TROOPS"

AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF PRIVATE F G WACHER, HABERDASHER'S ASKEAN OLD BOY.

I have recently finished reading a book containing a compilation of letters written by Lieutenant (and later Captain) John "Jack" Gilmour of the 20th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. Details of the title and publishers as detailed at the end of this post.
In Chapter 11, we find a letter home from Jack to his father which gives an account in some detail of the actions of the Imperial Yeomanry on the day that Private F G Wacher was killed in action.
It would be unlikely to get a better account of the movements and skirmishes of the day, as Jack Gilmour was in command of a squadron of IY during the action.

"Reitvlei, Transvaal. 1st March 1901.

My Dear Father,
I wrote you a very hurried line this morning just telling you of our fight yesterday. Now I can do so in more detail. On the 26th February S M Simpson, Sergeant Brown and 24 men came by rail from Krugersdorp to Porchefstroom, arriving at 2 pm. After detraining and fitting saddles etc we marched at 6.15 pm, going 6 miles North to Benson's camp on the Mooi River.
The following morning we moved North and North east to a place some ten miles from Whitpoort; we were not opposed. Yesterday we moved off at 5am. I had the Fife and Sussex --34 Fife and some 28 Sussex. I formed the Advance Screen with Fife and left Sussex as support. The right troop was under Corporal Cargill and the left Troop under Sergeant Anderson. I rode in the centre having a guide and a black boy as guide and interpreter.
Almost as soon as it became light, we saw some Boers a mile or two ahead of us, and some of them rode off from a house (there were seven of them) and went across my front to a line of Kopjes on my right. My first orders were to leave the hills on and keep out of shot 2,000 yards, but later on I had instructions to scout the hills well. This necessitated my sending some men much further to the right and we covered a very big frontage, about three miles.
The men were riding in pairs, which is always the system we adopt unless for any special job when I send four. We got along the hills to where there was a Pass and a hollow, some Kaffir Kraals beyond the hills continued, making it very hard to see any distance ahead. I got to the Kaffir huts and was asking for information when I got an order from the rear to halt, as the support was about a mile behind us.
We saw the Boer laager of the night before with the fires still burning. The men on the right reported Boers. The natives told us three waggons had just left and a lot of mounted men. I sent back this information to the rear and sent a message to the right troop to halt where they were, and to the left Troop to halt, but to get to a position where they could command the ground in front. All at once the Boers opened fire on the right and drove in some of the men. I was looking trying to locate them when a heavy fire opened up on the left. Bolitho (Devon Yeomanry) came up, and I told him hurriedly what had happened and then galloped out to the left Troop and found Sergeant Anderson and his men firing out of a mealie field at a close range to the Boers, who were also in the mealies. I sent some of the men to the left to work round when Colonel Benson told me to go right on. We mounted and galloped right through and they bolted.
When I got through I saw them riding off and we all dismounted and shot at them, but I fear we did little harm.
I was told then that two men were down, Prentice being one, so I sent Gordon, the little chap who was my groom in Cupar, back for the Doctor, and pushed on. I had at that time five men actually with me. We galloped on and took the next under a fairly warm crossfire. I sent back and got Armstrong and a troop of the Devons to support me. From this hill we got some long shots at the Boers as they crossed the valley onto the next hill, and the pompom opened up behind us and, firing out over our heads, cleared them out of some thick bushes below us.
I then saw some mounted troops going out to the right flank and also to the left so we pushed on over the valley and up the opposite slope we came on some very fresh waggon tracks, and Colonel Benson suddenly appeared all alone, his staff having disappeared. He asked me for an Orderly, and I gave him one. He said he wanted to push on to the top of the hill and he hoped to see the waggons. We galloped on and got to the top. J B Scott and Gordon, the one who was out here before, got shot at by two Boers about 600 yards off. I galloped to the crest and we dismounted and fired at them. They bolted, and we mounted and followed --to be received by a dropping shower of bullets, and we found ourselves close on to the tail of the Boer commando. It was a perfectly open hillside sloping away to a broad valley and up to another rise about 3 miles off.
Before us was the Boer force 250-300 mounted men (Boer Commandants Wolmerans and Bothman) while I had under 30 men all told, but we galloped at them and dismounted in the open about 1,000 yards off, every man firing for himself, and then half mounted while the other half kept firing. The pompom came up and fired over us, but most of the shells fell short. However, it kept them moving, and they had dismounted on the hill in front and began to shoot at us. By this time we had great difficulty getting a trot out of our horses, and I had rather a difficult question to settle, whether to go on or halt. The pompom could just reach the ridge of the hill in front of us.
I could see no mounted troops to support me, and I had then not more than 20 men. However, I chanced it, and we went for the hill for all we knew. Thank goodness the Boers had gone. We got to the top, horses quite blown, and captured one horse they had left behind on their hurry, all reeking hot, the saddle had just been changed to another horse. We could see the dust rising where they were retiring. I halted for a few minutes to breathe the horses and let the support come up a bit, and on we went. We then saw the Boers going for all they were worth over the next valley and over the opposite hill. We could see them for three miles on and they spread out for four miles I should say. No waggons in sight. So had to give up the chase.
I went on and took another small hill which was held by a party of Boers. They did not even wait to fire at us. We then made a sweep out into the valley and back. We found a wounded horse which we shot. At this stage we were walking and some of the men were leading their horses. We had been going hard for over eight nearly ten miles, with no halt except to shoot and about ten minutes on the last hill. I calculated we came 14 miles from camp to where we stopped, and we had 9 miles back to our new camp. When we came back to our support I heard that Wacher had been killed and Prentice very badly wounded; these two were in the left Troop. Findlay and Honey man were on the extreme left, then Wacher and Prentice. The latter two saw the Boers first and dismounting fired three shots before the Boers replied. Prentice told me that one man was if not killed hit. Then he was wounded and heard Wacher fall but he seems to have been killed at once. They came on the Boers, and got heavily fired at an Findlay got two bullets through his hat. Being afraid of getting surrounded, they retired and I understand in doing so, Findlay got a bad fall over some wire, but is not much the worse now. Honeyman caught his horse. The Boers were so close to Wacher and Prentice that they had time to take their horses and a few things from them before we routed them out.
The men behaved most gallantly, and if it had not been for the loss of these two boys I have never had a better day. It was more like a hunt than anything I know, and my pack worked beyond praise, Fife and Devon. Colonel Benson our Brigadier mentioned in orders last night his appreciation of the gallantry and dash of the mounted troops. As he himself was with me for a great part of the time and we were in advance of all others I think we may claim a very fair share of the kudos. To you I may say that I have been complimented on my handling of the advance guard and I am very proud of my means you can understand. Armstrong who comes from Warwickshire and knows Lady Mordaunt, backed me up well and helped in every way possible.
In a great measure the joy of it all was drowned in the sorrowful news of our loss. Poor Wacher had only rejoined the company on the 26th and had not been with us since June when we left him in Porchefstroom in some Post Office billet. He did see some fighting I fancy under Methuen and with the 19th company which he was with for a bit, but it was the first time he came under fire with the company. I have written a letter to his father telling him all I could.
We buried him this morning at 7.30 am. The Dorsets supplied the firing party. The whole company paraded also many men from the other companies and all the officers. His grave we dug close to a big willow tree and next the water. We had great difficulty in getting it dug as the ground was so rocky. I read the Burial Service. Unfortunately it began to rain just as we started and poured heavily all the time. The men are making a cross and we will put a rail round the grave and put some stones on it.
It is very sad, but I am not sure that it is not more sad about Prentice, such a nice boy and he has been with us right through. He was one of those mentioned for gallantry at Nooitgedacht for helping the gun. He is paralysed all but his arms, and I fear he will not live. He was taken in by ambulance today to Friedrichstaadt and I got a message sent back to me from halfway that he was very bad. I had two chats with him, one last night and one this morning. He was quite clear and talked about the fight and was very pleased when I told him how proud we were of him and that the Brigadier was very pleased with our work. Pullar had been looking after his letters etc and writing to his people. I will write to his mother by this next mail when we get a chance.
I have no news of the other men wounded at Nooitgedacht, but hope they are doing well. I enclose some papers which you might get Fanthorpe to fill up and forward to the Secretary of State for War. I do not think any of them made military wills so that can be filled up 'none'. I think I can post this tomorrow.
Ever your affectionate son,
Jack Gilmour "

So a very poignant letter home from Lieutenant Gilmour, with more than usual detail of how a soldier died in battle.

Ed. by Patrick Mileham. (1996). "Clearly My Duty: Jack Gilmour's Letters from the Boer War." Tuckwell Press, East Linton, Scotland.

Very poignant and informative indeed .
Thanks for sharing Steve.

Best regards

Dave....